February 9th, 2016 What’s Up?
It started work on this blog post on Sunday while laying over–heck, it was only 7 hours, not 8 as I originally figured–at the Delta lounge in LAX. It was 1:02 PM Pacific time as I began to type. My flight to Tokyo was set for 4:50pm. As I said, one breath at a time.
I got a lot done on my MCO to LAX flight and got a lot done on Sunday afternoon. I can’t wait for the Snow Monkeys!
I added lots more to this post on my layover day in Tokyo, that being Tuesday February 9, 2016.
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8771 was shot at full frame.
8772 was shot at 1.3 crop.
8773 was shot at 1.6 crop.
8774 was shot at 1:1
8775 was shot at 4:3
8776 was shot at 16:9
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EOS 5DS R Crop Mode/Sometimes You Can Be 100% Wrong and Ignorant and It Doesn’t Mean Squat…
I am not sure how this all started but in the blog post here good friend Patrick Sparkman commented:
David. I never said that I would use the in camera crop. I would never use that and only crop in post processing. Obviously, if I could get closer to the subject, and fill the frame on the 5DS R I would. But that is not always possible, so the 5DS R allows for significant cropping in post and still maintain good image quality. I hope that answers your question.
Then I chimed in out of ignorance:
As far as I know, there is no such thing as in-camera cropping as there is with some Nikon bodies…
Next, good friend and multiple IPT participant David Policansky posted this:
Artie: This from the Imaging Resource website: “Also, in what we believe is another EOS camera first, Canon has added crop shooting modes for both 1.3x and 1.6x crop factors.” That is what I was talking about. Check your 5DS R camera body manual! 🙂 David
So I did, and learned that I was wrong. And I learned a lot more. Here goes:
#1: If you convert in Adobe Camera RAW or Lightroom or anything but Canon Digital Photo Professional 4, there is no such thing as Crop or Aspect Ratio after the fact. Why? Only DPP 4 recognizes some (but not all) of the six choices.
#2: If you choose either the 1.3x (crop) or the 1.6x (crop) setting at the bottom of the fourth RED menu, the image will be “cropped” as you look through the viewfinder (the cropped pixels are grayed out). When you view the images on the rear LCD, you will see the crop marks. When you bring the image into DPP 4 (only) for the RAW conversion, you will see the crop marks. If you proceed to convert the image you will be left only with the cropped version. It is possible to get rid of the crop marks and work with the full frame image by going to the Crop tab and hitting Clear.
#3: If you choose 1:1 you will see the crop in the viewfinder as above. You will see the square crop upon playback. But that is the end of it. You will not see the square crop even in DPP 4.
If you choose either 4:3 or 16:9 you will not see the crop through the viewfinder and there will be no crop marks on your image. At this point you should be asking, “What’s up with that?”
Strangely enough when you choose 4:3 or 16:9, you will be viewing only the cropped portion of the images in the selected proportion when you work in Live View. And that is also true when you pick the 1.3x (crop), the 1.6x (crop), or the 1:1 Aspect Ratio.
All of the above makes no sense to me. Does any of it make sense to you? If so, please leave a comment and explain it to us.
If 1.3x and 1.6x are indeed “crops” and the 1:1, 4:3, and 16:9 are all indeed Aspect Ratios, then why not have each of those three do the same thing? Beats me.
Of note: in all cases you always have the complete, un-cropped RAW file to work with.
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This image was created through the spotlessly clean window of my room in a luxurious Tokyo hotel with the hand held Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens (at 100mm) and the monster mega-pixel Canon EOS 5DS R. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/500 sec. at f/8.
Center AF point/AI Servo Expand/Rear Focus AF on the tallest building and re-compose. Click here to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.
The View from the Top
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Using the 1:1 the Aspect Ratio…
Well, obviously I made it to Tokyo in one piece. And continued work on this blog post to maximize your learning opportunities. When I first glanced out the window and framed the image in my mind, a square crop was obvious. So I went to the menu and set 1:1. And I must admit that having the square crop in the viewfinder made it a easier to fine tune the image design “in the field” if you would :). So there are times when the seemingly useless feature can help.
NIK Tonal Contrast Trick
As one might expect, the view from my room was quite hazy/smoggy. So when I went to run my NIK Color EFEX Pro 50/50 recipe I experimented with the High Pass setting for Tonal Contrast; wow! What an improvement. Goodbye haze, goodbye smog.
So What Else Did I Learn?
I learned that the 5DS R does have a Crop/aspect ratio menu item, that it makes very little if any sense, and that it would not seem to be of any practical use.
But then I figgered something out that might be of actual use for comparing the quality of image files from a 5DS R (in terms of sharpness, contrast, and fine feather detail) with the image files from a 7D II. Or those from a 5DS R with those from a 1D Mark IV or a 1D X.
To compare the 5DS R files to 7D II files first fine a static subject be it a detailed sign or a sleeping bird or animal. Both cameras should be Lens Align Focus Tuned to the lens you will be using. First set up tripod with the lens on it and lock everything down. Set the 5DS R to 1.6x (crop), mount the camera, and make a few images. Now simply switch to the 7D II, make a few images and compare the results.
More From Patrick Sparkman
When I mentioned the testing idea above to Patrick Sparkman, who recently did a second round of testing with a refined protocol, he said, and I quote:
Here are the PDFs from two Lens Align tests. Exact same setup, same lens, distance, didn’t even move it during camera changes. Same camera settings, and selected the same area on the target to analyze. The sharpest average for the 5DS R is 2527, and the 7dII is 1718.That is what we are seeing. I am through testing cameras now. The 5DS R always wins. I must admit though, that when I do the basic processing with Lightroom and NIK, that the two are pretty close. They are both great cameras. For 2 1/2 times more money though, the 5DS R gives a lot more versatility and that is why I like it so much. And the images are definitely sharper.
Have fun on your layover, and call me if you get bored!
B&H
B&H contributed generously as the primary SDNHM exhibition sponsor. Thank them (and me for the blog) by clicking on the logo link above to shop.
Selling Your Used Gear Through BIRDS AS ART
Selling your used (or like-new) photo gear through the BAA Blog or via a BAA Online Bulletin is a great idea. We charge only a 5% commission. One of the more popular used gear for sale sites charges a minimum of 20%. Plus assorted fees! Yikes. The minimum item price here is $500 (or less for a $25 fee). If you are interested please e-mail with the words Items for Sale Info Request cut and pasted into the Subject line :). Stuff that is priced fairly–I offer free pricing advice, usually sells in no time flat. In the past few months, we have sold just about everything in sight. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the old Canon 500mm, the EOS-7D, and the original 400mm IS DO lens have been dropping steadily. Even the prices on the new 600 II and the 200-400 with Internal Extender have been plummeting. You can see all current listings by clicking here or by clicking on the Used Photo Gear tab on the right side of the yellow-orange menu bar above.
Stuff has literally been flying off the shelves for the past few weeks.
New Listing
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III Professional dSLR
Multiple IPT veteran Steve Leimberg is offering a used EOS 1Ds Mark III Professional dSLR in excellent condition an the insane, record-low BAA price of $999. The sale includes only camera, the battery, the battery charger, and insured ground shipping via major courier. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Steve by e-mail.
The 1Ds Mark III produces superb 21.1 mp files and Autofocus is superb as well. The 1Ds III suffered none of the AF system problems that some encountered with the EOS-1D Mark III. I owned and use one for about three years. If you have been looking at pro bodies and you let this one go you will have only yourself to blame. artie
Think Tank Airport Security V2.0 Rolling Camera Bag
David Ramirez is giving away a lightly used Think Tank Airport Security V2.0 Rolling Camera Bag in excellent condition (used only three times) for only $200. The sale include ground shipping via major courier.
Please contact David via e-mail. Photos of the bag are available upon request.
Price Drop!
Canon EOS 1D-X Professional dSLR
A New Lowest-ever BAA Price: $2999 for like-new!
Price Reduced $200 on FEB 8, 2015.
John Norris is offering a used EOS 1D-X Professional dSLR in like-new condition for $2999 (was $3199). The sale includes an extra battery, the battery charger, the front cap, everything that was in the original box, and insured shipping via UPS Ground. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact John by e-mail or by phone at 214-957-3535 (Central time zone).
Two 1D X bodies served me well as my workhorse dSLRs since their introduction in March 2012. I always appreciated their ruggedness, the great AF system, and the powerful battery that drove AF even with the 2X III TC quickly. artie
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To show your appreciation for my continuing efforts here, we ask, as always, that you get in the habit of using my B&H affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your photo and electronics purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially the Mongoose M3.6 tripod heads, Gitzo tripods, Wimberley heads and plates, LensCoats and accessories, and the like. We sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And we are always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. I just learned that my account was suspended during my absence; it should be up and running by Monday at the latest.
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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 🙂
February 8th, 2016 What’s Up?
I began this blog post on Thursday past and am finishing it on my MCO to LAX flight on the way to my connecting flight to Tokyo. It is an amazing world that we live in: I am online on a jetliner at 30,000 feet via free GoGoInFlight passes from my Platinum AMEX card. Man, you gotta love it.
My last-ever Japan in Winter Tour is announced below. Please e-mail with questions and for couple and IPT repeat customer discount information. This trip has sold out well in advance in three of the past four years. The missing year? I did not go. This will be my last Japan in Winter IPT. I do hope that you can join me.
Used Photo Gear News
The sale of Phil Frigon’s Canon 200-400 f/4L IS with Internal Extender for $8995 is pending. Carl Zanoni’s three Series III TCs sold instantly for $279 each and I learned on Monday that the sale of one of his 1D X bodies is pending. Man, the place is hopping!
Canon 200-400mm f/4L IS II Zoom Lens with Internal 1.4X Extender
A New Lowest-ever BAA Price: $8799!
Price Reduced $651 on FEB 8, 2015.
Good friend and IPT veteran George Golumbeski is offering a used Canon 200-400mm f/4L IS zoom lens with Internal 1.4X Extender in excellent plus to near-mint condition with several extras, was $9450.00, now $8799. The sale includes all of the original items supplied by Canon including the lens trunk, the lens strap, the Canon E-145C Lens Cap (actually a lens hood made of tough synthetic fabric), the rear lens cap, the ET-120 Lens Hood, a 4th Generation Design CRX-5 replacement foot, the the original Canon foot and screws, a LensCoat (in digital camo), a Don Zeck front lens cover, and insured shipping via UPS Ground. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact George via e-mail or by phone at 1-973 216 3832 (Eastern time zone).
The 200-400 is a killer lens when you are working with tame birds or large mammals; can you say the Galapagos, Africa, South Georgia and the rest of the great Southern Ocean locations, Florida, or La Jolla? I have owned and used this lens since its release. artie
My Japan Gear Bag
I knew all along that the big decision for this trip would be whether to bring the lighter, smaller 500mm f/4L IS II or the bulkier, heavier, and longer 600 II. By the narrowest of margins I surprised myself by opting for the 600 II. Keep reading to learn why and more.
Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM Lens. I went with the 600 II for several reasons (and very much despite my right shoulder). Perhaps the great ART treatment I got from chiropractor/friend TJ McKeon on Thursday afternoon made me do it. In any case, we do not walk any great distances on the Japan IPT, at least in the spots were I will need the 600 for reach. That will be the case at the two crane sanctuaries, primarily Tsurui-Itoh where the extra reach really helps in the morning when the Red-crowned Cranes are flying in. I will also bring it onto the eagle boat along with my Induro tripod topped by a Mongoose M3.6. There is not much walking there either. 🙂 And I will likely use it for the Whooper Swans at times and for the ducks in the harbor at Rausu.
Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens. This lens will be on my shoulder for most of the trip either with a 5DS R OR A 1D X via a Black Rapid strap. The 100-400 focal length fits beautifully with the 600 II. I will be using it as I always do for just about everything. That will include catch-as-catch-can flight and action, portraits, and as my main lens on a tripod for the Snow Monkeys. The close-focus there will be amazingly valuable… It was a pretty easy decision to leave the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens at home as I can cover the missing 70-100 with the 24-105.
I am also bringing the Canon EF 400mm f/4 DO IS II USM lens. Many would think that it counterfeits the 100-400 II to some degree and it obviously does but there are lots of advantages that come along with its lighter weight (as compared to the 600 II) and its wider f/4 aperture (as compared to the 100-400II). I will use it for hand held flight for the two species of sea-eagles that we will likely get to photograph, for the Whooper Swans in flight, and for the Red-Crowned Cranes when they are landing close to us. I will likely bring up the hill for the Snow Monkeys so that I can enjoy 800mm of full frame reach if I need it. It’s light weight will be greatly appreciated on that hike. In addition, the 400 DO II offers a good measure of insurance should fate claim my 600 II.
Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens. This all-purpose B-roll lens will be in my Vested Interest Xtrahand vest where it can be grabbed whenever it is needed or used on a tripod for scenic photography.
I am bringing the Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM lens for scenic photography even though I am not very good with this lens…
Camera Bodies
I brought two of the mega-high megapixel Canon EOS 5DS R DSLR bodies and will be using them often with all of the lenses above including on the 600 II either alone or with either TC.
EOS-1D X. I will use my rugged pro body in very low light as it offers better high ISO control of noise and may use it for photographing action with the 600 II and the 2X III TC as the more powerful 1D X battery makes it better choice when I am working at 1200mm and need the fastest possible AF.
Teleconverters
I am making this trip with the usual complement of TCs: three Canon 1.4X III TCs and two 2X III TCs. With my style of bird photography–tight, clean, and graphic–I cannot afford to be without both TCs in the event of an accident or malfunction–or loss. 🙂 Most common in the malfunction category would be that the locking pin sticks; when that happens, there is a risk of having your camera body hit the ground.
Questions Welcome
If you have a question about any of my gear choices above please feel free to leave a comment. Do you disagree with any of my choices? What would you be brining to Japan. And why?
Think Tank Rolling Bags
I will be using the larger of my two Think Tank rolling bags, the Airport Security™ V 2.0 Rolling Camera Bag. Everything above fit easily into my Airport Security™ V 2.0 Rolling Camera Bag on Saturday afternoon. It tipped the scales at 45 1/2 pounds for this trip; the legal limit for US flights is 40 pounds. Nearly all countries in the world give you slack as far as the 40 pounds goes on the way back to the US. As far as the extra 5 1/2 pounds, I have only been hassled for weight once in more than three decades of flying around the world. And never in Japan. I hope that I do not give myself a kine-ahora.
Please click on my Think Tank affiliate link here or on the Think Tank logo-link in the right column of each blog post page to earn a free gift when you purchase any Think Tank product.
Think Tank Urban Disguise Laptop Shoulder Bag
Both Denise Ippolito and I use and love this amazing bag as it has tons of room and enables us to bring tons of extra stuff. If you are forced to gate check your roller you can get more than a few items in this bag, especially if you are not a diabetic.
Please click on my Think Tank affiliate link here or on the Think Tank logo-link in the right column of each blog post page to earn a free gift when you purchase any Think Tank product.
Delkin Flash Cards
As always, I will have a 64gb Delkin e-Film Pro Flash Card in each camera body so that I never have to change cards in the field thus reducing the risk of losing a card…. Please note the new lower prices here. I do have a few extra 32 and 64gb cards in a Delkin CF Memory Card Tote, mostly to protect against operator error.
Vested Interest Xtrahand Vest
I use a custom-designed Vested Interest Xtrahand Magnum vest that John Storrie knows as the BIRDS AS ART Big Lens Vest. It is based on their Magnum vest and then customized to best fit my needs. In addition to carrying a ton of stuff comfortably in the field, it gives you a measure of protection should your roll aboard be gate-checked on puddle jumper or other flights.
If you do a search for “vest’ or “vested interest” on the blog it will take you to many mentions in both the blog and the Bulletins with lots of additional information. See especially here and here.
Click here to learn more about Xtrahand Vests. You can always call John at 940 484 2222 to discuss customizing your vest. If you think that you might order, be sure to have a tape measure in hand. Please let him know that we sent you.
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Consider joining me in Japan in February, 2017, for the world’s best Japan in Winter workshop. Click on the card to enjoy the spectacular larger version.
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Japan In Winter IPT. February 9-24, 2017: $13,999/double occupancy.
All lodging including the Tokyo hotel on 9 FEB, all breakfasts & dinners, ground transport and transfers including bus to the monkey park hotel, and all entrance fees and in-country flights are included. Not included: international flights, all lunches–most are on the run, and alcoholic beverages.
Please e-mail for couple and IPT repeat customer discount information.
This trip is one day longer than the great 2014 trip to allow for more flexibility, more time with the cranes, and most importantly, more time for landscape photography. Hokkaido is gorgeous. You will enjoy tons of pre-trip planning and gear advice, in-the-field instruction and guidance, at-the-lodge Photoshop and image review sessions in addition to short introductory slide programs for each of the amazing locations. Skilled photographer Paul McKenzie handles the logistics and we enjoy the services of Japan’s best wildlife photography guide whom I affectionately call “Hokkaido Bear.” His network of local contacts and his knowledge of the weather, the area, and the birds enables him to have us in the best location every day.
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Amazing subjects. Beautiful settings. Nonstop action and unlimited opportunities. Join me.
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The Logistics
Arrive Tokyo: 9 FEB 2016 the latest. 8 FEB is safer and gives you a day to get acclimated to the time change. Your hotel room for the night of the 9th is covered.
Travel to Monkey Park Hotel: 10 FEB: Short 1/2 DAY of monkey photography is remotely possible depending on our travel time….
Full Day snow monkeys: FEB 11.
Full Day snow monkeys: FEB 12.
13 FEB: Full travel day to Hokkaido/arrive at our lodge in the late afternoon. The lodge is wonderful. All the rooms at the lodge have beds. Bring your warm pajamas. Local onsen (hot springs bath and tubs) is available for $5 each day before dinner–when you are cold, it is the best thing since sliced bread. The home-cooked Japanese styles meals at the lodge are to die for, and the traditional and sumptuous Japanese-style meals at the Snow Monkey Park will astound you and delight your taste buds. What’s the best news? Only a small stand of woods separates us from the very best crane sanctuary. During one big snowstorm we were the only photo group to be able to get to Tsurui Ito; we had the whole place to ourselves in perfect conditions for crane photography!
FEB 14-23: Red-crowned Crane, raptors in flight, Whooper Swans, and scenic photography. Ural Owl possible. One 2-night trip to Rausu for Steller’s and White Tailed Sea Eagles on the tourists boats is 100% dependent weather, road, and sea ice conditions. Only our trip offers complete flexibility in this area. It has saved us on more than once occasion. An afternoon of duck photography in the harbor at Rausu is a strong possibility. The cost of 3 eagle-boat trips is included. If the group would like to do more than three boat trips and we all agree, there will be an additional charge for the extra trip or trips. Do understand that few if any tours offer at least one afternoon boat trip….
Lodging notes: bring your long johns for sleeping in the lodge. In Rausu and at the Snow Monkey Park, the hotel the rooms are Japanese-style. You sleep on comfortable mats on the floor. Wi-fi is available every day of the trip.
FEB 24. Fly back to Tokyo for transfer to your airport if you are flying home that night, or, to your hotel if you are overnighting. If you need to overnight, the cost of that room is on you.
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Life is short. Hop on the merry-go-round.
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To Sign Up
To save your spot, please send your $5,000 non-refundable deposit check made out to “Birds as Art” to Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART, PO Box 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855. I do hope that you can join me for this trip of a lifetime. Do e-mail with any questions or give me a buzz at 863-692-0906.
Purchasing travel insurance within 2 weeks of our cashing your deposit check is strongly recommended. On two fairly recent Galapagos cruises a total of 5 folks were forced to cancel less than one week prior to the trip. My family and I use Travel Insurance Services and strongly recommend that you do the same.
February 7th, 2016 What’s Up?
I worked on this and other upcoming blog posts over the course of several days. I am putting the finishing touches on it at 4:15am Sunday morning, February, 7, 2016. I am at a hotel just outside the airport and will be on their 5:30am shuttle. I fly to Los Angeles this morning and will enjoy an 8-hour layover at LAX before my flight to Tokyo. I could have left later with a much tighter connection but I wanted to get my United miles worth and sit up front the whole way. I did not even know that I had any United miles in my MileagePlus account but when I checked I had just enough for the round trip Business/First ticket. Whoohooo. I meet Donna and Bev in LA for the long flight. We get into Tokyo at 10:50pm on Monday night.
I am feeling quite calm and at peace and plan on hanging at the United first class lounge at LAX doing what I love to do second best 🙂 Working on images and the blog on my great Apple 15.4″ MacBook Pro Notebook Computer with Retina Display. Lord how glad I am that I switched to Mac. As for the long flight, I will take that one breath at a time.
Yesterday was packing, packing, and more packing. I made a big gear bag decision that I will share with y’all in tomorrow blog post.
This Just In!
Got to the airport and went to check in only to be told that United does not have a morning direct flight to LAX… Checked the laptop and saw that it was all on Delta with Delta SkyMiles 🙂 Whew!
The Southern Ocean Photography Guide: $100, via download link
The Southern Ocean Photography Guide (SOPG) e-book is complete and is available for purchase here for $100.00. Or, you can call us at 863-692-0906 Mondays through Fridays with your credit card in hand. A link to your PDF will be sent ASAP (Monday through Friday). This guide is one hundred twenty-eight pages, 21,500 words, and contains 158 inspirational photographs each accompanied by an educational caption.
Why a Photography Guide rather than a Site Guide? The SOPG includes a ton of information on the complex logistics of a voyage to South Georgia and/or Antarctica. The information in this guide will help you select the right trip, to prepare for your trip properly in terms of clothing and photography gear, and will teach you about the various forms of photographic opportunities that you will have including landings, zodiac cruises, photographing from the ship while underway, and ship cruising. The logistics of getting your gear and yourself safely ashore are covered in detail. For those considering such an expedition, there is a frank discussion about the physical demands of a Southern Ocean voyage.
The new guide does include specific tips for many of the popular landings. In South Georgia these include the landings at Elsehul, Fortuna Bay, Right Whale Bay, Hercules Bay, Grytviken, Stromness Harbor, Godthul, Undine Harbor, and Cooper Bay, as well as the famed landing sites at Salisbury Plain, Gold Harbor, and the mind-boggling St. Andrews Bay. In Antarctica you will–weather permitting–likely land at Brown Bluff, Jougla Point, Petermann Island, Neko Harbor, Danco Harbor, Hannah Point, and for the extremely lucky, Bailey Head. There is lots of zodiac cruising down by the continent at locations that include the ice- and Humpback Whale-filled Cierva Cove, Paulet Island (where landings are possible but not likely), Hope Bay, and lots more. You will learn what to expect on a zodiac cruise and how best to maximize your opportunities while protecting your gear.
Why So Expensive?
Actually, if you consider the value of the information in the PDF that you will receive, the SOPG is cheap. I have spent well more than $70,000 out of pocket on my five Southern Ocean trips. You will likely be spending $10 to $20K on your trip. $100? A huge bargain.
As above, the info in this guide will prove invaluable. It will keep you off the wrong ship with the wrong company; it will help you be prepared, to dress properly so that you can stay warm and as dry as possible; it will help you to maximize your photographic opportunities. And, if you follow the safety tips, it might even save your life.
From Ted Cheeseman
Ted Cheeseman was the Expedition Leader on two of my three Cheesemans’ Ecology Safari voyages. He is skillful, dedicated, and extremely knowledgeable. He is as passionate about ice and penguins as I am about bird photography. I recently sent him a review copy of the SOPG. Here is what he had to say:
Thank you for sharing this. I had no idea you were putting so much work into this. It was really fun to see your images. I have, of course, seen many of them, but many more I had not. I read a lot of it, not comprehensively but spent about an hour. Great stuff Artie. Your introduction is solid, honest, appropriate, and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the experience from your perspective. Ted
Get a Totally Free Copy!
Sign up for one of the few remaining spots on the OCT/NOV 2016 South Georgia/Falklands Expedition as part of the BIRDS AS ART group and you will receive a free copy of the Southern Ocean Photography Guide. Click here for complete details including other benefits.
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The info on page 11 might very well help you to prevent serious injury.
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The info on page 12 might very well help you to prevent serious injury or a nasty fur seal bite.
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B&H
B&H contributed generously as the primary SDNHM exhibition sponsor. Thank them (and me for the blog) by clicking on the logo link above to shop.
Selling Your Used Gear Through BIRDS AS ART
Selling your used (or like-new) photo gear through the BAA Blog or via a BAA Online Bulletin is a great idea. We charge only a 5% commission. One of the more popular used gear for sale sites charges a minimum of 20%. Plus assorted fees! Yikes. The minimum item price here is $500 (or less for a $25 fee). If you are interested please e-mail with the words Items for Sale Info Request cut and pasted into the Subject line :). Stuff that is priced fairly–I offer free pricing advice, usually sells in no time flat. In the past few months, we have sold just about everything in sight. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the old Canon 500mm, the EOS-7D, and the original 400mm IS DO lens have been dropping steadily. Even the prices on the new 600 II and the 200-400 with Internal Extender have been plummeting. You can see all current listings by clicking here or by clicking on the Used Photo Gear tab on the right side of the yellow-orange menu bar above.
To say that sales during the last ten days weeks of January have been brisk, would be a big understatement:
- I purchased Mark Hodgson’s 1.4X and 2X TCs in like-new condition in mid-January, 2016 for $279 each before they were even listed.
- Multiple IPT veteran Steve Leimberg sold his 1D-X in excellent plus condition for the full asking price, $2999, on the first day it was listed.
- Roberta Olenick sold her Canon 300mm f/2.8L IS USM lens in near-mint condition for $2950 USD in mid-January.
- Erik Hagstrom sold his Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM lens in excellent condition for a ridiculously low $1275 in late January.
- Patrick Sparkman also sold his Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM lens (in excellent condition) on Feb 2k 2016 for $849 two days after it was listed.
- Multiple IPT veteran Patrick Sparkman sold his EOS 7D Mark II in like-new condition for the full asking price on day 1: $1149.
- Don Mullaney sold his Canon 600mm f/4L IS II lens in mint condition for $9499, the full asking price, on February 1, 2016.
- Gregg Hunt sold his 7D Mark II sold for $999, the full asking price, on January 31, 2016.
- Mark Hodgson sold his Canon 500mm f/4L IS II USM lens in mint condition $7499 within days of listing at the end of January, 2016.
- Mark Hodgson also sold his Canon 5D Mark III the Canon BG-E11 battery grip and two Canon batteries for $1899 in very late January, 2016.
- And his mint Series III TC set to me for $558 before it was even listed.
- Sash Dias sold his Nikon D4 body in excellent condition for $2399 the day after it was listed in late January, 2016.
- Bill Fraser sold his 1D Mark IV body in excellent condition for $1299 at the end of January, 2016.
- Multiple IPT veteran Brent Bridges sold his used Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens in excellent condition for $4599 in late January, 2016.
- Saul Pleeter sold his Sony Alpha a7R Mirrorless Digital Camera in near-new condition for $799 on the first day it was listed in late January 2016.
- Mark Hodgson sold his Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS USM lens in very good plus condition for $599 within a day of listing in late January 2016.
- Bill Condon sold his Canon 500mm f/4L IS USM lens in near-mint condition for $4199 on the first day it was listed in late January 2016.
- Walt Thomas sold his used Canon 100mm f/2.8L IS USM Macro lens in mint condition for $749 in late January.
There are still lots of great items listed. Again, you can see all of these great buys by clicking here.
New Listings
Canon EOS 1D-X Professional dSLR
Multiple IPT veteran Carl Zanoni is offering a used EOS 1D-X Professional dSLR in like-new condition for $3049. The sale includes an extra LP-E4N battery, the battery charger, the front cap, the original box, and insured shipping via major courier. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Carl via e-mail. or by phone at 860-306-9651 Eastern time zone.
Two 1D X bodies served me well as my workhorse dSLRs since their introduction in March 2012. I always appreciated their ruggedness, the great AF system, and the powerful battery that drove AF quickly even with the 2X III TC in place. artie
Canon EOS 1D-X Professional dSLR
Multiple IPT veteran Carl Zanoni is offering a second used EOS 1D-X Professional dSLR in like-new condition as above for $3099; this one also includes a Kirk BL-1DX L bracket in like-new condition. And, as above, an extra LP-E4N battery, the battery charger, the front cap, the original box, and insured shipping via major courier. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Carl via e-mail. or by phone at 860-306-9651 Eastern time zone.
Two 1D X bodies served me well as my workhorse dSLRs since their introduction in March 2012. I always appreciated their ruggedness, the great AF system, and the powerful battery that drove AF quickly even with the 2X III TC in place. artie
Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM Lens
Multiple IPT veteran Carl Zanoni is also offering a used Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM lens in near-mint condition (with one tiny chip on the finish) for the BAA record low price of $829; the glass is perfect. The sale includes the lens hood, the lens Cap E-67U, the lens Dust Cap E (Rear), the LP1424 lens case, the Canon Tripod Mount Ring C, the original packaging, and insured ground shipping via major courier. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Carl via e-mail. or by phone at 860-306-9651 Eastern time zone.
I used this lightweight intermediate telephoto lens in Norway for birds and for B-roll stuff. It is superbly sharp and extremely versatile. It would be a great buy either for a travel photographer or a beginning to intermediate bird photographer (who cannot at present afford the 100-400 II). artie
Series III Extenders (Teleconverters)
All three TCs sold in five minutes…
Multiple IPT veteran Carl Zanoni is also offering four (3) EF Series III Extenders (TCs or teleconverters) for $279 each. Each is in like-new condition. There are two (2) EF 1.4X III Extenders and one (1) EF 2X III Extender. The sale includes the soft pouches and the original boxes and the front and rear caps for each TC. Insured ground shipping via major courier is included and your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Carl via e-mail. or by phone at 860-306-9651 Eastern time zone.
Please Remember to use our Affiliate Links 🙂
To show your appreciation for my continuing efforts here, we ask, as always, that you get in the habit of using my B&H affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your photo and electronics purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially the Mongoose M3.6 tripod heads, Gitzo tripods, Wimberley heads and plates, LensCoats and accessories, and the like. We sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And we are always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. I just learned that my account was suspended during my absence; it should be up and running by Monday at the latest.
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.
Facebook
Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right. Tanks a stack!
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 🙂
February 6th, 2016 What’s Up?
Friday was a two-zillion e-mail day, a little bit busier in that regard than is usual. The air was quite chilly for my swim but the pool was only down one degree to 77 so I was fine until I got out.
I was pleased to learn that Steve Leimberg’s 1D X sold as predicted on Day 1 to Alan and Pat Lillich. The two couples had met on a back to back IPT to Holland, Tulips and birds in Texel.
I did not do any packing today… I leave for the airport hotel late on Saturday afternoon and begin the long journey to Japan on Sunday morning.
B&H
B&H contributed generously as the primary SDNHM exhibition sponsor. Thank them (and me for the blog) by clicking on the logo link above to shop.
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This image was created at La Jolla, CA on the 2016 San Diego IPT with the Induro GIT 304L/Mongoose M3.6-mounted Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens (at 98mm) and the Canon EOS 5DS R. ISO 100. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/8 sec. at f/13 in Tv mode. Color temperature 8,000K. I should have been about two stops brighter here as the RAW file was well under-exposed. I moved the Brightness slider to +1.66 and added a bit of extra noise reduction during the RAW conversion in DPP 4. See our DPP 4 RAW Conversion Guide here to learn more.
Center AF point/AI Servo Expand/Rear Focus AF as framed on the center of the bright red triangle at the bottom, re-compose, and pan. Click here to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.
Image #1: Beach at Sunset full frame
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The Full Frame Image
The JPEG above was created from the full frame 144mb 8-bit file. As above, the RAW file was significantly under-exposed. To my eye, noise in the optimized 5DS R file was and is pretty much non-existent. I was experimenting with in-camera HDR pan blurs panning slowly from side to side for this frame. The frame above was one of the source images.
Exposure Question
So exactly how did Mr. Famous Bird Photographer wind up with an image that was nearly two stops underexposed?
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Image #2: Beach at Sunset panoramic crop
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The Panoramic Crop
This image was created from the optimized TIFF. I cropped away 40% of the image, I was left with a quite respectable 86.5mb 8-bit file of extremely high quality.
The Big Question
Which is the more powerful image, the full frame or the pano? Be sure to let us know why.
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San Diego offers a wealth of very attractive natural history subjects. With annual visits spanning more than three decades I have lot of experience there….
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2017 San Diego 4 1/2-DAY BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT) JAN 11 thru and including the morning session on JAN 15: 4 1/2 days: $1999.
(Limit: 10/openings 8)
Meet and Greet at 7:00pm on the evening before the IPT begins; Tuesday 1/10/17.
Join me in San Diego to photograph the spectacular breeding plumage Brown Pelicans with their fire-engine red and olive green bill pouches; Brandt’s and Double-crested Cormorants; breeding plumage Wood and Ring-necked Duck; other duck species possible including Lesser Scaup, Redhead, and Surf Scoter; a variety of gulls including Western, California, and the gorgeous Heerman’s, all in full breeding plumage; shorebirds including Marbled Godwit, Willet, Sanderling and Black-bellied Plover; many others possible including Least, Western, and Spotted Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Black and Ruddy Turnstone, Semipalmated Plover, and Surfbird; Harbor Seals (depending on the current regulations) and California Sea Lions; and Bird of Paradise flowers. And as you can see by studying the two IPT cards there are some nice bird-scape and landscape opportunities as well.
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. 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.
Did I mention that there are wealth of great birds and natural history subjects in San Diego in winter?
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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.
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The San Diego Details
This IPT will include five 3 1/2 hour morning photo sessions, four 2 1/2 hour afternoon photo sessions, four lunches, and after-lunch image review and Photoshop sessions. To ensure early starts, breakfasts will be your responsibility.
A $599 non-refundable deposit is required to hold your slot for this IPT. You can send a check (made out to “Arthur Morris) to us at 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, will be due on 9/11//2016. If we do not receive your check for the balance on or before the due date we will try to fill your spot from the waiting list. Please print, complete, and sign the form that is linked to here and shoot it to us along with your deposit check. If you register by phone, please print, complete and sign the form as noted above and either mail it to us or e-mail the scan. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via e-mail.
Please Remember to use our Affiliate Links 🙂
To show your appreciation for my continuing efforts here, we ask, as always, that you get in the habit of using my B&H affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your photo and electronics purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially the Mongoose M3.6 tripod heads, Gitzo tripods, Wimberley heads and plates, LensCoats and accessories, and the like. We sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And we are always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. I just learned that my account was suspended during my absence; it should be up and running by Monday at the latest.
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.
Facebook
Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right. Tanks a stack!
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 🙂
February 5th, 2016 What’s Up?
I spent most of the morning ironing out final details and info letters for two sold out IPTs: Namibia and the UK Puffins and Gannets trips. I still have lots of work to do on both of those. I have just started packing for the big Japan trip. I skipped my swim with right shoulder pain; it had been feeling great for two weeks… The ice bath was great.
This Just In!
You can learn about the Southern Ocean Photography Guide (SOPG) here.
B&H
B&H contributed generously as the primary SDNHM exhibition sponsor. Thank them (and me for the blog) by clicking on the logo link above to shop.
Selling Your Used Gear Through BIRDS AS ART
Selling your used (or like-new) photo gear through the BAA Blog or via a BAA Online Bulletin is a great idea. We charge only a 5% commission. One of the more popular used gear for sale sites charges a minimum of 20%. Plus assorted fees! Yikes. The minimum item price here is $500 (or less for a $25 fee). If you are interested please e-mail with the words Items for Sale Info Request cut and pasted into the Subject line :). Stuff that is priced fairly–I offer free pricing advice, usually sells in no time flat. In the past few months, we have sold just about everything in sight. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the old Canon 500mm, the EOS-7D, and the original 400mm IS DO lens have been dropping steadily. Even the prices on the new 600 II and the 200-400 with Internal Extender have been plummeting. You can see all current listings by clicking here or by clicking on the Used Photo Gear tab on the right side of the yellow-orange menu bar above.
To say that sales during the last two weeks of January have been brisk, would be a big understatement:
- Erik Hagstrom sold his Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM lens in excellent condition for a ridiculously low $1275 in late January.
- Patrick Sparkman also sold his Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM lens (in excellent condition) on Feb 2k 2016 for $849 two days after it was listed.
- Multiple IPT veteran Patrick Sparkman sold his EOS 7D Mark II in like-new condition for the full asking price on day 1: $1149.
- Don Mullaney sold his Canon 600mm f/4L IS II lens in mint condition for $9499, the full asking price, on February 1, 2016.
- Gregg Hunt sold his 7D Mark II sold for $999, the full asking price, on January 31, 2016.
- Mark Hodgson sold his Canon 500mm f/4L IS II USM lens in mint condition $7499 within days of listing at the end of January, 2016.
- Mark Hodgson also sold his Canon 5D Mark III the Canon BG-E11 battery grip and two Canon batteries for $1899 in very January, 2016.
- And his mint Series III TC set to me for $558 before it was even listed.
- Sash Dias sold his Nikon D4 body in excellent condition for $2399 the day after it was listed in late January, 2016.
- Bill Fraser sold his 1D Mark IV body in excellent condition for $1299 at the end of January, 2016.
- Multiple IPT veteran Brent Bridges sold his used Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens in excellent condition for $4599 in late January, 2016.
- Saul Pleeter sold his Sony Alpha a7R Mirrorless Digital Camera in near-new condition for $799 on the first day it was listed in late January 2016.
- Mark Hodgson sold his Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS USM lens in very good plus condition for $599 within a day of listing in late January 2016.
- Bill Condon sold his Canon 500mm f/4L IS USM lens in near-mint condition for $4199 on the first day it was listed in late January 2016.
- Walt Thomas sold his used Canon 100mm f/2.8L IS USM Macro lens in mint condition for $749 in late January.
There are still lots of great items listed. Again, you can see all of these great buys by clicking here.
New Listings
Canon EOS 1D-X Professional dSLR
As I predicted, this one sold on Day 1 for the full asking price.
Multiple IPT veteran Steve Leimberg is offering a used EOS 1D-X Professional dSLR in excellent plus condition for $2999. The sale includes an extra battery, the battery charger, the front cap, the original box, and insured shipping via major courier. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Steve by e-mail.
Two 1D X bodies served me well as my workhorse dSLRs since their introduction in March 2012. I always appreciated their ruggedness, the great AF system, and the powerful battery that drove AF quickly even with the 2X III TC in place. artie
Canon EOS 7D Mark II DSLR
Multiple IPT veteran Steve Leimberg is also offering a used Canon EOS 7D Mark II dSLR in like-new condition for $1049. The sale includes the body, the charger, the original box, the front cap, the original box, and insured shipping via major courier. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Steve by e-mail.
Simply put, the 7D II with its fine image quality, fast frame rate, and superb AF system is the greatest value ever in a dSLR. artie
The Original Post
The image above was featured in Wednesday’s blog post. Kudos to the 17 folks who left critiques. Some folks loved the image as I did, others were way less excited by it. But everyone shared their thoughts honestly and politely. Just like on BPN most of the time 🙂 With the tremendous interest in learning to pick your own keepers and in critiquing the work of others we will be doing lots more of both in the future.
The Back Story
I first came across Adhika’s image here in the Avian Forum on BirdPhotographer’s.Net
I posted this critique in Pane #2:
I like it a lot. Especially the mood. I would like to see a repost with the curve pulled up a bit for lighter overall. a
In Pane #4 Adhika commented as follows:
Artie and Adrian, Thanks so much for the comments. After another look at the image, your assessments on the darker tone are right. Thanks for the kind words on the composition. Here is a revision after bringing up that curve.
Hi repost was well done.
Arash Hazeghi is one of BPN’s top Avian Moderators, posted this in Pane #6:
The OP (original post) was a bit underexposed as pointed out by Artie. Repost is better. I think this image has more potential if you crop it tighter to eliminate parts of the left wing. I would also consider cleaning up the perch a little bit.
In Pane #7 Adhika wrote:
Even though the OP is underexposed overall, I think it brings out the best in the feet which was my original intention. But I do agree that it might create unnecessary mood (which could be detracting).
Arash, can you elaborate a little more about ‘cleaning up the perch’ part?
Arash responded in Pane #8:
It means cleaning, i.e. cloning, the droppings.
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This is my repost of the image that opened this blog post.
Image courtesy of and copyright 2016 Adhika Lie.
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In Pane #9, I went to work; my repost is immediately above.
First off, I love the ” patinated copper sculpture” comment by Glennie Passier in Pane 5. (Note: one of the great things about BPN is that we have members from all over the world; Glennie is from Australia.)
Second, while I love the “dark” mood, the image as originally presented was simply too dark. The repost was good.
Third, and this is major, if you want to produce the highest quality files with the most information, you need to expose to the right so that the highlight data is well into the right-most histogram box, aka ETTR (expose to the right). When properly captured this image should have looked a bit washed out on the rear LCD. Then, you can darken it for mood or as needed in Photoshop.
Fourth: I cleaned up pretty much all of the whitewash on the rocks as Arash suggested. I used all of my usual clean-up tools primarily the Spot Healing Brush and the Patch Tool. They both blend rather than clone… In addition I did use the Clone Stamp a bit.
Fifth: I worked a bit to tone down the brighter whitish area below the tail.
Sixth: Everything in 4 and 5 above is covered in detail in my https://store.birdsasart.com/shop/item.aspx?itemid=252https://store.birdsasart.com/shop/item.aspx?itemid=252. Along with dozens of other great Photoshop tips.
Seventh: At first I dismissed Arash’s suggestion as far as a small crop from the right. But after I gave it some thought, I tried it. And liked it.
Eighth: Let me know what you think of my repost.
Ninth: May I have your permission to use this image in an educational blog post on my blog at www.BIRDSASART-Blog.com?
Tenth: We look forward to your joining our membership ranks 🙂
Eleventh: The more I look at the image the more I like it.
Twelfth: Was this at La Jolla?
In Pane 10 Adhika shared a Lightroom screen capture.
In Pane 11 he uploaded his second repost along with this:
Artie, I like the tighter crop. I played with Arash’s input yesterday and incorporated a few of your inputs as well. This is what I have come up with. I used the content aware fill to “clean up after these birds’ mess” and I think it was very similar to yours. I am a little bothered by the breast here that showed slightly lack of contrast/hazy (not sure why). But the pelican was preening so it could be natural.
I didn’t like the white wash close the the pelican’s tail as well and I played a little bit with content aware fill to make that happen.
What do you think?
Go ahead and use it at the blog. I have benefited reading your blogs in the past six months I started delving into bird photography and I hope many others would learn from this exchanges as well. I really appreciate your kind words. Hearing that you like the image is an honor, sir. I attended your talk at the NAT and I actually shot this the day after at the cove. 🙂
Note: he stole my crop right down to the pixel; smart man! 🙂
In Pane #12 & 13 I responded:
Howdy Adhika, I don’t know from LR but it is good that the image looks brighter in the LR screen cap than when it was originally presented. The histogram looks OK. Do know that on your Flickr site most of the stuff as presented is way too dark 🙂
Hi Again, The repost in Pane 11 looks great, including the breast. a
Nota Bene
Everything that I did to optimize the repost is covered in detail in my Digital Basics File.
My Conclusion
If you have read the exchanges above carefully, you have already learned a ton. If you read my responses to the comments below the original post here, you will learn a lot more. And again, the group as a whole did a great job with the critiquing. I learned more than a bit by reading the comments. You can see Adhika’s second repost and read the additional comments by various BPN members by clicking here. If you are impressed by what you see, do consider joining BPN. You can learn more or sign up here.
You do not need a $6,000 camera and a $9,000 lens to create some very good images. Adhika’s rig cost just a bit more than $3K.
Patrick Sparkman’s comment got me to realize something that I had missed, thus, the image question below.
Image Question
How could Adhika have eliminated most or all of the bothersome whitish tones to our left of the bird’s tail while he was in the field?
The Two Best Things About Critiquing
#1: Though opinions differ widely, nobody is wrong.
#2: Everyone learns.
Please Remember to use our Affiliate Links 🙂
To show your appreciation for my continuing efforts here, we ask, as always, that you get in the habit of using my B&H affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your photo and electronics purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially the Mongoose M3.6 tripod heads, Gitzo tripods, Wimberley heads and plates, LensCoats and accessories, and the like. We sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And we are always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. I just learned that my account was suspended during my absence; it should be up and running by Monday at the latest.
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.
Facebook
Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right. Tanks a stack!
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 🙂
February 4th, 2016 What’s Up?
Jim and I left Melbourne before 8am on Wednesday morning and were back in the home/office by ten. After a nice swim in the 78 degree pool I spent the rest of the day working on this blog post and answering too many e-mails, most dealing with Used Photo Gear stuff. Another cold front is on the way.
Today I learned that Jim Robbelard was the first to sign up for the Fort DeSoto IPT and that Kim Sherman called and left a wonderfully generous Blog Thank You gift. Many thanks Kim. Shy folks might consider a gift by clicking here.
The NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks have done it again with a new “What’s Your Goal” video feature. If you are soured on pro sports with the high salaries, click here for some heartfelt relief. Viewing tip: bring tissues.
Thanks to older daughter Jennifer for sharing the above with her Dad.
Good Job!
Lot’s of folks chimed in with excellent critiques of Adhika Lie’s La Jolla image in yesterday’s blog post here. And opinions varied widely. I will be sharing my thoughts in a few days so you still have some time to visit, leave a comment, and hopefully learn a bit about doing formal image critiques like those done dozens of times every day in the various forums on BirdPhotographer’s.Net.
Real World Camera System Conversations
I ask often that folks e-mail me when they have gear questions. Though answering such e-mails takes a good amount of time, doing so is good for business overall and better yet, most folks, at least those in the US, wind up using my B&H affiliate link. In addition, I just hate when I meet folks, either on an IPT or in the field, using really wrong stuff, stuff that is inefficient, stuff that makes it harder for them to make great images…
I received a phone call the other night that wound up leading to a series of e-mail conversations with a nice guy from the San Francisco area. Those conversations have been adapted below.
Please…
As you read, and before you get pissed off, please understand that good photographers make good images with whatever gear that they have in their hands. And that one very good friend who is a superb bird photographer uses Nikon gear. And that many, many excellent photographers around the world choose and use Nikon (and other brand) gear and make great images every day. That said, I firmly believe that right now Canon is the far better system choice for folks looking to get into bird, wildlife, and nature photography, especially those considering the longer focal lengths.
Conversation I
To quote UFC announcer Mike Goldberg, “HERE WE GO!”
AM: Howdy, I am glad that you found the best e-mail address. 🙂
RP: It was a pleasure talking to you today. Please pencil me in for Galapagos 2017.
AM: Ditto and done.
RP: I’ve been a hobbyist photographer for some 30 years. Mostly landscapes, portraits and street photography. I am new to wildlife & birds. I have a Sony A7R-II that I use with Zeiss, Leica-R and Leica-M lenses. I also own a Leica S that I use strictly for landscape; it is not exactly a versatile camera.
AM: We may need to have a conference so that you can teach me to use the Sony A7R-II. I will be trying one out soon.
RP: As of right now, I don’t have either Nikon or Canon. I’ve been doing some traveling and I’d like to take some wildlife shots on my trips. I am planning a safari trip to Kenya this August so I’d like to decide on some kind of a wildlife solution.
AM: Good plan. First off, I would suggest that when you call Jim to order the two-book combo (ABP & ABP II) that you add a copy of A Photographer’s Guide to the Safari Experience.
RP: I have been thinking of two possible setups:
One: For mostly hand-held shooting, short to intermediate distances with reasonably good lighting, very quick AF, no TCs. Strategy: Olympus E-M2 with an Olympus 300mm f/4 and/or a Panasonic 100-400mm f/4.5-6.3. Alternative: a Nikon D500 + 80-400 F4.5-5.6 VR II or a Canon 7DMK2 + 100-400 L IS II.
Two: For mostly beanbag/tripod use, a long to super-long focal length, plus TCs. And a camera able to deliver accurate focus in challenging or poor lighting, with good VR or IS and high ISO performance. Strategy: either Nikon D5 (and D500) + Nikon 800mm f/5.6 or Canon 1DX-II (and 7DMK3) and the Canon 800mm f/5.6 L IS.
Alternatively, instead of an 800mm prime, go with a 500mm or 600 prime + all the TCs. This would be lighter, more flexible and cheaper. And occasionally, hand holdable.
Another alternative would be one of the 200-400mm f/4 zoom lenses. Here, the Canon with its 1.4x built in TC is far more attractive than the Nikon, although at a much higher price. LenScore rates the Canon much higher.
AM: Well, I am obviously biased toward Canon as I have been using their gear for bird photography for 32+ years and been an Explorer of Light for about 20 years. First some general comments:
The camera bodies from both Canon and Nikon are great, wonderful, and amazing. Canon has long been killing Nikon as far as the intermediate telephoto lens and the zoom telephoto lenses are concerned. In both of these categories Canon has offered better, more versatile lenses and far more choices. And for more than a decade Canon killed the Nikon super-telephotos on weight, and that became a slaughter when the Canon Series II lenses came out. To be fair, I must point out that Nikon recently and finally released a relatively light 600mm f/4 that is actually a bit lighter than the Canon 600 II.
Whatever you decide you will be far better sticking to one camera system…
RP: I’m not super-sensitive to the prices, but I don’t like to buy something that simply sits idle for the most part. So I’d like to put my gear to work.
AM: That is always a good plan.
RP: I’m 60.5 years old.
AM: 69.5 for me 🙂
RP: The next 4-5 years is probably my window for heavy equipment. I don’t see myself lugging around 10+ pound lenses when I’m 70. But maybe I will, who knows?!
AM: I still get out with the 600 II on occasion but as you begin to study the blogs posts from new to old you will see that weight has become a concern for me and for other Baby Boomers as well in recent years 🙂
RP: Any advice and/or input would be greatly appreciated. I fully understand what you mean when you say the gear doesn’t matter, but since I’m not invested in either Canon or Nikon at this time, I have the opportunity to decide.
AM: For me it is a no-brainer choice to go with Canon. And I did not even mention the new love of my life, the 5DS R. And now we need to factor in the 1D X Mark II.
RP: In general, I’m lens-centric. I regard the cameras as electronic gadgets that come and go, while the lens are the real keepers. That’s how I’ve ended up with a bunch of Leica R and M and Zeiss lenses.
AM: Right now I own and use practically all of the current Canon dSLRs…
RP: So if I think lens first, I really like many of the Canon lenses. But the Nikon 500/5.6 looks to be a superb lens. And the new Nikon cameras also look good. Which is why I was leaning towards a D5, D500 and Nikon 500/5.6 combo. Maybe even pick up a used D810 or its successor. I also have a Nikon 70-200 f/2.8 and some Zeiss lenses in Nikon F mount, so that’s another reason why Nikon might make sense.
AM: From where I sit it makes much more sense to go Canon now and avoid the pain of realizing that it is the far better system for nature photography. If for no other reason than the 100-400 II. It is the most amazing lens that I have ever owned.
You mentioned a Nikon 500mm f/5.6 lens. I will assume that you were referring to the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR lens as Nikon does not make a 500 f/5.6 as far as I know. And while I am sure that it is a decent lens, you always get what you pay for. That one costs about $1400 while the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/4G ED VR lens runs about $8000. So you tell me 🙂 As one who appreciates the value of fine glass the 2-5 does not seem like a good fit for you. In addition, the 2-5 is too slow. And you already mentioned that the Canon 200-400 kills anything that Nikon makes. There are two Canon 200-400s currently for sale on the Used Photo Gear page here. This is the world’s best lens for a trip to Africa. It will almost surely bring it to Namibia. It kills also in the Galapagos and in the Southern Ocean. Even though it is focal length counterfeited by the 100-400 II, I still use mine a lot at Bosque and other dusty places where the built-in TC helps to keep your sensor clean.
RP: I really hope to make the Galapagos trip next year, and if possible, to meet you somewhere before then.
AM: That is a good plan. See the Nickerson Beach or Fort DeSoto IPTs coming up soon, or San Diego IPT next January. You can find all of the current listings here.
Once you decide on a system, let me know, and if you are amenable to using my B&H affiliate links for your new gear, we can talk either by phone or on Skype/Hang Time about your lens choices.
RP: I live in the San Francisco Bay area. If you ever visit, please let me know.
AM: I don’t get up that way much…
Best and later and love and do keep in touch. a
Conversation II
RP: I just spoke to Jim and ordered the safari book in addition to the two on bird photography.
AM: Many thanks; now it’s time to hit the books 🙂
RP: With regards to your comment on the Canon 1DX-II, “The only reason that I will get one is this: continuous shooting 14 frames per second.” Yeah, that is very appealing, as well as the built in 4K video. I’m not big into video, but it helps to have the same equipment be able to shoot short video clips when I need them.
AM: Same here though I do have a very few good clips. I have a great one on a pair of displaying Waved Albatross from my last Galapagos voyage that I will share ton the blog as soon as I figure out how to do some minor editing…
RP: Would you know the timing of the 1DX-II?! My Kenya trip starts Aug. 1.
AM: I just learned that the first shipment is due in April 2017 so you should have an excellent chance of getting yours well before the trip if you order now. The sooner that you order the better your chances.
RP: I also saw your comment on your blog that you plan to sell all your cameras and go with just the 5DS R. It has a frame rate of only 5 fps. Is that sufficient for birds in flight and safari? Or would you pick up a 1DX-II and gain make the tradeoff between higher frame rate + better noise vs. higher resolution?
AM: Ah, you did not read the next sentence. 🙂 As I wrote somewhere on the blog, I have always planned on getting a 1D X II for the speed and for what promises to be far better high ISO noise performance. This is from a great interview that Arash Hazeghi did with Canon’s Chuck Westfall:
CW: In addition to the first implementation of Dual Pixel CMOS AF in a full frame image sensor, the EOS-1D X Mark II showcases the latest Canon image sensor technologies such as new photodiode construction, new color filters, and greater photo-electric conversion efficiency. In plain English, the new image sensor delivers higher image quality at all ISO speeds for both RAW image data and JPEG files.
AM: And then I learned that we will have all the AF points active at f/8. Wow! I and many others have been praying for that for a long time. What that means is that folks working at f/8 with an f/4 super-telephoto lens (like the 500 II or the 600 II) and the 2X III TC or with an f/5.6 lens (like the 100-400L iS II or the my old toy lens, the 400mm f/5.6L) and a 1.4X TC, will no longer be restricted to the center AF point only (plus the four assist points when they are in Expand). This will offer tremendous compositional latitude in these situations…
Right now my plans are to travel with two 5DS Rs and one 1D X II but I might wind up flip flopping on that or having two of each…
RP: Does it make sense to also have a crop-size sensor camera like the 7D Mark II (or the rumored 7D Mark III) as well?
AM: Not for me right now. I visit so many places with tame birds and animals that I am pretty much committed to full frame all the time. That said, I will be brining two 5DS R bodies to Japan and one other. I need to decide quickly whether I will be bringing my 1D X or my remaining 7D II–I sold one of the latter to a friend recently.
RP: I am thinking of two two lenses, the 100-400 II and one of the super-telephotos. And two bodies, one full frame and one 1.6X crop sensor.
AM: As immediately above, that is a personal decision.
RP: I saw your comment on the blog that you really like the 200-400 with the built in 1.4x for Africa. Makes a lot of sense. But I’m trying to reconcile that with the 100-400 II, which looks like a keeper from everything I see. Is there much utility for the 200-400 outside of African safari? Especially if I might also get a super tele prime?!
AM: This might shock a lot of folks but not really IMO. When I first fell in love with the 200-400 the 100-400 was still on the drawing board… The 100-400 II is the reason that the 2-4s have gone down in price; everybody love the 100-400 II. And if you have halfway decent light, the 1-4 kill. In low light, and in dusty or wet conditions, it is nice to have the 2-4 along…
RP: You asked a profound question: how do I envision my images being used. The answer is, I don’t know. I have a lot of images that I could print. Especially, high res images from Leica S, Nikon D800E, D810, and Sony A7R, A7-II and A7R-II. But I don’t know what to do with the prints. I suppose I could try selling images or prints, but I have never sold anything, and I don’t have a brand name. Besides I have no idea if anyone other than my family and friends might like any of my images.
AM: Selling prints is difficult at best.
RP: Your question is one that I’ve been pondering for some time, with no good answer. Of course, my family and I can enjoy the images on a 4K monitor or an iMac 5K. But apart from that, I don’t have a good answer. I’m open to any advice.
AM: If there is no great need to print super large then there is no great need for a 5DS R. I own them just because I like the incredible detail and IQ even though I rarely make any prints…
Later and love, artie
More Soon…
Follow-up conversations with RP shall follow.
Selling Your Used Gear Through BIRDS AS ART
Selling your used (or like-new) photo gear through the BAA Blog or via a BAA Online Bulletin is a great idea. We charge only a 5% commission. One of the more popular used gear for sale sites charges a minimum of 20%. Plus assorted fees! Yikes. The minimum item price here is $500 (or less for a $25 fee). If you are interested please e-mail with the words Items for Sale Info Request cut and pasted into the Subject line :). Stuff that is priced fairly–I offer free pricing advice, usually sells in no time flat. In the past few months, we have sold just about everything in sight. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the old Canon 500mm, the EOS-7D, and the original 400mm IS DO lens have been dropping steadily. Even the prices on the new 600 II and the 200-400 with Internal Extender have been plummeting. You can see all current listings by clicking here or by clicking on the Used Photo Gear tab on the right side of the yellow-orange menu bar above.
To say that sales during the last two weeks of January have been brisk, would be a big understatement:
- Patrick Sparkman also sold his Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM lens (in excellent condition) on Feb 2k 2016 for $849 two days after it was listed.
- Multiple IPT veteran Patrick Sparkman sold his EOS 7D Mark II in like-new condition for the full asking price on day 1: $1149.
- Don Mullaney sold his Canon 600mm f/4L IS II lens in mint condition for $9499, the full asking price, on February 1, 2016.
- Gregg Hunt sold his 7D Mark II sold for $999, the full asking price, on January 31, 2016.
- Mark Hodgson sold his Canon 500mm f/4L IS II USM lens in mint condition $7499 within days of listing at the end of January, 2016.
- Mark Hodgson also sold his Canon 5D Mark III the Canon BG-E11 battery grip and two Canon batteries for $1899 in very January, 2016.
- And his mint Series III TC set to me for $558 before it was even listed.
- Sash Dias sold his Nikon D4 body in excellent condition for $2399 the day after it was listed in late January, 2016.
- Bill Fraser sold his 1D Mark IV body in excellent condition for $1299 at the end of January, 2016.
- Multiple IPT veteran Brent Bridges sold his used Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens in excellent condition for $4599 in late January, 2016.
- Saul Pleeter sold his Sony Alpha a7R Mirrorless Digital Camera in near-new condition for $799 on the first day it was listed in late January 2016.
- Mark Hodgson sold his Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS USM lens in very good plus condition for $599 within a day of listing in late January 2016.
- Bill Condon sold his Canon 500mm f/4L IS USM lens in near-mint condition for $4199 on the first day it was listed in late January 2016.
- Walt Thomas sold his used Canon 100mm f/2.8L IS USM Macro lens in mint condition for $749 in late January.
There are still lots of great items listed currently… Again, you can see all of these great buys by clicking here.
New Listings
Canon EOS 1D-X Professional dSLR
John Norris is offering a used EOS 1D-X Professional dSLR in like-new condition for $3199. The sale includes an extra battery, the battery charger, the front cap, everything that was in the original box, and insured shipping via UPS Ground. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact John by e-mail or by phone at 214-957-3535 (Central time zone).
Two 1D X bodies served me well as my workhorse dSLRs since their introduction in March 2012. I always appreciated their ruggedness, the great AF system, and the powerful battery that drove AF even with the 2X III TC quickly. artie
Canon EOS 7D Mark II DSLR
Jim Keener is offering a used Canon EOS 7D Mark II dSLR in excellent plus condition for $999. The sale includes the body, the charger, the original box, the front cap, and everything that came in the box with the camera. And, insured shipping via UPS or Fed Ex Ground. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Jim by e-mail or by phone at 310-741-7435 (9am till 9pm Mountain time).
Simply put, the 7D II with its fine image quality, fast frame rate, and superb AF system is the greatest value ever in a dSLR. artie
Please Remember to use our Affiliate Links 🙂
To show your appreciation for my continuing efforts here, we ask, as always, that you get in the habit of using my B&H affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your photo and electronics purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially the Mongoose M3.6 tripod heads, Gitzo tripods, Wimberley heads and plates, LensCoats and accessories, and the like. We sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And we are always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. I just learned that my account was suspended during my absence; it should be up and running by Monday at the latest.
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.
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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 🙂
February 3rd, 2016 What’s Up?
Tuesday was an artie holiday: no swim, no ice bath, no exercises. Jim and I left for Melbourne at 2pm and met some of the camera club’s boys and girls for an early dinner.
Patrick Sparkman’s 70-300 sold on day two for the full asking price. He’s hot.
The program at the Camera Club of Brevard was received tremendously well. With 175 folks in attendance the place was packed and I was right on my game. I judged a club contest with “Shadows” as the theme. There were lots of excellent images and folks loved my critiques of some of the images, even the winners.
I started off with lots of stories to set the scene for “A Bird Photographers Story” and then got into a smooth and easy flow as the audience joined me on my various trips to great places. Along with more than a few educational tidbits. All of my standard jokes got the expected laughs and I came up with quite a few new good ones. The folks met my two wonderful daughters and their kids and got to know me a bit as well. All in all it was a great night.
B&H
B&H contributed generously as the primary SDNHM exhibition sponsor. Thank them (and me for the blog) by clicking on the logo link above to shop.
Learning to Do a Formal Image Critique
I have run into lots of folks who state plainly, “I do not know how to do a critique.” Or, “I am not qualified to do an image critique.” I always beg to differ.
After looking at an image, simply ask yourself, “What do I like about this image? “What do I not like?” Begin your critique with either or both. It is usually best to start with at least one good point, even if an image is basically terrible. State what you like and what you don’t like and why.” Then study the image design and consider the plusses and minuses. Let the photographer know how they might have improved the image design either in the field by pointing the lens a bit differently or in post processing by suggesting a different crop. Let folks know why you think that a change in perspective might have been better: “If you had moved left and gotten a bit higher….”
Is there anything in the image that you find distracting? State it and suggest a possible solution either in the field or at the computer.
Now move on to some of the technical aspects of the photo. How is the sharpness? The exposure? The image quality?
Here are three important things to realize about critiquing.
1: Typing “Great shot!” is not a critique. If you really love an image, simply state that but let folks know why, what you find exciting or dramatic or interesting about the image.
2: A good critique does not necessarily need to include at least one negative. If you think that it’s great and can find nothing wrong with it, just say that while letting folks know exactly why you feel the way you do.
3: It is fine to be frank. There is no need to be rude or nasty.
Your Turn
All are invited to critique todays’ featured image. Don’t be shy. All comments are welcome.
Please Remember to use our Affiliate Links 🙂
To show your appreciation for my continuing efforts here, we ask, as always, that you get in the habit of using my B&H affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your photo and electronics purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially the Mongoose M3.6 tripod heads, Gitzo tripods, Wimberley heads and plates, LensCoats and accessories, and the like. We sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And we are always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. I just learned that my account was suspended during my absence; it should be up and running by Monday at the latest.
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.
Facebook
Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right. Tanks a stack!
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 🙂
February 2nd, 2016 What’s Up?
Me. Early. With thoughts of the new camera racing through my head, I couldn’t sleep. I started this blog post at 3:02 am and published it at 4:18am.
Canon EOS 1D X Mark II
The much rumored Canon EOS-1D X Mark II as announced last night at 12:01am Eastern time. So what’s the big deal for bird photographers? The frame rate is 14 frames/second (with the ability to record up to 170 raw files in a single burst if using a CFast 2.0 memory card and up to 73 raw frames in a burst with a fast compact flash card) The High Density Reticular AF II and Dual Pixel CMOS AF systems benefit accurate focusing and fast AF tracking performance. A 61-point High Density Reticular AF II system is employed; this incorporates 41 cross-type points for increased precision as well as a center point that is sensitive to -3 EV. All 61 phase-detection points support metering at effective apertures of f/8 or larger, which benefits the use of teleconverters and telephoto lenses.
It’s the latter that is most impressive for me: my understanding is that we will no longer be restricted to the center AF point plus the four assist points (when Expand is set). We will be able to select any of the 61 AF points on the grid.
Notate Bene
While the above is clearly stated in the description of the new camera, I need to make sure that it is 100% accurate; I will get back to ya’ll either way. In addition, I will research the CFast 2.0 memory cards and let you know what I find out.
That Was Quick
Via e-mail this morning from Chuck Westfall
Good Morning, Artie! We’re glad to see you were right on top of the 1D X Mark II announcement. This camera looks like it’s going to be tailor-made for bird photography at the highest level of performance to date. It will be exciting to see what you come up with once you get a chance to use it!
Available for Pre-order
The new camera is currently available for pre-order here. B&H will receive more units with each shipment than any other dealer in the world so it only makes sense to order the camera now. The sooner you order, the sooner you will have your very own.
Though the 1D X and even the 1D IV batteries are backwards compatible with the new 1D X II, I would advise purchasing a single extra LP-E19 Battery Pack because you lose your 14 fps with the older batteries.
So What Will the Naysayers Be Naysaying?
“Artie is just a Canon shill. With him, “Every new Canon camera is automatically the greatest. In January it was the Canon EOS 5DS R, and last year, it was the Canon EOS 7D Mark II.”
The facts remain: the 7D II is the greatest-ever value in a dSLR; the files from the 5DS R are the sharpest that I have ever seen and contain more fine detail than any dSLR that I am aware of. And the 1D X II will offer improved AF and 14 fps as well as the ability to select any of the 61 AF points when working at f/8. The latter will include the times when you are using the 2X III with an f/4 super-telephoto lens like the Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II or, when you are using the 1.4X III TC with the 100-400mm L IS II.
As for my promoting every Canon camera ever released, I have never mentioned the 70D or the 6D, never have used either one.
Once I get my 1D X II from B&H I will travel with two Canon EOS 5DS R bodies and a single Canon EOS-1D X Mark II for flight and action and use with teleconverters. Who knows, that might flip flop in time…
The Full-on Hype
Bringing the shooting speed and video capabilities required by professional multimedia image-makers, the EOS-1D X Mark II is the flagship model within Canon’s DSLR lineup, and is characterized by its robust processing capabilities and ability to enable a high-end multimedia workflow. At the heart of the imaging system is a full-frame 20.2MP CMOS sensor and dual DIGIC 6+ image processors, which contribute to fast continuous shooting rates up to 16 fps in live view, 14 fps with full-time AF and AE, and an expanded sensitivity range from ISO 50-409600. The sensor and processor combination also avails DCI 4K video recording at 60 fps and Full HD 1080p recording at 120 fps, along with the ability to record on-board to a CFast 2.0 memory card or via HDMI to an optional external recorder. Benefitting stills shooting is an apt 61-point High Density Reticular AF II system, which includes 41 cross-type points for a high degree of precision in varying light conditions, and video shooting is enhanced by Dual Pixel CMOS AF, which makes its first appearance in a full-frame sensor for smooth, quick, and controllable AF in live view. With a versatile set of imaging traits, the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II takes its place as a high-performance tool for professional photographers and videographers alike.
Complementing the robust set of imaging specs is an equally robust physical design based on a magnesium alloy body construction that is both dust- and weather-sealed for use in harsh environments. Integrated within the body is a large 3.2″ 1.62m-dot touchscreen LCD for bright, high-resolution live view monitoring and image review, and a large 0.76x Intelligent Viewfinder II is offered for clear eye-level shooting. For versatility in file handling, both CFast and CompactFlash memory card slots are available, and the 1D X Mark II also supports sharing imagery over Wi-Fi, as well as wireless remote camera control, via the optional WFT-E8A Wireless File Transmitter. Additionally, a built-in GPS module permits in-camera geotagging of photos and videos, and also allows for auto time syncing with the Universal Time Code for more efficient file sharing and organization.
20.2MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor and Dual DIGIC 6+ Image Processors
A redeveloped full-frame 20.2MP CMOS sensor pairs with dual DIGIC 6+ image processors to avail notable image quality and accuracy, as well as fast performance throughout the camera system. The sensor itself integrates a gapless structure with micro lenses to provide enhanced low-light performance and reduced noise levels, and when coupled with the processors an expanded sensitivity range of ISO 50-409600 is available.
The sensor and processors also work together to avail quick shooting performance, with continuous rates up to 16 fps when working in live view. When working with the viewfinder, shooting up to 14 fps is possible along with the ability to record up to 170 raw files in a single burst if using a CFast 2.0 memory card. If shooting JPEG files, an unlimited number of frames can be recorded in a burst, even at full-resolution. If working with a CompactFlash card, the buffer is rated at up to 73 raw frames in a burst, or infinite JPEGs.
In addition to the stills attributes afforded by the sensor, it is also used for recording DCI 4K video at up to 60 fps, and it is the first full-frame sensor to incorporate Dual Pixel CMOS AF technology for precise, controllable, and fast live view focusing performance.
High Density Reticular AF II and Dual Pixel CMOS AF Systems
Benefitting accurate focusing and fast tracking performance, a 61-point High Density Reticular AF II system is employed, which incorporates 41 cross-type points for increased precision as well as a center point that is sensitive to -3 EV. All 61 phase-detection points support metering at effective apertures of f/8 or larger, which benefits the use of teleconverters and telephoto lenses. Additionally, a separate, dedicated DIGIC 6 processor is used for the AF and metering systems in order to maintain quick performance while recording 4K video or shooting at fast continuous speeds. As a whole, the AF system has gained approximately 8.6% in coverage in the center, and 24% in the periphery, for enhanced subject tracking across the image frame, and an AI Servo AF III+ algorithm is used to intelligently and precisely acquire focus in single-point, Large Zone AF, or any other focusing mode.
When working with live view during stills shooting or video recording, a Dual Pixel CMOS AF system is employed that provides incredibly quick and accurate focusing performance in a similar manner to how a camcorder acquires focus. This system integrates two separate photodiodes within each pixel to provide a broad and dense network of phase-detection gathering elements across a majority of the image sensor to reduce focus hunting for faster, more direct control of focus placement. When working with still imagery, this focusing system works to acquire focus quickly and accurately, making it ideally suited to shooting and tracking moving subjects so that critical focus is attained with each shot. When shooting video, a Movie Servo AF mode offers smooth and natural focusing when changing from different subjects or different distances within the scene, as well as the ability to specify tracking sensitivity, AF speed, and Face Tracking priority. Benefited by the Touch AF system, rack focus is possible simply by touching elements within the scene on the touchscreen in order to change focus in an intuitive manner. Subject tracking in movies is also heightened due to the Dual Pixel CMOS AF system’s ability to recognize subjects and maintain focus when working within changing or cluttered scenery.
DCI 4K Video Recording
Designed for both professional stills shooting and video recording, the 1D X Mark II supports DCI 4K (4096 x 2160) resolution recording at up to 60 fps at 800 Mbps, along with Full HD 1080p shooting at 120 fps at 360 Mbps for slow motion playback. When recording in-camera, or to an optional external recorder via HDMI for saving uncompressed footage, 4K video has 4:2:2 sampling and 8-bit color depth, while Full HD 1080p footage has 4:2:0 sampling. 4K video is recorded using a central 4096 x 2160 area of the sensor, while Full HD recording makes use of the entire full frame, and a top sensitivity of ISO 12800 is available with 4K or ISO 25600 with Full HD.
Audio can be recorded using the on-board stereo microphone or an optional external mic can also be used via the 3.5mm mic jack. Real time audio monitoring is possible, too, via the 3.5mm headphone jack. The 4K video recording also avails the ability to take 8.8MP still frame grabs during playback and save them as single images.
Body Design
A large 3.2″ 1.62m-dot Clear View II LCD monitor is available and features an anti-reflective design for bright, vivid image playback and live view shooting, and its touchscreen interface can be used for intuitive touch-to-focus control.
Dual CFast and CompactFlash memory card slots allow you to extend your file saving capabilities by permitting overflow recording or in-camera file type separation while shooting. The CFast card slot is compatible with CFast 2.0 memory cards.
An Intelligent Viewfinder II uses a pentaprism design and offers a bright means for viewing, along with a 0.76x magnification and 100% frame coverage. When using the viewfinder, AF points are highlighted in red for greater visibility in low-light conditions, and the finder can also be configured to display a range of other shooting aids, such as an electronic level, grid, flicker detection, white balance, metering mode, AF information, and other settings.
A robust magnesium alloy body design is both dust- and weather-sealed to permit working in harsh environments.An integrated vertical grip allows for comfortable, intuitive, and efficient handling when working in either vertical or horizontal shooting orientations. The included LP-E19 rechargeable lithium-ion battery is rated to provide up to 1210 shots per charge when shooting with the optical viewfinder. The 1D X Mark II is also compatible with LP-E4N and LP-E4 rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, however the top continuous shooting rate will be slightly reduced to 14 fps in live view and 12 fps with AE and AF. A redesigned mirror mechanism helps to minimize mechanical vibrations in order to better ensure sharpness during long exposures or fast continuous shooting bursts.
The high-performance shutter utilizes lightweight carbon fiber blades for quick shooting speeds and is tested for up to 400,000 cycles.
Extensive connectivity ports allow for the attachment of various accessories, including the optional WFT-E8A Wireless File Transmitter for remotely controlling the camera from a smartphone or sharing files over Wi-Fi with support for the 5 GHz 802.11ac standard.
EOS Intelligent Tracking and Recognition AF
An advanced 360,000-pixel RGB+IR metering sensor works in tandem with the EOS Intelligent Tracking and Recognition AF system in order to maintain accurate and consistent metering results from subject to subject. High resolution, infrared sensitivity, and a refined detection algorithm all contribute to precise color and shape recognition, using the iSA (Intelligent Scene Analysis) system that quickens both exposure metering and autofocus performance. iTR (Intelligent Tracking and Recognition) AF also uses this exposure and subject recognition technology for improved moving subject tracking.
Other Camera Features
A built-in GPS module allows you to geotag imagery in-camera as well as auto time sync with the Universal Time Code via satellites. This module is compatible with American GPS, Russian GLONASS, and Japanese quasi-zenith Michibiki satellites for a wide coverage of support.
Digital Lens Optimizer technology compensates for a range of optical defects from various lenses, including chromatic aberration, distortion, peripheral brightness, and diffraction, and the camera can store lens data in order to avoid having to re-register lenses prior to each use.
In addition to full-resolution recording, files can also be recorded at reduced resolutions, including M-RAW and S-RAW sizes to save file size and memory card capacity.
Picture Style settings: Auto, Standard, Portrait, Landscape, Fine Detail, Neutral, Faithful, Monochrome, and User Defined 1-3.
Language support: English, German, French, Dutch, Danish, Portuguese, Finnish, Italian, Norwegian, Swedish, Spanish, Greek, Russian, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Romanian, Ukraine, Turkish, Arabic, Thai, Simplified/Traditional Chinese, Korean, and Japanese.
Facebook
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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 🙂
February 2nd, 2016 This Just In!
Canon announced the release of the new EOS-1D X last night at 12:01 Eastern time today, February 2, 2016. Click here for my thoughts on the new camera and all the gory details.
Canon EOS 1D X Mark II
The much rumored Canon EOS-1D X Mark II as announced last night at 12:01am Eastern time. So what’s the big deal for bird photographers? The frame rate is 14 frames/second (with the ability to record up to 170 raw files in a single burst if using a CFast 2.0 memory card and up to 73 raw frames in a burst with a fast compact flash card) The High Density Reticular AF II and Dual Pixel CMOS AF systems benefit accurate focusing and fast AF tracking performance. A 61-point High Density Reticular AF II system is employed; this incorporates 41 cross-type points for increased precision as well as a center point that is sensitive to -3 EV. All 61 phase-detection points support metering at effective apertures of f/8 or larger, which benefits the use of teleconverters and telephoto lenses.
It’s the latter that is most impressive for me: my understanding is that we will no longer be restricted to the center AF point plus the four assist points (when Expand is set). We will be able to select any of the 61 AF points on the grid.
Notate Bene
While the above is clearly stated in the description of the new camera, I need to make sure that it is 100% accurate; I will get back to ya’ll either way. In addition, I will research the CFast 2.0 memory cards and let you know what I find out.
That Was Quick
Via e-mail this morning from Chuck Westfall
Good Morning, Artie! We’re glad to see you were right on top of the 1D X Mark II announcement. This camera looks like it’s going to be tailor-made for bird photography at the highest level of performance to date. It will be exciting to see what you come up with once you get a chance to use it!
I don’t see any technical errors in your write-up. Clearly, the ability to use all 61 AF points down to an effective maximum aperture of f/8 with EF Lens/EF Extender combinations will vastly expand the range of shooting opportunities for all sorts of photographic specialties including birds in flight with long lenses. Chuck
Chuck Westfall
Product Planning Advisor
ITCG Image Communication Products
Business Planning Division
Available for Pre-order
The new camera is currently available for pre-order here. B&H will receive more units with each shipment than any other dealer in the world so it only makes sense to order the camera now. The sooner you order, the sooner you will have your very own.
Though the 1D X and even the 1D IV batteries are backwards compatible with the new 1D X II, I would advise purchasing a single extra LP-E19 Battery Pack because you lose your 14 fps with the older batteries.
What’s Up
I am not sure where Monday went. I had planned to start and finish my ad for the next issue of Nature Photographer magazine. I never even started it. I did have a great swim in a warm pool–just a shade below 78 degree with lots of sun, and an ice bath. Had a good discussion with friend Chris Klapheke on the dismal state of the BAA Online store. And spent too much time on the phone.
It was so warm yesterday that I put on the AC when I hit the sack for the first time since I got back from San Diego.
The Used Gear page continues to sizzle as Patrick Sparkman sold his 7D II on the first day it was listed for the full asking price.
Thanks Peter!
Thanks a stack to Peter Kes for separating 2016 from 2015 🙂
The Streak
Today’s blog post marks 91 days in a row with a new educational blog post. Again, please remember to use our B&H links for your major gear purchases. Your doing so is always greatly appreciated. 🙂
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I hope to see y’all in Melbourne tomorrow night 🙂 David Peake; will you be there?
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Melbourne EoL Speaking Event
On Tuesday, February 2, 2016 I will be presenting “A Bird Photographer’s Story” for the Camera Club of Brevard. The meeting begins at 6:30pm and is free and open to the public. This program is sponsored by Canon USA/Explorers of Light. A small selection of books and CDs will be available for sale. You can find complete details including the location here.
B&H
B&H contributed generously as the primary SDNHM exhibition sponsor. Thank them (and me for the blog) by clicking on the logo link above to shop.
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This image was created on July 15, 2014 at Nickerson Beach, Lido Beach, Long Island, NY with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens and the rugged Canon EOS-1D. ISO 250. Evaluative metering +2 stops: 1/1000 sec. at f/5.6. AWB.
A single AF point that was two to the right of the center AF point/AI Servo Expand/Rear Focus AF as framed was active at the moment of exposure. In 2014 I was still using Rear Button Focus all the time; today in this situation I would have been using Shutter Button AF. Click here to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.
Image #4
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Artie’s Views on Picking Your Keepers 101
Most of you had it right; Image #2 was the insta-delete. Though the bird had one foot raised it had its head turned well away. I did not mind the o-o-f beach plant in Image #1 but the pose was nothing special. like many of you I liked Images 3 & 4. And I liked the o-o-f vegetation along the top in Image #5 but there was nothing special about the bird in that one. For me, the picks of the litter were 3 and 4. I flipped a coin and went with #3; the optimized image above. You can learn a lot from the animated GIF and the Photoshop screen capture below.
The Good News
There will be lots more “Picking Your Keepers” blog posts.
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My leveling tip.
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My Leveling Tip
I create my own keyboard shortcut for the Ruler Tool, a very much makes sense “R.” I drew the line to match the angle of the faint shadow below the bird. Then I use another of my personalized Keyboard Shortcuts, Command + ?. This brings up Rotate Canvas Arbitrary. Hitting OK rotated the image a hefty 4.09 degrees. I filled in the missing triangles of canvas using Content Aware Fill after selecting them with the Magic Wand Tool and then Expanding the selection by 5 pixels. Thank you John Heado.
The Rest of the Image Optimization
Next I removed the Yellow Color cast using the Average Blur Color Balance technique detailed in APTATS II. Then I selected the bird with the Quick Selection Tool, placed it on its own layer, and applied my NIK Color Efex Pro 25/25 recipe. Most of the above as detailed in my Digital Basics File.
Please Remember to use our Affiliate Links 🙂
To show your appreciation for my continuing efforts here, we ask, as always, that you get in the habit of using my B&H affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your photo and electronics purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially the Mongoose M3.6 tripod heads, Gitzo tripods, Wimberley heads and plates, LensCoats and accessories, and the like. We sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And we are always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. I just learned that my account was suspended during my absence; it should be up and running by Monday at the latest.
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.
Facebook
Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right. Tanks a stack!
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 🙂
February 1st, 2016 What’s Up?
I put the finishing touches on my Tuesday evening slide program for the Camera Club of Brevard. And enjoyed a balmy swim with the pool at 76 degrees and the air temp in the mid-70s. I did my knee, shoulder, and core exercises, and enjoyed a relaxing but cold ice bath: the water had warmed up to 59 degrees when I got out.
Both Palouse IPTs have been filling up. Scroll down for the complete details.
This Just In!
Don Mullaney sold his Canon 600mm f/4L IS II lens in mint condition for $9499, the full asking price, on February 1, 2016.
The Streak
Today’s blog post marks 90 days in a row with a new educational blog post. Again, please remember to use our B&H links for your major gear purchases. Your doing so is always greatly appreciated. 🙂
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Thanks to Dan Neri, Len Musmeci, and the Canon Explorers of Light program for their support of the Camera Club of Brevard speaking gig.
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Melbourne EoL Speaking Event
On Tuesday, February 2, 2016 I will be presenting “A Bird Photographer’s Story” for the Camera Club of Brevard. The meeting begins at 6:30pm and is free and open to the public. This program is sponsored by Canon USA/Explorers of Light. A small selection of books and CDs will be available for sale. You can find complete details including the location here.
B&H
B&H contributed generously as the primary SDNHM exhibition sponsor. Thank them (and me for the blog) by clicking on the logo link above to shop.
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This image was created (hand held) on the January 2010 San Diego IPT with the old 100-400 (at 185mm) and the original 7D. As most of you know, the old 1-4 is now replaced by the Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens and the old 7D by the amazing Canon EOS 7D Mark II. ISO 500. Evaluative metering +1 1/3 stops: 1/1000 sec. at f/5.6. AWB. It looks as if a bit of fill flash was used.
In soft light, I tried to limit my use of the old 7D to ISO 500 and below. As you can clearly see here, this camera is perfectly capable of making some nice images. The 7D II, however, is a huge improvement.
Brown Pelican with bill pouch distended with the old 7D and the old 100-400.
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If You Don’t Believe Me, Believe Denise Ippolito…
The question of the day, if owned a 7D and the old 100-400, and you could only upgrade one item, which should it be, and why?
As I mentioned yesterday, what seemed like a fairly difficult question was actually an easy one.
I advised Jim Hoover to purchase the Canon EOS 7D Mark II. He did.
Th early returns here on the blog were for him to upgrade to the new Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens. But by mid-morning, lots of folks began to chime in for keeping the old 1-4 and going for the 7D II. The question got lots of play on Facebook as well, with sort of the opposite situation; most early commenters were all in favor of the 7D II, and then there was a slew of folks proclaiming, “Always get the best lens.”
While I agree with that in principle as good advice, the 7D Mark II is so many light-years better than the old 7D that for me–and for many others who had previously upgraded from the 7D to the 7D II–the choice was an easy one. Why? Better image quality, that by a mile. Better control of high ISO noise. A much faster frame rate. And a vastly improved autofocus system. Interestingly enough, nearly every person on the blog and on Facebook who upgraded from the old 7D to the new 7D II thought that Jim should upgrade the camera and not the lens…
It comes as no surprise to regulars here that I love, cherish, and adore my 100-400II; it may just be my all-time favorite lens. But for Jim, it made no sense to stick with the 7D and upgrade to the 1-4 II. The much-maligned original 100-400 is a great lens. It is sharp throughout its focal length range and is very versatile. The advantages of the new lens are the improved 4-stop IS system and its amazing close focus of .98 meters (3.2fet). But the advantages of the 7D II over the original 7D far outweigh the advantages of the new 1-4 over the old 1-4.
So What Does Denise Ippolito Have to Do With This?
Denise Ippolito always loved her original 100-400. She sold it on the Used Gear Page about a year ago and has used the 70-200 f/2.8L IS II with the 2X III TC and usually the 7D II since then, with amazing results I might add. Though she has spoken often about getting the new 1-4, I am pretty sure that she has not done so yet. If you ask her about the original 7D and she will tell you that she did not like that camera one bit. Why? Poor quality image files, even at ISO 400. She could not stand the look of those tiny pixels. And she felt that anything above ISO 400 was horrible. She loves her 7D II for birds and most wildlife. So for her, and for me as well, it is an open and shut case for upgrading the camera body. Note: her go-to body for flowers and urbex is the 5D Mark III.
Selling Your Used Gear Through BIRDS AS ART
Selling your used (or like-new) photo gear through the BAA Blog or via a BAA Online Bulletin is a great idea. We charge only a 5% commission. One of the more popular used gear for sale sites charges a minimum of 20%. Plus assorted fees! Yikes. The minimum item price here is $500 (or less for a $25 fee). If you are interested please e-mail with the words Items for Sale Info Request cut and pasted into the Subject line :). Stuff that is priced fairly–I offer free pricing advice, usually sells in no time flat. In the past few months, we have sold just about everything in sight. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the old Canon 500mm, the EOS-7D, and the original 400mm IS DO lens have been dropping steadily. Even the prices on the new 600 II and the 200-400 with Internal Extender have been plummeting. You can see all current listings by clicking here or by clicking on the Used Photo Gear tab on the right side of the yellow-orange menu bar above.
To say that sales during the last two weeks of January have been brisk, would be a big understatement:
- Gregg Hunt sold his 7D Mark II sold for $999, the full asking price, on January 31, 2016.
- Mark Hodgson sold his Canon 500mm f/4L IS II USM lens in mint condition $7499 within days of listing at the end of January, 2016.
- Mark Hodgson also sold his Canon 5D Mark III the Canon BG-E11 battery grip and two Canon batteries for $1899 in very January, 2016.
- And his mint Series III TC set to me for $558 before it was even listed.
- Sash Dias sold his Nikon D4 body in excellent condition for $2399 the day after it was listed in late January, 2016.
- Bill Fraser sold his 1D Mark IV body in excellent condition for $1299 at the end of January, 2016.
- Multiple IPT veteran Brent Bridges sold his used Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens in excellent condition for $4599 in late January, 2016.
- Saul Pleeter sold his Sony Alpha a7R Mirrorless Digital Camera in near-new condition for $799 on the first day it was listed in late January 2016.
- Mark Hodgson sold his Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS USM lens in very good plus condition for $599 within a day of listing in late January 2016.
- Bill Condon sold his Canon 500mm f/4L IS USM lens in near-mint condition for $4199 on the first day it was listed in late January 2016.
- Walt Thomas sold his used Canon 100mm f/2.8L IS USM Macro lens in mint condition for $749 in late January.
- Roberta Olenick sold her Canon EOS-1D Mark IV camera body in excellent condition for $1279 USD in mid-January.
There are still lots of great items listed currently… Again, you can see all of these great buys by clicking here.
New Listings
Patrick Sparkman and wife Robin have traveled all over the world with us. Unlike me, Patrick is a photographer who takes really, really good care of his gear.
Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Multiple IPT veteran Patrick Sparkman is offering a used Canon EOS 5D Mark III DSLR Camera in excellent condition for $1799. The body is in excellent condition with just a few minor scuff marks on the top of the body and top lcd. The sale includes the body, two batteries, battery charger, Vello BG-C9 Battery Grip, box, front cover, and insured shipping via Fed Ex Ground. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Patrick by e-mail.
I have used the 5D III for birds on occasion with excellent results, even with the 2X III TC and the 600 II. It has long been my go-to dSLR for flowers, landscapes, and Urbex photography. In my experience, the quality of the image files is second only to those from the 5DS R. artie
Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM Lens
Multiple IPT veteran Patrick Sparkman is offering a used Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM Lens in excellent condition for $849. There there are only minor signs of wear on the lens hood; the glass is perfect. The sale includes the lens hood, box, soft case that came with the lens, the front cover, the rear lens cap and insured shipping via Fed Ex Ground. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Patrick by e-mail.
I used this lightweight intermediate telephoto lens in Norway for birds and for B-roll stuff. It is superbly sharp and extremely versatile. It would be a great buy either for a travel photographer or a beginning to intermediate bird photographer (who cannot at present afford the 100-400 II). artie
Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS USM Lens
Multiple IPT veteran Patrick Sparkman is offering a used Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS USM Lens in excellent condition for $525. The lens is in excellent condition, but does have a couple of dust flakes inside the lens (that have zero effect on the images). The glass, however, is perfect. The sale includes the lens hood, box, soft case that came with the lens, the front cover, the rear lens cap and insured shipping via Fed Ex Ground. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Patrick by e-mail.
The old 24-70 was long a favorite of serious landscape photographers until it was replaced by the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II; the price tag on that is $1799. artie
Canon EOS 7D Mark II DSLR
IPT veteran Patrick Sparkman is offering a used Canon EOS 7D Mark II DSLR Camera with the Canon BG-E16 Battery Grip in like new condition for $1149. The sale includes the body, two batteries, battery charger, box, front cover, and insured shipping via Fed Ex Ground. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Patrick by e-mail.
Simply put, the 7D II with its fine image quality, fast frame rate, and superb AF system is the greatest value ever in a dSLR. artie
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Subject and focal lengths clockwise from upper left around to center.
Palouse Falls: 11mm; homemade kiddie race car: 105mm; barn siding pan blur: 798mm; Rolling fields diorama: 110mm; Crayola drums: 343 mm; Hay barn interior: 19mm; vintage gas station: 40mm; Dilapidated farm building: 13mm; Denise’s tree Infrared: 20mm.
Images and card design by Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART.
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The Palouse ~ A Creative Adventure/BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT)/Eastern Washington State. June 3-7, 2016/5 Full Days: $1699/Limit 12/Openings: 6
The Palouse ~ A Creative Adventure/BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT)/Eastern Washington State. June 10-14, 2016/5 Full Days: $1699/Limit 12/Openings: 2
Double Header!
Maximize both your travel dollars and your learning experience by signing up for both IPTs.
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Images and card design by Denise Ippolito/A Creative Adventure.
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The Palouse IPTs
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. 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. On three additional scouting days in 2015 we discovered several more truly amazing locations. 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 grab and go breakfasts, and Photoshop and image sharing sessions when possible. There will be a meet and greet at 7:30pm on the evening before each workshop begins.
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. 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 doing some infrared photography.
To Sign Up
A non-refundable $699 deposit is due now. The balance will be due on February 15, 2016. If we do not receive your check for the balance on or before the due date we will try to fill your spot from the waiting list. Whether or not your spot is filled, you will lose your deposit. If not, you can secure your spot by paying your balance.
With the spectacular success that we enjoyed in 2015 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 to leave a deposit; the latter is preferred. If by check, please make out to “Arthur Morris” and mail it to: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART, PO Box 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL, 33855. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us via e-mail: artie or denise.
Travel Insurance Services offers a variety of plans and options. Included with the Elite Option or available as an upgrade to the Basic & Plus Options. You can also purchase Cancel for Any Reason Coverage that expands the list of reasons for your canceling to include things such as sudden work or family obligation and even a simple change of mind. You can learn more here: Travel Insurance Services. Do note that many plans require that you purchase your travel insurance within 14 days of our cashing your deposit check. Whenever purchasing travel insurance be sure to read the fine print carefully even when dealing with reputable firms like TSI.
Please Remember to use our Affiliate Links 🙂
To show your appreciation for my continuing efforts here, we ask, as always, that you get in the habit of using my B&H affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your photo and electronics purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially the Mongoose M3.6 tripod heads, Gitzo tripods, Wimberley heads and plates, LensCoats and accessories, and the like. We sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And we are always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. I just learned that my account was suspended during my absence; it should be up and running by Monday at the latest.
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.
Facebook
Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right. Tanks a stack!
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 🙂
January 31st, 2016 What’s Up?
I recently sent a review copy of the Southern Ocean Photography Guide to good friend Joe Kaplan, a member of the Cheesemans’ Ecology Safari Expedition staff team. Joe is a birder, zodiac driver, and auctioneer extraordinaire who has been wonderfully helpful to me in many ways on each of my four trips with CES. He is mentioned several times in the e-book. Anywhoo, he e-mailed me on Friday and tells me that none of the hyperlinks in the PDF work. I re-make the PDF but still no luck.
So I did a search and learned that yes, when you create a PDF from a Microsoft Word for Mac file, you kill the links. (I prefer Word to Pages…) There were dozens of complex sets of instructions on how to get around the problem, none of which I could follow. One mentioned saving the file as a .doc rather than as a .docx so I tried that. Still no luck. Then I decided to get that file onto one of the PCs in the BAA office and try making the PFD there. Good plan but I ran into all sorts of hassles simply getting the file there from my Mac. I finally did that, created the CD in Word, and was thrilled to see that they hyperlinks were active. But every time that I made the PDF I noticed that there were a few untoward formatting errors. I wound up re-doing the PDF about six times after noticing the various errors. Just when I thought that I was done I tried to save my .doc Word file only to have it pop-up: cannot save; read-only file. A phone call to older daughter Jennifer got me past that hurdle: “Dad, just save it with a new name.” That worked, and I was finally, mercifully done.
The total time to complete a task that should have taken three minutes turned out to be more than five hours. You gotta love it.
Swam at 12:30, napped at 2pm, and did some knee, shoulder, and core exercises in the early evening. Then I couch-potatoed it on the big UFC event.
Today I put the finishing touches on my Camera Club of Brevard program. In Keynote; much, much easier than Powerpoint…
If there is anyone who would like to join my on the Cheesemans’ OCT/NOV 2016 last-ever South Georgia/Falklands Expedition please shoot me an e-mail; there are still a very few slots left.
These Just In
#1: See the mega-educational Avian BPN blog post here. The subject is one of my very favorite birds. Photo by Adhika Lie.
#2: I just this minute (7:32am) learned that Gregg Hunt’s 7D Mark II sold for the full asking price this morning. See more on Used Photo Gear stuff below.
The Streak
Today’s blog post marks 90 days in a row with a new educational blog post. Again, please remember to use our B&H links for your major gear purchases. Your doing so is always greatly appreciated. 🙂
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Thanks to Dan Neri, Len Musmeci, and the Canon Explorers of Light program for their support of the Camera Club of Brevard speaking gig.
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Melbourne EoL Speaking Event
On Tuesday, February 2, 2016 I will be presenting “A Bird Photographer’s Story” for the Camera Club of Brevard. The meeting begins at 6:30pm and is free and open to the public. This program is sponsored by Canon USA/Explorers of Light. A small selection of books and CDs will be available for sale. You can find complete details including the location here.
B&H
B&H contributed generously as the primary SDNHM exhibition sponsor. Thank them (and me for the blog) by clicking on the logo link above to shop.
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This image was created on the first afternoon of the 2016 San Diego IPT with the hand held Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens (at 271mm) and the still amazing Canon EOS 7D Mark II. ISO 400: 1/2500 sec. at f/8, my standard “bright WHITEs in full sun” exposure.
One AF point below the center AF point/AI Servo Expand/Shutter Button as originally framed was active at the moment of exposure (as is always best when hand holding). Though the lower assist point barely caught the top of the gull’s tail–this is a vertical crop from a horizontal original–the image is sharp on the eye.
Ring-billed Gull taking flight
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Jim’s Dilemma
Jim Hoover (see immediately below) can choose only one: the camera that I used to create the image above or the lens that I used to create the image above. Which would you go for?
A Seemingly Tough Upgrade Question…
I received this e-mail from blog regular Jim Hoover at 12:22pm on Saturday, but did not see it until after I got out of the pool at about 1:30.
Arthur,
I read all of your posts with great interest and continue to learn from them–they are very educational.
I am struggling with how best to upgrade my equipment and would appreciate your thoughts. I currently have the “old” Canon 7D and the original 100-400. This combination has worked great for me as most of my bird photography is done while hiking–whether in the US or in tropical rain forests. The weight is fine for this 60-year old. 🙂
I am thinking of upgrading and can afford to buy either the new Canon EOS 7D Mark II or the Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens at this time. The improved ISO performance with the 7D II is enticing for the lower light situations. But the improved IS on the lens is a strong plus for upgrading the lens.
Any thoughts you have are much appreciated. Once I make up my mind, I will use your B&H Photo link to purchase one or the other.
Jim
When I first read the e-mail I thought that it was a really tough question. But after only a moment’s consideration, I realized that it was not a tough question and all. In my opinion, there is a clear cut answer.
What do y’all think?
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San Diego offers a wealth of very attractive natural history subjects. With annual visits spanning more than three decades I have lot of experience there….
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2017 San Diego 4 1/2-DAY BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT) JAN 11 thru and including the morning session on JAN 15: 4 1/2 days: $1999.
(Limit: 10/openings 8)
Meet and Greet at 7:00pm on the evening before the IPT begins; Tuesday 1/10/17.
Join me in San Diego to photograph the spectacular breeding plumage Brown Pelicans with their fire-engine red and olive green bill pouches; Brandt’s and Double-crested Cormorants; breeding plumage Wood and Ring-necked Duck; other duck species possible including Lesser Scaup, Redhead, and Surf Scoter; a variety of gulls including Western, California, and the gorgeous Heerman’s, all in full breeding plumage; shorebirds including Marbled Godwit, Willet, Sanderling and Black-bellied Plover; many others possible including Least, Western, and Spotted Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Black and Ruddy Turnstone, Semipalmated Plover, and Surfbird; Harbor Seals (depending on the current regulations) and California Sea Lions; and Bird of Paradise flowers. And as you can see by studying the two IPT cards there are some nice bird-scape and landscape opportunities as well.
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. 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.
Did I mention that there are wealth of great birds and natural history subjects in San Diego in winter?
For complete 2017 San Diego ITP info please click here.
Selling Your Used Gear Through BIRDS AS ART
Selling your used (or like-new) photo gear through the BAA Blog or via a BAA Online Bulletin is a great idea. We charge only a 5% commission. One of the more popular used gear for sale sites charges a minimum of 20%. Plus assorted fees! Yikes. The minimum item price here is $500 (or less for a $25 fee). If you are interested please e-mail with the words Items for Sale Info Request cut and pasted into the Subject line :). Stuff that is priced fairly–I offer free pricing advice, usually sells in no time flat. In the past few months, we have sold just about everything in sight. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the old Canon 500mm, the EOS-7D, and the original 400mm IS DO lens have been dropping steadily. Even the prices on the new 600 II and the 200-400 with Internal Extender have been plummeting. You can see all current listings by clicking here or by clicking on the Used Photo Gear tab on the right side of the yellow-orange menu bar above.
To say that January sales have been brisk would be an understatement:
- Mark Hodgson sold his Canon 500mm f/4L IS II USM lens in mint condition $7499 within days of listing at the end of January, 2016.
- Mark Hodgson also sold his Canon 5D Mark III the Canon BG-E11 battery grip and two Canon batteries for $1899 in very January, 2016.
- And his mint Series III TC set to me for $558 before it was even listed.
- Sash Dias sold his Nikon D4 body in excellent condition for $2399 the day after it was listed in late January, 2016.
- Bill Fraser sold his 1D Mark IV body in excellent condition for $1299 at the end of January, 2016.
- Multiple IPT veteran Brent Bridges sold his used Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens in excellent condition for $4599 in late January, 2016.
- Saul Pleeter sold his Sony Alpha a7R Mirrorless Digital Camera in near-new condition for $799 on the first day it was listed in late January 2016.
- Mark Hodgson sold his Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS USM lens in very good plus condition for $599 within a day of listing in late January 2016.
- Bill Condon sold his Canon 500mm f/4L IS USM lens in near-mint condition for $4199 on the first day it was listed in late January 2016.
- Walt Thomas sold his used Canon 100mm f/2.8L IS USM Macro lens in mint condition for $749 in late January.
- Roberta Olenick sold her Canon EOS-1D Mark IV camera body in excellent condition for $1279 USD in mid-January.
- Douglas Bolt sold his Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD Zoom lens for Canon in like-new condition for $699 in mid-January.
- Diane Miller sold her 300mm f/2.8L IS lens, the old three, for $2899 in mid-January, 2016.
- Mike Quigley’s Canon 500mm f/4L IS lens (the old five) sold in early January for $3999.
- Bill Ellison sold his 100-400 for $650 in early January, 2016.
There are still lots of great items listed currently… Again, you can see all of these great buys by clicking here.
Please Remember to use our Affiliate Links 🙂
To show your appreciation for my continuing efforts here, we ask, as always, that you get in the habit of using my B&H affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your photo and electronics purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially the Mongoose M3.6 tripod heads, Gitzo tripods, Wimberley heads and plates, LensCoats and accessories, and the like. We sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And we are always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. I just learned that my account was suspended during my absence; it should be up and running by Monday at the latest.
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.
Facebook
Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right. Tanks a stack!
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 🙂
January 30th, 2016 What’s Up?
I finished the Southern Ocean Photography Guide but learned from an early reviewer that none of the links in the PDF work. 🙁 I finished an article for Helen Slaughter-Saccone for the spring issue of Nature Photography magazine. And a swim and an ice bath.
Sash Dias sold his used Nikon D4 body in excellent condition for $2399 the day after it was listed. You can see all of the great Used Photo Gear listings by clicking here or by clicking on the Used Photo Gear tab on the right end of the orange menu bar at the top of each blog page.
This blog post took 2 1/2 hours to prepare.
The Streak
Today’s blog post marks 89 days in a row with a new educational blog post. Again, please remember to use our B&H links for your major gear purchases. Your doing so is always greatly appreciated. 🙂
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Thanks to Dan Neri, Len Musmeci, and the Canon Explorers of Light program for their support of the Camera Club of Brevard speaking gig.
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Melbourne EoL Speaking Event
On Tuesday, February 2, 2016 I will be presenting “A Bird Photographer’s Story” for the Camera Club of Brevard. The meeting begins at 6:30pm and is free and open to the public. This program is sponsored by Canon USA/Explorers of Light. A small selection of books and CDs will be available for sale. You can find complete details including the location here.
B&H
B&H contributed generously as the primary SDNHM exhibition sponsor. Thank them (and me for the blog) by clicking on the logo link above to shop.
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This image was created on July 15, 2014 at Nickerson Beach, Lido Beach, Long Island, NY with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens and the rugged Canon EOS-1D. ISO 250. Evaluative metering +2 stops: 1/1000 sec. at f/5.6. AWB.
A single AF point that was two to the right of the center AF point/AI Servo Expand/Rear Focus AF as framed was active at the moment of exposure. In 2014 I was still using Rear Button Focus all the time; today in this situation I would have been using Shutter Button AF. Click here to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.
Image #1
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Picking Your Keepers 101…
A few days ago I wrote; “In the follow-up to the hugely popular and somewhat controversial blog post here, Brendan left a comment that I have paraphrased here: One instructional thing I would love to see on this blog is a basic lesson on how to look critically look at one’s photos. About eight years ago I began saving series of similar images from which I planned to do an Evaluating Your Images guide. At some point, I lost that file. I started a new one and eventually lost that one too. 🙁 This morning I found a still newer file with only a few images in it including the five posted here today. More on those below. I will have Jim search a ton of external Hard Drives on Monday for the two files that are MIA (though I am 99% sure that he will not find the original one).
IAC, I asked that folks critique the full frame image of the Heermann’s Gull with the Red Tuna Crab in its bill. Many responded, but most folks struggled identifying what I thought were obvious problems… I shared my critique of that image here.
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This image was created on July 15, 2014 at Nickerson Beach, Lido Beach, Long Island, NY with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens and the rugged Canon EOS-1D. ISO 250. Evaluative metering +2 stops: 1/1000 sec. at f/5.6. AWB.
A single AF point that was two to the right of the center AF point/AI Servo Expand/Rear Focus AF as framed was active at the moment of exposure. In 2014 I was still using Rear Button Focus all the time; today in this situation I would have been using Shutter Button AF. Click here to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.
Image #2
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Please trash this image
As an experiment, I posted the Heermann’s Gull with the Red Tuna Crab in its bill image on BPN. You can see that thread here. As I fully expected–the first to comment, Ross Taylor, nailed the critique matching what I had said about the image almost word for word:
Hi Artie. Trashing for fun? Ok, I’ll bite 😉
A higher POV would raise that horizon away from the head. A looser crop could give the tail a little more clearance to the edge of frame, without making the bird appear too central. The body and head seem turned away slightly. The scratches and crab guts in the foreground draw the eye, and perhaps could be considered to be cloned out. There is a specular highlight or dust spot above the tail.
…. and furthermore, lol, the tight crop portrait seems to emphasize the action much better than the OP. TFS-Ross
Many folks agreed and one or two went off on a tangent. If you read the thread, you will see that I stood up for my work when I disagree with folks. I always do. Even with an image that I consider sub-par.
All in all the folks on BPN did a much better job of critiquing the image than the folks here on the blog. The result? We will be doing lots of “Picking Your Keepers 101” blog posts. Today’s is the first of many to come.
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This image was created on July 15, 2014 at Nickerson Beach, Lido Beach, Long Island, NY with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens and the rugged Canon EOS-1D. ISO 250. Evaluative metering +2 stops: 1/1000 sec. at f/5.6. AWB.
A single AF point that was two to the right of the center AF point/AI Servo Expand/Rear Focus AF as framed was active at the moment of exposure. In 2014 I was still using Rear Button Focus all the time; today in this situation I would have been using Shutter Button AF. Click here to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.
Image #3
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Setting the Scene
The five images presented here today were purposefully selected from a 16-image sequence for inclusion in what I hope will be a very educational series of posts. All of the images have a yellow cast, and all need to be leveled. All are pretty sharp.
Question
How can you tell that each of the five images needs to be leveled?
Your Job
Your job here today is a simple one. Identify the worst of the five images and let us know why. Then identify the what you consider to be the very best image, and let us know why.
If you cannot identify the worst of the five images, the one that should be an insta-delete, you are advised to scroll down and join BPN immediately.
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This image was created on July 15, 2014 at Nickerson Beach, Lido Beach, Long Island, NY with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens and the rugged Canon EOS-1D. ISO 250. Evaluative metering +2 stops: 1/1000 sec. at f/5.6. AWB.
A single AF point that was two to the right of the center AF point/AI Servo Expand/Rear Focus AF as framed was active at the moment of exposure. In 2014 I was still using Rear Button Focus all the time; today in this situation I would have been using Shutter Button AF. Click here to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.
Image #4
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BirdPhotographer’s.Net (BPN)
The very best way to learn to evaluate your images is to plunk down your forty bucks and join BPN. You post your images and have them critiqued by many of our fine moderators and lots of skilled members, and in turn, you get to learn a ton by commenting on the images of others. And best of all, it ain’t just birds! There are image critique forums that cover other areas. These include Wildlife, Macro and Flora, Landscapes, Cityscapes and Travel, Out Of The Box, In Camera and Post Processing Techniques, Framing Your Images With Words, and Story Sequences. In addition, beginning nature photographers can receive extra help in the Eager to Learn Forum. You can click here to access any of the aforementioned forums in addition to the Photography Discussion (and other) forums. If you join and post an image please e-mail me the link and I will be glad to stop by and comment.
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This image was created on July 15, 2014 at Nickerson Beach, Lido Beach, Long Island, NY with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens and the rugged Canon EOS-1D. ISO 250. Evaluative metering +2 stops: 1/1000 sec. at f/5.6. AWB.
A single AF point that was two to the right of the center AF point/AI Servo Expand/Rear Focus AF as framed was active at the moment of exposure. In 2014 I was still using Rear Button Focus all the time; today in this situation I would have been using Shutter Button AF. Click here to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.
Image #5
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Stay Tuned!
Stay tuned for my thoughts on the five images, the answer to the leveling question (along with a great tip on how to do it), and more Picking Your Keepers 101 posts.
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From upper left clockwise to center: Black Skimmer head portrait, American Oystercatcher dining on surf clam flesh, Common Tern at sunset, Common Tern adult swallowing flatfish, Black Skimmer in flight, newborn Common Tern chick, American Oystercatcher with chick, fresh juvenile Common Tern (with fill flash), and Common Terns copulating.
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Nickerson Beach Terns/Skimmers/Oystercatchers Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT): July 18-22, 2016. 4 1/2 DAYS: $1899.
Meet and greet at 3pm on the afternoon of Monday, July 18. Limit 10.
The primary subject species of this IPT will be the nesting Common Terns. The trip is timed so that we will get to photograph tiny chicks as well as fledglings. There will be lots of flight photography including adults flying with baitfish. Creating great images of the chicks being fed is a huge challenge. In addition to the terns we will get to photograph lots of Black Skimmers courting, setting up their nesting territories, and in flight (both singles and large pre-dawn flocks blasting off). Midair battles are guaranteed on sunny afternoons. And with luck, we might even see a few tiny chicks toward the end of the trip. We will also get to photograph the life cycle of American Oystercatcher. This will likely include nests with eggs and tiny chicks, young being fed, and possibly a few fledglings.
Nesting Piping Plover is also possibly. There will be lots of gulls to photograph; most years I am able to find a few Lesser Black-backed Gulls of varying ages in addition to the Herring, Ring-billed, and Great Black-backed Gulls. You will learn to identify and age the various gull species. There will likely be some Willets feeding along the surf and with luck we might get to photograph a handsome juvenile or two. In addition to the locally breeding shorebirds, we will likely get to see some southbound migrant arctic-and sub-arctic breeding shorebird species such as Sanderling, Semipalmated Plover, and maybe even Red Knot.
Click here and scroll down for complete details.
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birds as art: The Avian Photography of Arthur Morris/The Top 100
The companion e-book to the solo exhibit at TheNat, San Diego, California
The new e-book on CD is available here. The new e-book via is also available via convenient download for $20 by clicking here.
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From Rod Anton via e-mail
Dear Artie, Beyond the superlatives you have received for your beautiful presentation, all of which I agree with whole heartedly, I would like to add my thoughts about your exhibition. I see the the dedication, the determination, the passion and the tenacity that drives you, as well as your love of the birds and of your love of photography. Congratulations. The exhibit-companion CD deserves a shout out. Sincerely, Rod Anton
Please Remember to use our Affiliate Links 🙂
To show your appreciation for my continuing efforts here, we ask, as always, that you get in the habit of using my B&H affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your photo and electronics purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially the Mongoose M3.6 tripod heads, Gitzo tripods, Wimberley heads and plates, LensCoats and accessories, and the like. We sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And we are always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. I just learned that my account was suspended during my absence; it should be up and running by Monday at the latest.
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.
Facebook
Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right. Tanks a stack!
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 🙂
January 29th, 2016 What’s Up?
Most of Thursday was spent finishing the Southern Oceans Photography Guide. I have about ten minutes more work to do on that. It will be formally announced here soon. 128 pages, 16,500 words, 175 educationally captioned images: $100. The information in this guide can make or break your trip, save your gear, and possibly even save your life. if you cannot wait a few days, please call the office at 863-692-0906 to order your copy.
The pool was up to a truly balmy 77 degrees as the heater chiller did its job. A big lazy yesterday, I skipped both my core exercises and my ice bath. Today I will get back with the program. The Namibia IPT is sold out. Yesterday, Bill Fraser sold his 1D Mark IV body in excellent condition for $1299 and the sale of Brent Bridges 300 f/2.8L IS II for $4599 became final.
This blog post took 2 1/2 hours to prepare.
The Streak
Today’s blog post marks 88 days in a row with a new blog post. Again, please remember to use our B&H links for your major gear purchases. Your doing so is always greatly appreciated. 🙂
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Thanks to Dan Neri, Len Musmeci, and the Canon Explorers of Light program for their support of the Camera Club of Brevard speaking gig.
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Melbourne EoL Speaking Event
On Tuesday, February 2, 2016 I will be presenting “A Bird Photographer’s Story” for the Camera Club of Brevard. The meeting begins at 6:30pm and is free and open to the public. This program is sponsored by Canon USA/Explorers of Light. A small selection of books and CDs will be available for sale. You can find complete details including the location here.
B&H
B&H contributed generously as the primary SDNHM exhibition sponsor. Thank them (and me for the blog) by clicking on the logo link above to shop.
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DeSoto in spring is rife with tame and attractive birds. From upper left clockwise to center: breeding plumage Dunlin, dark morph breeding plumage Reddish Egret displaying, breeding plumage Laughing Gull/front end vertical portrait, breeding plumage Laughing Gull with prey item, Laughing Gull on head of Brown Pelican, screaming Royal Tern in breeding plumage, Royal Terns/pre-copulatory stand, Laughing Gulls copulating, breeding plumage Laughing Gull/tight horizontal portrait, Sandwich Tern with fish, and a really rare one, White-rumped Sandpiper in breeding plumage, photographed at DeSoto in early May.
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Fort DeSoto IPT: May 10-13, 2016. 3 1/2 DAYS: $1399
Meet and Greet at 3pm on Tuesday May 10.
Fort DeSoto is one of the rare locations that might offer great bird photography 365 days a year. It shines in spring. There will Lots of tame birds including breeding plumage Laughing Gull and Royal and Sandwich Terns. With luck, we will get to photograph all of these species courting and copulating. There will be American Oystercatcher and Marbled Godwit plus sandpipers and plovers, some in full breeding plumage. Black-bellied Plover and Red Knot in stunning breeding plumage are possible. There will be lots of wading birds including Great and Snowy Egrets, both color morphs of Reddish Egret, Great Blue, Tricolored and Little Blue Heron, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, and killer breeding plumage White Ibis. Roseate Spoonbill and Wood Stork are possible and likely. We should have lots of good flight photography with the gulls and terns and with Brown Pelican. Nesting Least Tern and nesting Wilson’s Plover are possible.
We will, weather permitting, enjoy 7 shooting sessions. Our first afternoon session will follow the meet and greet on Tuesday May 10. For the next three days we will have two daily photo sessions. We will be on the beach early and be at lunch (included) by 11am. At lunch we will review my images–folks learn a ton watching me choose my keepers and deletes–why keep this one and delete that one? If you opt to bring your laptop, we will be glad take a look at a few of your best images from the morning session. We will process an image or two in Photoshop after converting them in DPP. Our lunch learning session will be followed by a break that for me will include Instructor Nap Time. Afternoon sessions will generally run from 4:30pm till sunset. We photograph until sunset on the last day, Friday the 13th… Please note that this is a get-your-feet and get-your-butt wet and sandy IPT. And that you can actually do the whole IPT with a 300 f/2.8L IS, a 400 f/4 ID DO lens with both TCs, or the equivalent Nikon gear. I will likely be using my new 500 II as my big glass and have my 100-400 II on my shoulder.
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DeSoto in spring is rife with tame and attractive birds. From upper left clockwise to center: Laughing Gull in flight, adult Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, copulating Sandwich Terns, Roseate Spoonbill, Great Egret with reflection, Short-billed Dowitcher in breeding plumage, American Oystercatcher, breeding plumage Royal Tern, white morph Reddish Egret, and Snowy Egret marsh habitat shot.
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What You Will Learn
You will learn to approach free and wild birds without disturbing them, to understand and predict bird behavior, to identify many species of shorebirds, to spot the good situations, to understand the effects of sky and wind conditions on bird photography, to choose the best perspective, to see and understand the light, to get the right exposure every time after making a single test exposure, and to design pleasing images by mastering your camera’s AF system. And you will learn how and why to work in Manual mode (even if you are scared of it).
The group will be staying at the Magnuson Hotel/Marina Cove, 6800 Sunshine Skyway Lane South, St. Petersburg, FL, 33711. Tel: 727-867-1151. I use Hotels.com. The best airport is Tampa (TPA). A deposit of $499 is required to hold your spot. Your balance will be due on March 10, 2016. Please call Jim or Jennifer at 863-692-0906 to register. The $5 park entry fee is on you. Tight carpools are recommended. The cost of three lunches is included. Breakfasts are grab what you can on the go, and dinners are also on your own due to the fact that we will usually be getting back to the hotel at about 9pm. Non-photographer spouses, friends, or companions are welcome for $100/day, $350 for the whole IPT.
Why Join an IPT?
For many folks, hands-on, in-the-field instruction is the very best way for them to learn to improve their skills… To see some early spring DeSoto images, click here.
I don’t give up easily…
When I announced the Nickerson Beach Terns/Skimmers/Oystercatchers Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT) here the other day, I wrote: Click on each IPT card to enlarge it. Then leave a comment letting us know which is your very favorite image. And do let us know why. While I love ’em all, I will share my three favorites with you here soon.
Not a single person responded…
Fort DeSoto Site Guide
Can’t make it in mid-May? Get yourself a copy of the Fort DeSoto Site Guide. Learn the best spots, where to be when in what season in what weather. Learn the best wind directions for the various locations. BAA Site Guides are the next best thing to being on an IPT. You can see all of them here.
Shorebirds/Beautiful Beachcombers
If shorebirds give you pause, get yourself a copy of my Shorebirds/Beautiful Beachcombers. Includes ID tips, shorebird biology, migration, and tons more. All in my simple-to-read easy-to-read style.
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birds as art: The Avian Photography of Arthur Morris/The Top 100
The companion e-book to the solo exhibit at TheNat, San Diego, California
The new e-book on CD is available here. The new e-book via is also available via convenient download for $20 by clicking here.
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From Rod Anton via e-mail
Dear Artie, Beyond the superlatives you have received for your beautiful presentation, all of which I agree with whole heartedly, I would like to add my thoughts about your exhibition. I see the the dedication, the determination, the passion and the tenacity that drives you, as well as your love of the birds and of your love of photography. Congratulations. The exhibit-companion CD deserves a shout out. Sincerely, Rod Anton
Please Remember to use our Affiliate Links 🙂
To show your appreciation for my continuing efforts here, we ask, as always, that you get in the habit of using my B&H affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your photo and electronics purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially the Mongoose M3.6 tripod heads, Gitzo tripods, Wimberley heads and plates, LensCoats and accessories, and the like. We sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And we are always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. I just learned that my account was suspended during my absence; it should be up and running by Monday at the latest.
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.
Facebook
Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right. Tanks a stack!
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 🙂
January 28th, 2016 What’s Up?
I slammed on adding photos to the Southern Ocean Photography Guide and am hoping to finish work on this new e-book today.
It poured here early yesterday morning and drizzled for most of the day, but it was a lot warmer than it had been. As a result, the pool was up to an almost balmy 75 degrees for my midday swim. I did my core, knee, and shoulder exercises and had a nice ice bath at 6:30pm.
In the good news department the Namibia IPT is just about sold out; I am waiting to hear for sure on the last sign up. And I learned of several addition Used Photo Gear Sales. That page is really hopping lately.
Today’s blog post took almost two hours to assemble.
B&H
B&H contributed generously as the primary SDNHM exhibition sponsor. Thank them (and me for the blog) by clicking on the logo link above to shop.
The Streak
Today’s blog post marks 87 days in a row with a new educational blog post. Again, please remember to use our B&H links for your major gear purchases. Your doing so is always greatly appreciated. 🙂
Selling Your Used Gear Through BIRDS AS ART
Selling your used (or like-new) photo gear through the BAA Blog or via a BAA Online Bulletin is a great idea. We charge only a 5% commission. One of the more popular used gear for sale sites charges a minimum of 20%. Plus assorted fees! Yikes. The minimum item price here is $500 (or less for a $25 fee). If you are interested please e-mail with the words Items for Sale Info Request cut and pasted into the Subject line :). Stuff that is priced fairly–I offer free pricing advice, usually sells in no time flat. In the past few months, we have sold just about everything in sight. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the old Canon 500mm, the EOS-7D, and the original 400mm IS DO lens have been dropping steadily. You can see all current listings by clicking here or by clicking on the Used Photo Gear tab on the yellow-orange tab on the right side of the menu bar above.
Douglas Bolt sold his Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD Zoom lens for Canon in like-new condition for $699, Diane Miller sold her 300mm f/2.8L IS lens, the old three, for $2899, and Roberta Olenick sold her Canon EOS-1D Mark IV camera body in excellent condition for $1279 USD, all within the last week. I learned last Wednesday that the sale of IPT veteran Brent Bridges’ 300mm f/2.8L IS lens for $4599 is pending. Mark Hodsgon’s 70-200mm f/4L IS lens sold and I purchased his brand new 1.4 and 2X III TCs for his full asking price on Monday. Walt Thomas sold his used Canon 100mm f/2.8L IS USM Macro lens in mint condition for $749. On Tuesday Erik Hagstrom sold his Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM lens and Bill Condon sold his Canon 500mm f/4L IS USM lens in like-new, near-mint condition for the full asking price, $4199, in one day after getting three offers.
When I sent a follow-up e-mail asking that Bill check the listing, he sent this lovely e-mail in reply:
Artie, the listing was more than perfect. I had three offers in the first 36 hours and my lens was sold for asking price on the second day! I am grateful for your help: your added words gave true legitimacy to the value of my lens. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Bill
And just yesterday, Saul Pleeter sold his Sony Alpha a7R Mirrorless Digital Camera in near-new condition for $799 on the first day it was listed.
After all the work that I have put into the Used Gear Sales Page, I know how to price the stuff fairly so that it will sell fairly quickly. And for items that I am not familiar with I have taught myself how to come up with solid prices…
New Listings
Canon 500mm f/4L IS II USM Lens
Mark Hodgson is offering a lightly used Canon 500mm f/4L IS II USM lens in mint condition for the ridiculous BAA lowest-ever price of $7499. The sale includes everything that came with the lens originally including the 500B lens case, ET-138W II hood, E-163B lens cap, manual and all packaging materials. Also included are a Wimberley P-40 lens plate and LensCoat Realtree Max LensCoat that has been on the lens since day one. Insured shipping via major courier is included. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Mark by e-mail or by phone at 904-607-2827 (Eastern time).
I just bought another 500 II (after selling the first one that I owned a while back) as it is so much easier to travel with than the 600 II. After seeing that Mark’s TC was pretty much brand new I would have bought his 500 II had I known about it three weeks ago. Needless to say, the 500 f/4 lenses are the world’s most popular for birds, nature, and wildlife. artie
ps: you can learn a ton more about the 500 II here.
Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Mark Hodgson is also offering a used Canon 5D Mark III camera together with a Canon BG-E11 battery grip and two Canon batteries for $1899. Everything is in excellent plus condition. The sale includes all the original materials – boxes, packing materials, manuals, CD’s, battery charger, accessory cables, etc. The camera was cleaned by Canon Professional Services in November and they verified the shutter count at an extremely low 15,962. It has only been used a couple of times since then. Insured shipping via major courier is included. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Mark by e-mail or by phone at 904-607-2827 (Eastern time).
I have used the 5D III for birds on occasion with excellent results, even with the 2X III TC and the 600 II. It has long been my go-to dSLR for flowers, landscapes, and Urbex photography. artie
B&H
B&H was the primary sponsor of my solo, career retrospective, 67-image exhibit at the San Diego Natural History Museum. Thank them (and me, for the work I do on the blog) by clicking on the logo link above to shop for camera bodies and lenses.
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This is the color corrected version of the tight crop of yesterday’s featured image; the BLUEs look so much more natural now.
Heermann’s Gull with Red tuna crab (Pleuroncodes planipes)
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The Color Correction
While responding the many comments on yesterday’s blog post I noticed that I had gone way too far with the Click White Balance in DPP 4. The image was way too CYAN (AQUA in Canon-speak). Rather than start over by re-converting the RAW file I simply brought the two images in Photoshop, added a Selective Color layer, selected the BLUE channel from the dropdown menu, and moved the CYAN slider all the way to the left to -100%. Ah, perfection; the BLUEs now look so much more natural.
You can learn a ton more on balancing the color in your images in my Digital Basics File. That in addition to dozens of great Photoshop tips.
Red tuna crab (Pleuroncodes planipes)
While several folks nailed the ID of yesterday’s mystery prey item, Warren Jacobi was the first to get in touch on that and his follow-up e-mails on the subject added additional insight. Here is his comment at yesterday’s blog post:
The bright red crustacean in the gull picture is a Red tuna crab (Pleuroncodes planipes – also known as tuna crab, pelagic red crab and langostilla in Spanish). While the name says “crab” they are actually a species of lobster. During El Nino years they sometimes show up in large numbers along the San Diego coastline – mostly from Ocean Beach to La Jolla – right where you were photographing. When an El Nino occurs, many food sources for gulls disappear and gulls being opportunists eat many of the little guys.
I was happy to learn that the little guy was actually a lobster as I had assumed from the get-go. I am always amazed by the fact that as a group, the folks who read the blog regularly can be depended on to know just about everything about everything! The collective base of knowledge here is indeed phenomenal. You can learn more about Red Tuna Crab here.
The Whole Regurgitant Story
I should have mentioned this yesterday: the gulls eat the little buggers and then regurgitate pellets that include some of the hard parts of the crabs. In gulls, this pellet is called a bolus. Thus the red stuff all over the rocks along with the whitewash includes bits of the Red Tuna Crabs…
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And this is the color corrected version of the image that was made on the first morning of the 2015 San Diego IPT with the hand held Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens and the Canon Extender EF 1.4X III with the rugged Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/160 sec. at f/18 in Manual mode was less than ideal.
Center AF point (by necessity)/AI Servo Expand/Rear Focus AF as originally framed was active at the moment of exposure (as is always best when hand holding). Click here to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.
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My Critique of Yesterday’s Featured Image
The head angle of the bird is actually pretty good; the huge problem is that the bird was angled away from the plane of the imaging sensor, i.e., angled away from the plane of the back of the camera. The second big problem was that the horizon line nearly intersected with the top of the head. This is a very distracting and very common error. Yes I needed to be eight yards to my right to parallel the subject. And yes, I needed to be about five yards taller. I was, however, in a deep trench between the rocks and as a result was shooting up at the gull; the angle to the bird was too steep. This caused the gull’s feet to be partially hidden behind the sandstone.
I did follow my “shoot now and ask questions later” rule. But at the same time, I broke my “always go for the BBC-winning image at the expense of getting nothing” rule. Why? I knew that I did not have the time to climb out up and out of the trench while the gull held the prey item intact in its bill.
In addition, it would have been better to have had the subject well higher in the frame so as to include more of the sandstone and whitewash, if only to give me more cropping options. But my goal, a rather unusual one for me, was to acquire focus and create at least one sharp image of this neat behavior that I had never seen before.
Thanks to all who joined in the learning fun by leaving a comment at yesterday’s blog post.
And yes, a wider aperture would have softened up the background waves a bit.
The Shutter Speed Question
In yesterday’s blog post I asked, “Why were the exposure settings less than ideal?” Most folks fanned on that one until Brendan left this comment:
Thanks for this! I dunno – the picture looks lovely to me. I am not sure why such a narrow aperture was used with a relatively slow shutter speed. I would guess with a wider aperture the ocean/horizon would be more pleasantly blurred and the shutter speed could be much faster. Maybe with the faster shutter speed you would pull out more feather detail? Though I doubt there is much movement blur – looks sharp to me. I would like to see the birds feet, though that’s minor.
This is adapted from my response:
Hey Brendan, Finally someone is on the right track. There was no reason to be at 1/160 at f/18 in this situation, other than the fact that I was doing something else where I needed lots of d-o-f and followed my old rule: shoot first and ask questions later lest you miss everything. The image is sharp, very sharp. But the next frame in the sequence, one that featured a slight head turn towards me, suffered from motion blur. In general, you would want a shutter speed of at least 1/800 second for your general bird photography when the potential for action exists. 1/1250 or 1/1600 sec. would be even better.
As for the AF point, you need to go back and read the whole thing and the comments more carefully 🙂 artie
The AF Question
Why was I limited to only the center AF point? I hear this about six times a day on most IPTs: My camera is broken; I can’t move my AF point!”
When you are working with the 1.4X TC and an f/5.6 lens, or when you are working with the 2X III TC and an f/4 lens, you are at effective f/8. With all of the more recent Canon camera bodies, you will have autofocus at f/8 but it will be limited to the center AF point (plus the four assist points if you set AF Expand). So no, your camera ain’t broken.
BirdPhotographer’s.Net (BPN)
The very best way to learn to evaluate your images is to plunk down your forty bucks and join BPN. You post your images and have them critiqued by many of our fine moderators and lots of skilled members, and in turn, you get to learn a ton by commenting on the images of others. And best of all, it ain’t just birds! There are image critique forums that cover other areas. These include Wildlife, Macro and Flora, Landscapes, Cityscapes and Travel, Out Of The Box, In Camera and Post Processing Techniques, Framing Your Images With Words, and Story Sequences. In addition, beginning nature photographers can receive extra help in the Eager to Learn Forum. You can click here to access any of the aforementioned forums in addition to the Photography Discussion (and other) forums. If you join and post an image please e-mail me the link and I will be glad to stop by and comment.
Please Remember to use our Affiliate Links 🙂
To show your appreciation for my continuing efforts here, we ask, as always, that you get in the habit of using my B&H affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your photo and electronics purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially the Mongoose M3.6 tripod heads, Gitzo tripods, Wimberley heads and plates, LensCoats and accessories, and the like. We sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And we are always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. I just learned that my account was suspended during my absence; it should be up and running by Monday at the latest.
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.
Facebook
Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right. Tanks a stack!
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 🙂
January 27th, 2016 What’s Up?
I added about 50 images to the Southern Ocean Photography Guide, ordered some warm clothing for my upcoming Japan trip, and answered another zillion e-mails. Swim, core exercises, ice bath, and three healthy meals made for a perfect day.
Today’s blog post took nearly three hours to assemble, from soup to nuts.
The Streak
In spite of having been buried by travel, teaching, the exhibit, and several major writing projects for the last two months, today’s blog post marks 86 days in a row with a new educational blog post. Again, please remember to use our B&H links for your major gear purchases. Your doing so is always greatly appreciated. 🙂
B&H
B&H was the primary sponsor of my solo, career retrospective, 67-image exhibit at the San Diego Natural History Museum. Thank them (and me, for the work I do on the blog) by clicking on the logo link above to shop for camera bodies and lenses.
Selling Your Used Gear Through BIRDS AS ART
Selling your used (or like-new) photo gear through the BAA Blog or via a BAA Online Bulletin is a great idea. We charge only a 5% commission. One of the more popular used gear for sale sites charges a minimum of 20%. Plus assorted fees! Yikes. The minimum item price here is $500 (or less for a $25 fee). If you are interested please e-mail with the words Items for Sale Info Request cut and pasted into the Subject line :). Stuff that is priced fairly–I offer free pricing advice, usually sells in no time flat. In the past few months, we have sold just about everything in sight. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the old Canon 500mm, the EOS-7D, and the original 400mm IS DO lens have been dropping steadily. You can see all current listings by clicking here or by clicking on the Used Photo Gear tab on the yellow-orange tab on the right side of the menu bar above.
Douglas Bolt sold his Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD Zoom lens for Canon in like-new condition for $699, Diane Miller sold her 300mm f/2.8L IS lens, the old three, for $2899, and Roberta Olenick sold her Canon EOS-1D Mark IV camera body in excellent condition for $1279 USD, all within the last week. I learned last Wednesday that the sale of IPT veteran Brent Bridges’ 300mm f/2.8L IS lens for $4599 is pending. And I learned last Thursay that Mark Hodsgon’s 70-200mm f/4L IS lens became pending on the day that it was listed. More recently Walt Thomas sold his used Canon 100mm f/2.8L IS USM Macro lens in mint condition for $749 and just yesterday Erik Hagstrom sold his Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM lens and Bill Condon sold his Canon 500mm f/4L IS USM lens in like-new, near-mint condition for the full asking price, $4199, in one day after getting three offers.
When I sent a follow-up e-mail asking that Bill check the listing, he sent this lovely e-mail in reply:
Artie, the listing was more than perfect. I had three offers in the first 36 hours and my lens was sold for asking price on the second day! I am grateful for your help: your added words gave true legitimacy to the value of my lens. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Bill
After all the work that I have put into the Used Gear Sales Page, I know how to price the stuff fairly so that it will sell fairly quickly. And for items that I am not familiar with I have taught myself how to come up with solid prices…
New Listing
Nikon D4 dSLR Professional Camera Body
Sash Dias is offering a used Nikon D4 body in excellent condition for $2399; the body is pristine except for a small rub mark near the mic button. It is a Nikon USA body, has been babied for its entire life, and has less than 30,000 actuations. The sale includes the Nikon D4 body, the front body cap, the original battery and battery charger and insured shipping via USPS Priority Mail. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Sash by e-mail or by phone at 508-439-1097 (Eastern time).
New Nikon Gear
Click here for a link to slew of new Nikon stuff.
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Nikon’s two new flagship bodies are available for pre-order now; if you want and need one of these, please use one of the two product specific links below to support my efforts here on the BAA Blog.
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Nikon’s Two New Flagship DSLRs
About ten days ago Nikon introduced two flagship camera bodies, the Nikon D5 DSLR Camera (Dual CompactFlash) and the Nikon D5 DSLR Camera (Dual XQD). XQD is a new, faster type of card.
Canon EOS-1D X II
As for me, I can’t wait for the 1D X II to be announced…
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This is the original image (see photo next) from which this tight crop was created was made on the first morning of the 2015 San Diego IPT with the hand held Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens and the Canon Extender EF 1.4X III with the rugged Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/160 sec. at f/18 in Manual mode was less than ideal.
Center AF point (by necessity)/AI Servo Expand/Rear Focus AF as originally framed was active at the moment of exposure (as is always best when hand holding). Click here to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.
Tight crop of Heermann’s Gull with some sort of immature lobster as prey
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The Amazing Answer to the Red Regurgitant Mystery…
I was “down in the hole” on the cliffs in late morning doing tight bill shots of the pelicans when I saw a winter adult Heermann’s Gull land on the sandstone ridge well above me and well to my right. Bummer. I screamed to the nearby group members as I snapped off two quick ones and then scrambled into position for a better shot but the gull had already removed the claws.
If anyone know the species of the prey item please leave a comment. Would it be properly classed a larvae or as an immature or as a baby? Or is it fully grown? I did some surfing and thought that it was a California Spiny Lobster until I got to the part about “no large claws on its legs.” (David Policansky, are you there?)
In any case, it was pretty neat. Several of the folks on the IPT were in perfect position. If anyone got anything great please shoot me a 1200 wide sharpened JPEG via e-mail.
Image Question
Why were the exposure setting less than ideal?
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This JPEG represents the original capture.
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Critique Please
In the follow-up to the hugely popular and somewhat controversial blog post here, Brendan left a comment that I have paraphrased here: One instructional thing I would love to see on this blog is a basic lesson on how to look critically look at one’s photos. About eight years ago I began saving series of similar images from which I planned to do an Evaluating Your Images guide. At some point, I lost that file. I started a new one and eventually lost that one too. 🙁
In the meantime we can start by looking at today’s featured image. It is sharp and it is well exposed and the bird is placed nicely back in the frame. Were it not for the baby lobster (or whatever it is) this photograph would have been deleted instantly for several reasons.
Please, please, pretty please leave a comment and let us know the major problems in this image. There are at least three major problems but two of those are closely related. Those problems are very common ones… (Folks have been getting lazy about leaving comments and keeping the blog interactive.)
BirdPhotographer’s.Net (BPN)
The very best way to learn to evaluate your images is to plunk down your forty bucks and join BPN. You post your images and have them critiqued by many of our fine moderators and lots of skilled members, and in turn, you get to learn a ton by commenting on the images of others. And best of all, it ain’t just birds! There are image critique forums that cover other areas. These include Wildlife, Macro and Flora, Landscapes, Cityscapes and Travel, Out Of The Box, In Camera and Post Processing Techniques, Framing Your Images With Words, and Story Sequences. In addition, beginning nature photographers can receive extra help in the Eager to Learn Forum. You can click here to access any of the aforementioned forums in addition to the Photography Discussion (and other) forums. If you join and post an image please e-mail me the link and I will be glad to stop by and comment.
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This is a DPP 4 Screen Capture for today’s featured image.
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DPP 4 Screen Capture
The important thing to note here is that I used Click White Balance on the very white tail tip to eliminate the warm reddish cast that you can see in the JPEG that represents the original capture (today’s 2nd photo).
AF Question
Why was I limited to only the center AF point? I hear this about six times a day on most IPTs: My camera is broken; I can’t move my AF point!”
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You can order your copy of “The Photographers’ Guide to Canon Digital Photo Professional 4.0” (aka the DPP 4 Raw Conversion eGuide) by Arash Hazeghi and Arthur Morris by clicking here.
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The DPP 4 eGuide (PDF)
Learn how and why I and many other discerning photographers choose and use only DPP 4 to convert their Canon RAW files in the DPP 4 RAW Conversion Guide by Arash Hazeghi and yours truly. The latest version supports all of the newer Canon camera bodies and several older models including the EOS-7D and the EOS-1D Mark IV. The DPP IV Guide is the ideal companion to the 7D Mark II User’s Guide, a runaway best seller.
The DPP 4 eGuide (PDF) Updated for 1D Mark IV and the original 7D
The DPP 4 eGuide was recently updated to include the luminance and chrominance noise reduction values for both the 1D Mark IV and the original 7D. If you purchased your copy from BAA please e-mail Jim and request the DPP 4 1D IV/7D update. Please be sure to cut and paste page 1 of the guide into your e-mail as proof of purchase.
2017 San Diego 4 1/2-DAY BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT) JAN 11 thru and including the morning session on JAN 15: 4 1/2 days: $1999.
(Limit: 10/openings 8)
Meet and Greet at 7:00pm on the evening before the IPT begins; Tuesday 1/10/17.
Join me in San Diego to photograph the spectacular breeding plumage Brown Pelicans with their fire-engine red and olive green bill pouches; Brandt’s and Double-crested Cormorants; breeding plumage Wood and Ring-necked Duck; other duck species possible including Lesser Scaup, Redhead, and Surf Scoter; a variety of gulls including Western, California, and the gorgeous Heerman’s, all in full breeding plumage; shorebirds including Marbled Godwit, Willet, Sanderling and Black-bellied Plover; many others possible including Least, Western, and Spotted Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Black and Ruddy Turnstone, Semipalmated Plover, and Surfbird; Harbor Seals (depending on the current regulations) and California Sea Lions; and Bird of Paradise flowers. And as you can see by studying the two IPT cards there are some nice bird-scape and landscape opportunities as well.
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. 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.
Did I mention that there are wealth of great birds and natural history subjects in San Diego in winter?
For complete 2017 San Diego ITP info please click here.
Please Remember to use our Affiliate Links 🙂
To show your appreciation for my continuing efforts here, we ask, as always, that you get in the habit of using my B&H affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your photo and electronics purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially the Mongoose M3.6 tripod heads, Gitzo tripods, Wimberley heads and plates, LensCoats and accessories, and the like. We sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And we are always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. I just learned that my account was suspended during my absence; it should be up and running by Monday at the latest.
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.
Facebook
Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right. Tanks a stack!
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 🙂
January 26th, 2016 What’s Up?
Most of Monday was spent putting photographs in the Southern Ocean Photography Guide. And answering a zillion e-mails as always.
Though the pool has been quite chilly, I have been swimming every day. It was in the mid-thirties on Sunday evening and the pool was down to 68 degrees when I checked early on Monday morning. By the time I got in the pool it was up to 70. I did some core exercises and enjoyed a nice ice bath; the water was 59 degrees when I got out.
I learned yesterday that Walt Thomas sold his Canon 100mm f/2.8L IS macro lens and that Erik Hagstrom sold his Canon 24-70 f/2.8L lens as well. Both had recently lowered their prices; it is all a matter of supply and demand. You can see all the current listings here; there are some truly amazing values…
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birds as art: The Avian Photography of Arthur Morris/The Top 100
The companion e-book to the solo exhibit at TheNat, San Diego, California
The new e-book on CD is available here. The new e-book via is also available via convenient download for $20 by clicking here.
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What They Are Saying
The new e-book has received only rave reviews. By phone, BAA-friend Bill Goodhew advised that I should raise the price to a more realistic $50. We have heard from a few folks as below and would love to hear from more of you.
Jim Amato via comment at yesterday’s blog post
Betidings birders, Arthur’s CD, The Avian Photography of Arthur Morris, arrived today. It is a magnificent album of beautiful birds captured in their wonderful habitats. You gotta have this compilation of astounding work. Arthur has presented many, maybe all, of these images on this blog and as striking as they are on the blog, they blast off the screen on my 27 inch iMac. They will create neighborhood hysteria if shown on the new OLED 70 inch televisions. Click on the link and order a copy now! I am not related to, do not work for or volunteer with Arthur or BAA. This is one excellent CD of our feathered friends.
From Multiple IPT Veteran Doug West
I just received The Top 100 CD! I felt like a kid checking the mailbox to see if it had come! Here’s my review:
The first thing I fell in love with was the packaging. At first I didn’t think that the CD was in there due to the photo on the CD blending in with the background photo; I think my heart stopped for a second. The images of course are gorgeous. Art could’ve picked his bottom 100 images and those would still be my top 100. How in the world this man picked 100 images from roughly 32 years of doing this is amazing.
If I had to pick my favorite image, it would be on the displaying frigatebird on Page 14 – Showing Off. This one really threw my head back. I think it was due to the fact it almost looks like three different birds: the bird displaying and the two different ways the layers of feathers are laid out. The background making it pop out is the kicker.
Reading the notes and details is always fun, but I also like to read between the lines. There might be a few people who will bring up that there isn’t a year listed for each image. An estimate can be figured out if you pay attention to the camera body that was used. I counted at ‘least’ 12 different bodies by the way.
This CD is a fantastic teaching tool for those who study the images. Remember to look carefully at the head angles and the composition, the behavior, or the action. Then try to apply it yourself the next time you go out. Doug
From Multiple IPT Veteran Stephen Leimberg
Art, this is the most beautiful book on bird photography I’ve ever seen! What an inspiration! A visual feast! Bravo! Warmest, Steve
From Mike Moore via e-mail
The top 100 collection is almost too overwhelming to absorb at once. I will be looking at it many, many times to be able to drink it all in. I will say I never really appreciated blurs, but Cottonwood Morning Wave is one of my favorite images. The colors and the composition are superb. There is a real feeling of being present at a live event that a sharp photo would not have conveyed, so maybe you won me over. You give a 100 great examples of something for us to strive for. I especially appreciated that you annotated every image to get a sense of what it took to capture it. Brilliant. Congratulations and thanks for sharing and making it so affordable to own this collection of some of the world’s greatest bird images.
From IPT Veteran Larry Master via e-mail
I just downloaded your new collection of 100 images! Wow! I’ve seen many before in your posts but to view as one collection it is amazing. Larry
Additional Feedback Requested
If you ordered via download or have already received your CD, I would love to hear what you think. Please do leave a comment or shoot me an e-mail.
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From upper left clockwise to center: Black Skimmer head portrait, American Oystercatcher dining on surf clam flesh, Common Tern at sunset, Common Tern adult swallowing flatfish, Black Skimmer in flight, newborn Common Tern chick, American Oystercatcher with chick, fresh juvenile Common Tern (with fill flash), and Common Terns copulating.
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Nickerson Beach Terns/Skimmers/Oystercatchers Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT): July 18-22, 2016. 4 1/2 DAYS: $1899.
Meet and greet at 3pm on the afternoon of Monday, July 18. Limit 10.
The primary subject species of this IPT will be the nesting Common Terns. The trip is timed so that we will get to photograph tiny chicks as well as fledglings. There will be lots of flight photography including adults flying with baitfish. Creating great images of the chicks being fed is a huge challenge. In addition to the terns we will get to photograph lots of Black Skimmers courting, setting up their nesting territories, and in flight (both singles and large pre-dawn flocks blasting off). Midair battles are guaranteed on sunny afternoons. And with luck, we might even see a few tiny chicks toward the end of the trip. We will also get to photograph the life cycle of American Oystercatcher. This will likely include nests with eggs and tiny chicks, young being fed, and possibly a few fledglings.
Nesting Piping Plover is also possibly. There will be lots of gulls to photograph; most years I am able to find a few Lesser Black-backed Gulls of varying ages in addition to the Herring, Ring-billed, and Great Black-backed Gulls. You will learn to identify and age the various gull species. There will likely be some Willets feeding along the surf and with luck we might get to photograph a handsome juvenile or two. In addition to the locally breeding shorebirds, we will likely get to see some southbound migrant arctic-and sub-arctic breeding shorebird species such as Sanderling, Semipalmated Plover, and maybe even Red Knot.
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From upper left clockwise to center: Black Skimmers with tiny chick, Common Tern landing with baitfish for young, fledged Common Tern chick in dunes, American Oystercatchers/display flight, adult Common Tern with pipefish for chick, Common Tern fledgling in soft light, American Oystercatcher on nest with eggs, American Oystercatcher 3-egg clutch, battling Black Skimmers.
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The IPT Logistics
The tour will begin with our meet and greet on the afternoon of Monday, July 18, 2016. That will be followed by our first shooting session at the beach. From Tuesday through and including all of Friday we will have two photography sessions daily. Our morning sessions will start very early so that we are on the beach well before sunrise. We usually photograph for about four hours. Then we will enjoy a group brunch. We will always have a midday break that will include a nap for me. That followed by our daily afternoon classroom sessions that will include image review, workflow and Photoshop, and a review/critique of five of your trip images. Folks are always invited to bring their laptops to brunch for image sharing. I always have mine with me but heck, I am a big show-off. Afternoon in-the-field sessions generally run from 5pm through sunset.
Breakfasts are grab what you can. Four brunches are included. Dinners (if at all) will be on your own as we will often get back to the hotel at about 9pm. There is a fridge in every room and a supermarket within walking distance of the hotel so nobody should starve. You will learn a ton during the nine shooting sessions, the four in-classroom sessions, and even at lunch. Early morning and late afternoon parking is free. If we want to head back to the beach early we will need to arrange tight carpools and share the $30/vehicle parking fee. Non-photographer spouses, friends, or companions are welcome for $100/day, $450 for the whole IPT.
Save a space by calling Jim or Jen at the office at 863-692-0906 and arranging to leave your deposit of $599–credit cards are accepted for deposits only. Your balance will be due on April 18, 2016. I hope that you can join me for what will be an exciting and educational IPT.
Card Image Question
Click on each IPT card to enlarge it. Then leave a comment letting us know which is your very favorite image. And do let us know why. While I love ’em all, I will share my three favorites with you here soon.
B&H
B&H contributed generously as the primary SDNHM exhibition sponsor. Thank them (and me for the blog) by clicking on the logo link above to shop.
Please Remember to use our Affiliate Links 🙂
To show your appreciation for my continuing efforts here, we ask, as always, that you get in the habit of using my B&H affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your photo and electronics purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially the Mongoose M3.6 tripod heads, Gitzo tripods, Wimberley heads and plates, LensCoats and accessories, and the like. We sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And we are always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. I just learned that my account was suspended during my absence; it should be up and running by Monday at the latest.
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.
Facebook
Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right. Tanks a stack!
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 🙂
January 25th, 2016 What’s Up?
I was thrilled that the Denver Bronco defense consistently put Pretty Boy Tom Brady on his ass in the big playoff game yesterday; the Broncos and class-act Peyton Manning are on the way to the Super Bowl. Don’t get me wrong, I have great resect for Brady and what he and Bellicek have accomplished. That last touchdown with Brady under constant pressure and Gronkowski injured yet again was heroic. But justice was served as their two-point conversion attempt failed. What really bothers me about the Patriots is that for the past ten years or so the media always wants to give the Super Bowl rings to New England even before the season starts…
As much as I would like to see Peyton join his kid brother Eli as a two-time Super Bowl winner–both of Eli’s wins of course coming against the highly favored Patriots–it is hard to conceive that Denver can prevent the eventual and inevitable supremacy of the young, strong, and talented Carolina Panthers and their Superman QB, Cam Newton. But heck, as New England finds out often, that’s why they play the games…
And lets’s not forget that the Patriots’ Super Bowl win last year was made possible only by Pete Carroll’s gift via the inane call on first and goal from the one yard line…
B&H
B&H was the primary exhibition sponsor of my solo, career retrospective, 67-image exhibit at the San Diego Natural History Museum. Thank them (and me, for the work I do on the blog) by clicking on the logo link above to shop for camera bodies and lenses.
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This image was created at La Jolla, CA on the 2015 San Diego IPT with the hand held Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens (at 200mm) and the rugged Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 400. Evaluative metering -2/3: 1/125 sec. at f/9. AWB.
The AF point that was three AF points up from the center AF point/AI Servo/Expand/Rear Focus AF as framed was active at the moment of exposure (as is always best when hand holding). The selected AF point fell on the bend of the wing just above the front leg where the dark gray of the wing met the white flank. Click here to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.
Adult Western Gull on whitewashed sandstone rock
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Crappy Image…
I loved the whitewash on the rock at first sight. I had actually photographed the rock alone the day before. But the adult Western Gull was the icing on the frame. After figuring the correct exposure via histogram check, it took me about 20 tries to fine tune the composition. The image design here is the great strength of this photograph. Notice the following:
- The borders in front of and below the whitewashed rock; the trick was to choose an AF point that would get the bird high enough up in the frame to allow for the border below the rock.
- Four and one-times more room from the tip of the bird’s bill to the right frame-edge than from the tip of the bird’s tail to the left frame-edge.
- Choosing my side-to-side perspective so as to include the most pleasing background possible.
- There is more than twice as much brown above the bird’s head as there is below the whitewash on the rock.
The versatility of the 100-400 II continues to amaze me. All intermediate telephoto zooms lens give you almost unlimited framing options; the amazing close focus and he 4-stop IS system of the 1-4 II place it head and shoulders above all including the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR lens. Close focus for the Nikon is 5.74′ (or 1.75 meters). For the Canon it is an incredible 3.2′ (or .98 meters). To be fair, I am sure that the extra 20 mms at the short end of the Nikon 80-400 comes in handy at times but the quasi-macro capabilities of the Canon 100-400II better fits my style: clean, tight, and graphic.
Learning about image design…
I added this to the post after replying to Gary Axten’s comment below:
While I am generally not a big fan of hard and fast rules for bird photography, the fact is that there are many guidelines for designing pleasing images. I wrote lots of them (as immediately above) but they are all pretty much based on common sense :). That said the best place to learn them is in the section on Advanced Composition and Image Design in the often over-looked ABP II. later and love, artie
Image Question
If you think you know the identity of the red stuff that is mixed in with the whitewash, please let us know by leaving a comment.
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This is the DPP 4 screen capture for today’s featured image.
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DPP 4 Color Balance Fine-Tune Tip
Captured with AWB, today’s featured image had a big blue color cast as expected as the subject and the whole scene were in the shade. Rather than trying Click White Balance or adjust the Color Temperature slider, I simply moved the B/A (Blue/Aqua) slider all the way to the right toward Aqua. This pretty much balanced the R, the G, and the B in the histogram and thus, the results were quite pleasing.
Note also the location of the carefully chosen AF point that is illuminated in red. Learning to move the AF point around quickly and efficiently will help you immeasurably to improve the design of your images.
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You can order your copy of “The Photographers’ Guide to Canon Digital Photo Professional 4.0” (aka the DPP 4 Raw Conversion eGuide) by Arash Hazeghi and Arthur Morris by clicking here.
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The DPP 4 eGuide (PDF)
Learn how and why I and many other discerning photographers choose and use only DPP 4 to convert their Canon RAW files in the DPP 4 RAW Conversion Guide by Arash Hazeghi and yours truly. The latest version supports all of the newer Canon camera bodies and several older models including the EOS-7D and the EOS-1D Mark IV. The DPP IV Guide is the ideal companion to the 7D Mark II User’s Guide, a runaway best seller.
The DPP 4 eGuide (PDF) Updated for 1D Mark IV and the original 7D
The DPP 4 eGuide was recently updated to include the luminance and chrominance noise reduction values for both the 1D Mark IV and the original 7D. If you purchased your copy from BAA please e-mail Jim and request the DPP 4 1D IV/7D update. Please be sure to cut and paste page 1 of the guide into your e-mail as proof of purchase.
2017 San Diego 4 1/2-DAY BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT) JAN 11 thru and including the morning session on JAN 15: 4 1/2 days: $1999.
(Limit: 10/openings 8)
Meet and Greet at 7:00pm on the evening before the IPT begins; Tuesday 1/10/17.
Join me in San Diego to photograph the spectacular breeding plumage Brown Pelicans with their fire-engine red and olive green bill pouches; Brandt’s and Double-crested Cormorants; breeding plumage Wood and Ring-necked Duck; other duck species possible including Lesser Scaup, Redhead, and Surf Scoter; a variety of gulls including Western, California, and the gorgeous Heerman’s, all in full breeding plumage; shorebirds including Marbled Godwit, Willet, Sanderling and Black-bellied Plover; many others possible including Least, Western, and Spotted Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Black and Ruddy Turnstone, Semipalmated Plover, and Surfbird; Harbor Seals (depending on the current regulations) and California Sea Lions; and Bird of Paradise flowers. And as you can see by studying the two IPT cards there are some nice bird-scape and landscape opportunities as well.
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. 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.
Did I mention that there are wealth of great birds and natural history subjects in San Diego in winter?
For complete 2017 San Diego ITP info please click here.
Please Remember to use our Affiliate Links 🙂
To show your appreciation for my continuing efforts here, we ask, as always, that you get in the habit of using my B&H affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your photo and electronics purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially the Mongoose M3.6 tripod heads, Gitzo tripods, Wimberley heads and plates, LensCoats and accessories, and the like. We sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And we are always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. I just learned that my account was suspended during my absence; it should be up and running by Monday at the latest.
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.
Facebook
Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right. Tanks a stack!
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 🙂
January 24th, 2016 What’s Up?
Scoff at Cold Thermogenesis and ice baths if you like, but the facts are that while I was in San Diego I was getting up every 45 minutes to an hour for a pit stop and sleeping–if you could even call it that–only five to six hours. Last night, after my fourth day in a cold pool–about 73 degrees, and after four 6pm ice baths, I slept eight full hours with just one pit stop.
I spent most of yesterday working on a South Georgia article for Nature Photographer magazine. After I finish that up this morning I will be doing some more work on my coming soon Southern Ocean Photography Guide and working a bit on the After-Conversion Photoshop Guide that I will be doing with Arash Hazeghi. (See more on that below.)
I am looking forward to the two NFL games today. I am hoping that Carolina wins but would be OK if the Cardinals beat them. I will be investing all of my rooting energy against the hated Patriots. Just why did Pretty Boy Tom Brady destroy his cell phone before being investigated by the league??? Go Peyton!
B&H
B&H was the primary exhibition sponsor of my solo, career retrospective, 67-image exhibit at the San Diego Natural History Museum. Thank them (and me, for the work I do on the blog) by clicking on the logo link above to shop for camera bodies and lenses.
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This image was created at La Jolla, CA with the Induro GIT 304L/Mongoose M3.6-mounted Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM lens, the Canon Extender EF 1.4X III, and the Canon EOS 5DS R. ISO 1600. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/60 sec. at f/8. AWB. Should have been +1 stop…
Center AF point/AI Servo Expand/Rear Focus AF as framed was active at the moment of exposure. Click here to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.
Brown Pelican scapulars viewed from overhead with eye visible
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ISO 1600 5DS R Noise
Before scrolling down to look at the three tight crops below, consider the noise levels that you see at ISO 1600 in the image as presented above–please click on the image to view it larger if you wish. The only obvious noise that I am seeing is in the rather “mushy” area in the lower left corner. That “mushy” look may not be noise at all as that area is somewhat shadowed and thus a bit underexposed… Please leave a comment and let us know what you are seeing as far as noise in the image as presented above.
Full Frame
The challenge for me here while shooting almost straight down from above the pelican was to completely fill the frame with feathers while totally eliminating any evidence of the reddish cliff background in the corners. This image is full frame: I was able to get what I wanted.
Thanks Carlotta for Teaching an Old Dog a New Trick
I first met Carlotta Grenier on one of the 2015 Bosque IPTs. She had so much fun that she signed up for the San Diego IPT that turned out to be a blast. During the image critiquing session she shared one image that captivated me. She had shot straight down at the head and back of a sleeping pelican. Over the years I had done some similar stuff in the same general area but had not shot straight down as she had. So thanks Carlotta for opening my eyes.
Rather than rear focusing on the bird’s eye, I went with the active AF point on the scapulars as I wanted those feathers absolutely sharp. I figured that t f/8 that I had a chance of getting the eye sharp. I succeeded half way but a Contrast Mask rendered the eye more than sharp enough for me. With the eye somewhat in a shaded area I did some Eye Doctor work by making the pupil blacker and making the iris whiter, all via small Quick Masks followed by Curves on a Layer (Control + M). The Eye Doctor work really brought the image to life.
You say Car-LOT-uh…
At the beginning of the IPT I kept mispronouncing Carlotta’s name by saying Car-LOW-tah. Once she corrected me a few times (in good fun I might add), I had it down pat, Car-LOT-uh. The problem was that others had become confused. Folks who had gotten her name right at first were now calling her Car-LOW-tah and even Car-LEE-tah. Everyone, including Carlotta, had a good laugh. And a great time on the IPT.
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Tight crop #1: The unsharpened crop here approximates a 100% crop. It was downsized just a bit to 900 pixels tall. The 850kb file was optimized to < 395 kb and is presented here at 466 pixels wide.
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Tight crop #2: The unsharpened crop here approximates a 100% crop. That was cropped to 1200 pixels wide. The approximately 600 kb file was optimized to < 395 kb. It is presented here at 800 pixels wide.
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Tight crop #3: The unsharpened crop here also approximates a 100% crop. It was downsized just a bit to 1200 pixels wide. The 600kb file was optimized to < 395 kb and is presented here at 800 pixels wide.
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First, My Comments on Noise
I must admit that since I began doing my conversions in DPP 4 and using the Chrominance and Luminance Noise Reduction Values developed by Arash Hazeghi as summarized on page 28 of the DPP 4 RAW Conversion Guide. Heck, I was never really concerned about noise even before I started using DPP. That may–in part–be due to the fact that I have long minimized noise by pushing my exposure far to the right in the field.
Right now I am editing Arash’s “After-Conversion Photoshop Guide” (my working title) and am learning a lot more about noise and about the Neat Image noise reduction plug-in. Arash recommends Neat Image Pro so that is what I installed on my MacBook Pro yesterday. I still have lots of work to do in that area so I will say succinctly that I am no expert in the noise department (even though I often peek at big enlargements of small areas of an image).
Fine Feather Detail, Image Quality, and Noise Questions
If and only if you are familiar with looking at 100% crops you are invited to comment on image quality, chrominance (color) noise, luminance noise, and on the fine feather detail that you are seeing in the three tight crops above.
2017 San Diego 4 1/2-DAY BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT) JAN 11 thru and including the morning session on JAN 15: 4 1/2 days: $1999.
(Limit: 10/openings 8)
Meet and Greet at 7:00pm on the evening before the IPT begins; Tuesday 1/10/17.
Join me in San Diego to photograph the spectacular breeding plumage Brown Pelicans with their fire-engine red and olive green bill pouches; Brandt’s and Double-crested Cormorants; breeding plumage Wood and Ring-necked Duck; other duck species possible including Lesser Scaup, Redhead, and Surf Scoter; a variety of gulls including Western, California, and the gorgeous Heerman’s, all in full breeding plumage; shorebirds including Marbled Godwit, Willet, Sanderling and Black-bellied Plover; many others possible including Least, Western, and Spotted Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Black and Ruddy Turnstone, Semipalmated Plover, and Surfbird; Harbor Seals (depending on the current regulations) and California Sea Lions; and Bird of Paradise flowers. And as you can see by studying the two IPT cards there are some nice bird-scape and landscape opportunities as well.
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. 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.
Did I mention that there are wealth of great birds and natural history subjects in San Diego in winter?
For complete 2017 San Diego ITP info please click here.
Please Remember to use our Affiliate Links 🙂
To show your appreciation for my continuing efforts here, we ask, as always, that you get in the habit of using my B&H affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your photo and electronics purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially the Mongoose M3.6 tripod heads, Gitzo tripods, Wimberley heads and plates, LensCoats and accessories, and the like. We sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And we are always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. I just learned that my account was suspended during my absence; it should be up and running by Monday at the latest.
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.
Facebook
Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right. Tanks a stack!
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 🙂
January 23rd, 2016 What’s Up?
After receiving several dire reports of “no birds at all at Bosque” from blog regular David Policansky last week, I scrapped my idea for a January 2017 Bosque IPT. Having had such a blast in San Diego and with the 2016 San Diego IPT having been such a huge success, I decided to put together another visit in January 2017. It is very possible that my 21-season streak at Bosque may come to an inglorious end…
I do hope that you can join me in San Diego next January for the pelicans and more. With my 30+ years experience photographing there it would be hard to find anyone who knows the birds, the locations, the tides, and the winds better than me.
B&H
B&H was the primary exhibition sponsor of my solo, career retrospective, 67-image exhibit at the San Diego Natural History Museum. Thank them (and me, for the work I do on the blog) by clicking on the logo link above to shop.
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San Diego offers a wealth of very attractive natural history subjects. With annual visits spanning more than three decades I have lot of experience there….
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2017 San Diego 4 1/2-DAY BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT) JAN 11 thru and including the morning session on JAN 15: 4 1/2 days: $1999.
(Limit: 10/openings 8)
Meet and Greet at 7:00pm on the evening before the IPT begins; Tuesday 1/10/17.
Join me in San Diego to photograph the spectacular breeding plumage Brown Pelicans with their fire-engine red and olive green bill pouches; Brandt’s and Double-crested Cormorants; breeding plumage Wood and Ring-necked Duck; other duck species possible including Lesser Scaup, Redhead, and Surf Scoter; a variety of gulls including Western, California, and the gorgeous Heerman’s, all in full breeding plumage; shorebirds including Marbled Godwit, Willet, Sanderling and Black-bellied Plover; many others possible including Least, Western, and Spotted Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Black and Ruddy Turnstone, Semipalmated Plover, and Surfbird; Harbor Seals (depending on the current regulations) and California Sea Lions; and Bird of Paradise flowers. And as you can see by studying the two IPT cards there are some nice bird-scape and landscape opportunities as well.
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. 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.
Did I mention that there are wealth of great birds and natural history subjects in San Diego in winter?
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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.
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The San Diego Details
This IPT will include five 3 1/2 hour morning photo sessions, four 2 1/2 hour afternoon photo sessions, four lunches, and after-lunch image review and Photoshop sessions. To ensure early starts, breakfasts will be your responsibility.
A $599 non-refundable deposit is required to hold your slot for this IPT. You can send a check (made out to “Arthur Morris) to us at 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, will be due on 9/11//2016. If we do not receive your check for the balance on or before the due date we will try to fill your spot from the waiting list. Please print, complete, and sign the form that is linked to here and shoot it to us along with your deposit check. If you register by phone, please print, complete and sign the form as noted above and either mail it to us or e-mail the scan. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via e-mail.
Please Remember to use our Affiliate Links 🙂
To show your appreciation for my continuing efforts here, we ask, as always, that you get in the habit of using my B&H affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your photo and electronics purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially the Mongoose M3.6 tripod heads, Gitzo tripods, Wimberley heads and plates, LensCoats and accessories, and the like. We sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And we are always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. I just learned that my account was suspended during my absence; it should be up and running by Monday at the latest.
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.
Facebook
Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right. Tanks a stack!
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 🙂
January 22nd, 2016
B&H
B&H was the primary exhibition sponsor of my solo, career retrospective 67-image exhibit. Thank them (and me, for the work I do on the blog) by clicking on the logo link above to shop.
What’s Up with Used Gear Info Requests?
I spent a good part of this past week catching up on Used Gear-related e-mails. I think that I am pretty much caught up now. If I missed yours, please shoot me an e-mail reminding me of what I missed, and do include a copy of your original e-mail.
Selling Your Used Gear Through BIRDS AS ART
Selling your used (or like-new) photo gear through the BAA Blog or via a BAA Online Bulletin is a great idea. We charge only a 5% commission. One of the more popular used gear for sale sites charges a minimum of 20%. Plus assorted fees! Yikes. The minimum item price here is $500 (or less for a $25 fee). If you are interested please e-mail with the words Items for Sale Info Request cut and pasted into the Subject line :). Stuff that is priced fairly–I offer free pricing advice, usually sells in no time flat. In the past few months, we have sold just about everything in sight. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the old Canon 500mm, the EOS-7D, and the original 400mm IS DO lens have been dropping steadily. Even the prices on the new 600 II and the 200-400 with Internal Extender have been plummeting. You can see all current listings by clicking here or by clicking on the Used Photo Gear tab on the right side of the yellow-orange menu bar above.
Douglas Bolt sold his Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD Zoom lens for Canon in like-new condition for $699, Diane Miller sold her 300mm f/2.8L IS lens, the old three, for $2899, and Roberta Olenick sold her Canon EOS-1D Mark IV camera body in excellent condition for $1279 USD, all within the last week. I learned on Wednesday that the sale of IPT veteran Brent Bridges’ 300mm f/2.8L IS lens for $4599 is pending. And I learned today that the sale of Mark Hodsgon’s 70-200mm f/4L IS lens became pending on the day that it was listed.
Crazy Multiple Price Reductions
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Lens
Another Lowest-ever-by-a-mile BAA Price!
Price Reduced another $150 on January 22, 2106.
Erik Hagstrom is offering a used Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM lens in excellent condition for a ridiculous $1275. The sale includes the lens hood (EW-88C), the front and rear Canon lens caps, the original lens case LP1219, the instruction manual, both US & Canada warranty cards, the original box (less the UPC code that was used for a rebate), and insured shipping via FED-EX Ground. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Erik by e-mail or by phone at 206-999-1507 (Pacific time).
The new 24-70 II is a favorite of all serious landscape photographers. It is currently selling new for $1799. artie
More New Listings!
Canon 500mm f/4L IS USM Lens
Bill Condon is offering a Canon 500mm f/4L IS USM lens in like-new, near-mint condition for $4199. There are no scratches, chips, or other signs of wear. The date code is UX1133 and the Serial Number is 37206. The sale includes the lens trunk with keys, the manual, the original lens cover and hood, an AquaTech ASHM Soft Hood, an AquaTech Lens Cover, a Wimberly P-40 Lens Plate, and insured shipping via UPS Ground. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Bill by e-mail or call him at 401.524.2454 (Eastern time).
The 500 f/4s have been the world’s most popular telephoto lenses for birds, nature, wildlife, and sports for many decades. I owned and used and loved my “old five” for many years. We have sold more than a few recently for $3999 and even two for $3799. Bill’s lens is priced a bit higher as it is in pristine condition. If you don’t have the cash for the 500 II and can handle the additional 1 1/2 pounds (exactly) then this is your next best option. The 500 II goes for $8999 so you will be saving a cool $4,800 and getting a virtually brand new lens to boot. artie
Canon EOS 7D Camera Body
Robert Doster is offering a used Canon EOS 7D body in excellent condition for $469. The camera shows little wear and both LCDs have been protected by screen protectors since purchase and are thus pristine. The camera has a shutter count of 13,902 actuations. The sale includes a Really Right Stuff B7D-L B L-plate, the original product box, manuals (English and Spanish), CDs, the wide neck strap, Eyecup Eg, body cap, LP-E6 battery, LC-E6 battery charger, AV and USB cables, and insured ground shipping via FedEx. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Robert by e-mail or by phone at 505-270-7361 (Pacific time).
Canon 7D Mark II Camera Body
Gregg J. Hunt is offering a used 7D Mark II camera body (< 5,100 shutter count) in near-mint condition (except for a few tiny subtle scuffs/abrasions on the body and not on the 2 LCD screens) for $999. The sale includes a LP-E6 rechargeable battery pack and cover, the LC-E6E battery charger, USB cable, audio/video cable (packaged and unused), the neck strap (packaged and unused), various documents/manuals/CD (packaged and unused), Michael Andrew's 4.5-hour-long Canon 7D II and Photography School Training Video, Bert Sirkin's 7D II Cheat Sheet, packing/retail box, and insured ground shipping to a U.S. address only via a major courier. Your item will not ship until check clears, unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Gregg by e-mail.
I loved my 7D II from the get-go when I used it in sunny conditions. I have been saying for a while that it is the best value ever in a digital camera. As it is currently selling new at B&H for $1499 Gregg’s camera is a great buy. artie
Nikon D600 DSLR Camera Body
Saul Pleeter is offering a used Nikon D600 DSLR camera body in near-new condition (but for a scratch on the rear protective LCD cover–otherwise perfect and unblemished) for $650. The sale includes the battery, the charger, the body cap, the camera strap, the original box, and insured ground shipping via UPS.
Please contact Saul via e-mail.
Sony Alpha a7R Mirrorless Digital Camera
Saul Pleeter is also offering a used Sony Alpha a7R Mirrorless Digital Camera in near-new condition (but for a tiny surface scratch on a bottom corner–otherwise perfect and unblemished) for an incredibly low $799. The sale includes the battery, the body cap, the camera strap, the original product box, and insured ground shipping via UPS. This body sells new at B&H for $1898…
Please contact Saul via e-mail.
Truly Great Stuff for Sale Cheap!
Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS Lens with Internal 1.4 Extender
Friend and multiple-IPT veteran Phil Frigon is offering a used Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS lens with Internal Extender in excellent condition for the record-low BAA price of $8995. The sale includes the lens trunk, the original leather front lens cover, a RRS lens foot (installed), the original Canon foot with all the screws, and insured ground shipping via UPS to US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Phil via e-mail.
This is the world’s best lens for a trip to Africa. It kills also in the Galapagos and in South Georgia, the Falklands, and Antarctica. And I use mine a lot at Bosque and other dusty places where the built-in TC helps to keep your sensor clean. The lens sells new at B&H right now for $10,999. You can save $2004 by grabbing Phil’s lens. artie
Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM Lens
Friend and multiple-IPT veteran Phil Frigon is also offering a used Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II lens in excellent condition for the record-low-by-far BAA price of $7800. The sale includes the lens trunk, the original leather front lens cover, a RRS lens foot (installed), the original Canon foot with all the screws, and insured ground shipping via UPS to US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Phil via e-mail.
This lens sells new for $9,999 so Phil’s is priced to sell and save you $2,199. If you do sports or large mammals this is the lens for you. I do know of a few competent photographers who do great on birds with this lens; it kills with either the 1.4X or the 2X III TC. artie
Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II Lens
Donald Mullaney is offering his Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II lens in mint condition for the record-low BAA price of $9499. The sale includes an AquaTech Soft Cap, a black LensCoat, a Kirk lens plate, the lens trunk and the original leather front lens cover, the lens strap, and insured ground shipping to US addresses only. This lens was purchased on Bought 2/24/14 and used less then a dozen times. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Don via e-mail.
The 600 II is the world’s premier super-telephoto lens. It is super-sharp and features Canon’s amazing four-stop Image Stabilization system. This, the current version, weighs more than 3 pounds less than the previous model. When I am not weight-restricted, the 600 II is my first choice in super-telephoto lenses. I use it at Bosque, at Nickerson Beach, and from my car on a BLUBB when working down by the lake near my house. When you need maximum reach, the 600 II is the only way to go. As the lens currently sells new at B&H for $11,499, you can save $2,000 by grabbing Don’s lens right now. artie
Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Lens
Andres Leon is offering a used Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens in Very Good Plus condition for the very low price of $7899. The lens has clean glass and is in perfect working order but has a few scratches on the finish. Feel free to request photos of the lens. The sale includes the lens trunk and keys, a LensCoat, the front leather cover, the rear cap, a Wimberley P-40 lens plate, and insured ground shipping via FED-EX Ground. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made. Please contact Andres via e-mail or by phone at 1-954-621-6678 (eastern time).
I used this lens, often with a 1.4X TC, as my main super-telephoto lens for close to five years. It is a superb lens that offers lots of reach for those working with birds that are skittish. It is great from the car. I was astounded that about 15 of the 67 images in the exhibit were created with my 800. I often miss it terribly. As the lens sell new at B&H for $12,999 Andres’s lens is a superb buy; grab it now and save more than $5K! artie
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