What’s Up?

Yesterday I answered more than 140 e-mails, many dealing with Used Photo Gear stuff; the Used Gear page here has really been hopping. I did, however, have time for a chilly swim–the pool was down to 71 degrees yesterday, some core exercises, and an ice bath.

If…

If what you read below inspires you to purchase a Canon EOS 5DS R I would of course greatly appreciate your using my B&H affiliate link for your purchase; it won’t cost you a penny more and is the best way to thank me for the work that I put into the blog every day. This blog post took well more than four hours to assemble.

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 79 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. 🙂

Canon 7D Mark II sharpness test image courtesy of and copyright Patrick Sparkman

Bill Lloyd Was Right: Canon EOS 5DS R versus EOS 7D Mark II

With regard to the side by side comparison image in yesterday morning’s blog post here, the left hand image–see the JPEG above–was made under stringent testing condition by good friend Patrick Sparkman with the Canon EOS 7D Mark II. The right hand image–see the JPEG below–was of course also made under stringent testing condition by good friend Patrick Sparkman with the Canon EOS 5DS R.

Here is Bill Lloyd’s comment on the original post: 5DS R on the right, 7DII on the left, betcha.

Kudos to Bill. 🙂

Canon EOS 5DS R sharpness test image courtesy of and copyright Patrick Sparkman

The Results

Nearly all who commented felt that the right hand image was dramatically better on all counts.

These two comments summed up the consensus:

Lance Krueger: In answer to your five questions, the image on the right is dramatically better.

Jim Amato: Right photograph: Sharper, cleaner, higher degree of pleasing contrast, best image quality. Dramatic difference: Much sharper, tonal differences, more contrast with all tones. Letter E shadow and “lace” work more defined and pronounced. That is my 100 cents worth.

Patrick and I agree, but only 100%.

Patrick’s Testing Protocol

The camera body test was set up as follows: Tripod-mounted Canon 600 f/4L IS II, Mongoose Head locked down.

I clamped the dollar bill target to the Michael Tapes Lens Align calibration set-up mounted on a sturdy on a tripod to ensure True Parallel alignment.
The target was illuminated by ambient indoor light and was approximately 30 feet from the lens.

The lens had Image Stabilization and autofocus turned off. WB was set to 4200K. The lens was focused manually using Live View at the highest magnification, and was refocused for each camera body but was not moved otherwise. The images were created using manual exposure. Large RAW, 10-second with mirror lockup.

The images were processed in DPP 4, and all the of the settings were left at zero except for setting Sharpness at 3, and checking the boxes for Peripheral Illumination and Chromatic Aberration correction.

Each image was then similarly cropped to a 1200 pixel square; this approximated a 100% crop that was easily duplicated for each image. After the identical RAW conversions in DDP 4 the TIFFs were imported into Lightroom where I used the export utility to create a JPEG. No sharpening was applied; file sizes were limited to < 300kb.

Patrick’s Initial Reaction

After completing the test Patrick called my cell and said, “The results are amazing. The 7D II images look as if they were photographed through a fog filter when compared to the 5DS R images. The big thing is the improved contrast but the sharpness differences are astounding as well.

Simplifying Things

Let’s say that I am standing right next to you with the same lens photographing the same bird at the same distance and that our sharpness techniques are equal. I am using a 5DS R and you are using a 7D II. Your bird will of course be larger in the frame. But when I crop my image so that the bird is the same size in the frame as your bird, my image will be sharper with more pleasing contrast and be of overall higher quality. And those differences will be just as dramatic as they were in Patrick’s tests.

I am pretty sure that this statement is correct: the two images–your original and my cropped to the same subject size–will have virtually the same pixel dimensions. Please feel free to correct me if my understanding here is not correct.

Patrick pointed out the following: in the situation above if the bird flaps the guy (or gal) with the 7D II will clip the wings while the person with the 5DS R will get the shot.

More Thoughts From Patrick via e-mail

In my opinion, while the image quality of the 5DS R is certainly a bonus over the 7DII, the great advantage for my photography comes from the ability to have the equivalent of a 1.6 ratio zoom on the l600 II (or any lens) as compared to the 7DII. When I use the 600 with a 1.4 teleconverter, I will have an 840-1344 zoom versus the 7DII where I have only 1344. This will in fact greatly aid flight shooting; I can work with the 600 alone, be able to acquire AF on the subject easier due to the full frame view at 600mm, and then crop down to the equivalent 960mm of the 7DII (or to any effective focal length in between 960 and 600. All that while getting better image quality than we have ever had before. And when I can get closer to the birds image quality will be off the charts.

Thanks for loaning me the camera for the test.

My Original Gut Feelings

Right from the get-go I was floored by the quality of the 5DS R images. I have long claimed not to have a great eye for fine detail and that remains the case. But when I looked at the 5DS R images I knew that they were sharper, that they offered far more fine detail, and that the image quality was far superior to anything I had ever seen before. I did not, however, realize that the increase in pleasing contrast was a huge contributing factor (even though in retrospect that seems to be obvious).

In short, I was extremely gratified that the results of Patrick’s test confirmed my gut feelings.

The Big Question is Why?

So why are the 5DS R images so much better than the 7D II images? As far as I can figure, there several possibilities:

1-the softness and low contrast look of the 7D II images might be due to the low pass anti-aliasing filter that is immediately in front of the sensor. The converse with the 5DS R might be that the cancellation of the low-pass filter effect allows for sharper, higher quality image files with greater fine detail.

2-it is possible that the sensor (and thus the quality of the pixels) on the 5DS and the 5DS R cameras is much better than on the 7D II.

3-some combination of 1 and 2.

The bummer is that a friend in San Diego had a 5DS that could have been loaned to Patrick for the tests…

From Rudy Winston

I asked Rudy Winston, one of Canon USA’s most knowledgeable technical folks, why the 5DS R images were so superior to the 7D II images. He had lots of interest to say:

Assuming when you say “images were cropped to the same size on the dollar bill,” you mean that the same (or virtually the same) number of actual pixels were used to record both files, I’m not stunned by what you see here.

The absence of a low-pass filter will indeed give a somewhat sharper initial result, out of the camera. There are other things I don’t know about these files (in-camera JPEGs? If RAW files, how processed? etc.), but again, assuming equivalent handling, right off the bat, that’ll give a 5DS R file an edge in terms of how crisply it renders fine detail.

To some degree, that difference can be minimized for an EOS 5DS, EOS 7D Mark II, or other camera body shooters by using sharpening like Unsharp Mask to counter the impact of the softening from the low-pass filter immediately in front of the sensor on those cameras (and nearly all others in our line).

Here is another equalizer that–to some degree–many folks by-pass: the Digital Lens Optimizer feature that can be accessed when RAW images from a recent EOS camera and a compatible (i.e., recently-introduced) lens are processed in Canon’s DPP software. Digital Lens Optimizer is an optional form of “smart sharpening” (my choice of words, not Canon’s), that applies specific sharpening based on lens parameters for each individual image. When truly minute detail is needed/desired, it’s an interesting tool to try on a Canon RAW file.

Finally, in at least some situations, the mechanics of the 5DS series are designed to minimize the impact of mirror shock, and so on — which can contribute to slight changes in image quality when viewed extremely critically. I know you said that these were shot with mirrors locked-up and so on, which probably neutralized most if not all differences between the architecture of these two cameras, but it’s something to keep in the back of one’s mind when making other real-world comparative evaluations.

To your question about the sensors of 7D Mark II vs. the 5DS series: they’re definitely not the same, in terms of being identical, although the pixel size on each is VERY similar. Canon hasn’t revealed precisely what differences may exist at the sensor level between the 5DS and 7D II sensors, but it’s clear that they’re not exact twins at the pixel level. Any differences that might be contained within the full-frame 5DS-series sensor would, of course, be on top of the impact of no low-pass filter which we get on files from the 5DS R. But we’re not claiming any specific, quality-based differences at this granular level.

And, just to reiterate something I’m sure you have already been made aware of: the CMOS image sensor on the EOS 5DS and 5DS R *are* identical. The only difference is the cancellation of the low-pass filter effect, immediately in front of the sensor itself on the 5DS R.

Hope this is helpful to you! — Rudy Winston

What About Frame Rate (and other 5DS R negatives)?

Yes, the 5DS R is much slower than the 1D X and the 7D II. At times I will miss those higher frame rates but not nearly as much as you might think. Why? regular readers know that I have never been a hold-the-hammer-down type of shooter. For flight photography I rarely take more than two or rarely three at most images when the bird passes through the ideal zone. I will most miss the high frame rates of the 1D X and the 7D II during intense high interactions such as bird altercations or copulations. But for me the trade-off in image quality is well worth it. Remember also that my great skill is in designing gorgeous images of static subjects. With birds in flight and in action ? Not so good.

The only other 5DS R negative is the fact that if you are doing any video or Live View work you need to have an extra battery or two in your pocket or vest. Heck, that is recommended even if you are just having a great morning. In an effort to save weight, I have stayed away from the vertical battery grip with the 5DS R.

And yes, the 5DS R is a bit on the pricey side for hobbyists.

Am I Serious?

Very. Yesterday I ordered a second 5DS R. When I head to Japan it will be with two 5DS R bodies and a single 1D X as a back-up.

What about the cameras that I already own?

Please remember that images from all previous Canon cameras are fully capable of producing outstanding, high quality images that have been honored many hundreds of times in prestigious international photography contests. Many of my images have done so over the past 13 years. But the fact is that images from the 5DS R are simply better.

That said, please understand that your skills, your vision, your heart and determination, are of far greater importance to the quality of your images than either your lens or camera body choices. I have long railed against the fact that many folks believe that if they go out and buy a $12,000 lens and a $6000 camera body that they will instantly become a better photographer. Nothing could be further from the truth. To become a better shooter you need to study, practice, look at as many great images as possible every week (can you say BPN?) and subscribe to the BAA Blog :).

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 for $23 here. And it is also available via convenient download for $20 by clicking here.

birds as art: The Avian Photography of Arthur Morris/The Top 100

If you missed the announcement of the new e-book click here for complete info that includes details on getting a signed copy.

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.

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 🙂

What’s Up?

On Monday I started doing my core exercises and took my first ice bath in nearly three months. On Tuesday I did the same and got back in the pool for the first time since mid-October. I did an easy 1/4 mile as opposed to my usual easy 1/2 mile. Though the water was a chilly 72 degrees it felt great. Without the ice baths I rarely slept more than an hour without having to get up for a pit stop. I am seriously considering green light laser prostate surgery. Those who have done that procedure are invited to shoot me an e-maildetailing their experience.

E-book sales were brisk with many opting for the download rather than the CD itself.

A Big Decision

Yesterday I opted not to make the trip to Greece. I sent this e-mail to the four IPT participants.

Dear Sheila, Adit, Mike, and Anita,

After much soul-searching I am writing—with apologies–to let you know that I will not be making the Greece IPT out of concerns for my long term health. As most of you know, I recently had a run of upper respiratory infections that persisted for more than eleven weeks and am finally feeling pretty good. Having just returned from San Diego and with a scheduled trip to Japan leaving on February 7, it does not make sense for me as I approach age 70 to travel 7 time zones to the east and then travel 10 time zones in the opposite direction a week after my return. A relapse at this point might prove to be most problematic.

I apologize for not having thought this through more clearly in advance and having painted myself into this corner. I have of course let Denise Ippolito know of my decision. I can assure you that she will provide you with beyond top-notch instruction both in the field and during your informal image review and Photoshop sessions.

Later and love, artie

In a follow-up e-mail to good friend Mike Gotthelf I wrote:

I wanted you to know that I am truly sorry that I had to cancel but as a doctor, you know that making both trips would have been totally stupid, not to mention potentially suicidal: death by travel and time zone stress.

artie

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.

Used Gear Apologies

Apologies to those who have written recently asking about selling their used gear through BAA. I did a lot of catching up last night and will finish this morning–Wednesday, January 20. I have been swamped with the travel, the San Diego IPT, the exhibit, last Saturday’s morning program, and several writing projects.:)

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.

New Listing

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

Side by side image comparison Images courtesy of and copyright 2016: Patrick Sparkman

Four Simple Questions

Which image is sharper?

Which image appears cleaner to you?

Which image offers a higher degree of pleasing contrast?

Which shows the best image quality?

Would you say that the differences are dramatic, subtle, or non-existent?

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 🙂

What’s Up?

I woke very early and well before the alarm to pack for my nonstop flight from San Diego to Orlando. I am at the gate as I begin this blog post. If all goes well, right-hand man Jim Litzenberg should be picking me up at MCO at about 6:30pm Sunday evening.

Thanks for all of the congratulatory comments on the San Diego exhibit both here on the blog and on Facebook; they made my special day even more special. a

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 75 days in a row with a new educational blog post. Please remember to use our B&H links for your major gear purchases.

This image was created at Salisbury Plain on South Georgia on our last day of landings on the memorable 2015 Cheesemans’ South Georgia Expedition with the Induro GIT 304L tripod/Mongoose M3.6-mounted Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens, the Canon Extender EF 1.4X III (at 560mm), and the rugged Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/200 sec. at f/16. AWB. Center AF point (Manual selection)/AI Servo/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. King Penguin neck abstract

Image Design Answer

In the blog post here, I asked if folks liked the photo-bombing penguin in the lower left corner. Most did not. I must admit that I did not like it much at first but over time it grew on me.

The 100-400 II

Most of you know how much I love this great lens. See lots more on that below. Many folks have been asking “Which super-tele best fits with the new 1-4? Read on to learn my thoughts.

Which Super-telephoto Lens Best Fits With the Canon EF 100-400mmL IS II lens?

I have received more than a few e-mails recently from folks who already own the 100-400II and wish to enter the world of super-telephoto photography. One such e-mail from retired Tennessee State Senator Doug along with my reply should help most folks in the same boat make this difficult decision.

AM: Hi Doug, It is good to hear from you. Love your closing, “Reformed Senator and struggling photographer.”

re:

DJ: I recently found your blog and videos. Great resource. I really appreciate your willingness to share knowledge.

AM: Thanks. That has been my specialty for a while. 🙂

DJ: You have motivated me to venture into bird and travel photography in my new retirement. I do have a 600mm non-IS; it is very old and very heavy but sharp.

AM: Been there, done that 🙂

This image was created at La Jolla, CA on the last morning of the hugely successful 2016 San Diego IPT with the Induro GIT 304L/Mongoose M3.6-mounted Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM lens, the Canon Extender EF 2X III, and the Canon EOS 5DS R. ISO 400: 1/640 sec. at f/11. AWB. Center AF point (by necessity)/AI Servo Expand/Rear Focus AF as originally framed was active at the moment of exposure. This is a very, very, small crop from the left and the top. Click here to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see the incredible fine feather detail in a larger version. Brown Pelican bill pouch detail

The 500 II

The 500 II gives me 1000mm of full frame reach with the 2X TC and 700 with the 1.4X; a perfect fit for the 100-400 II unless you need the reach of the 600 II plus TCs…

The e-mail conversation continued…

DJ: I have planned to purchase two new lenses and have narrowed the search down to three. The new 100-400II L IS the Canon EF 400mm f/4 DO IS II USM lens, and the Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM lens

AM: Assuming that you have ruled out the 600 II as too bulky and too heavy, your choice is an easy one: go with the 100-400mm II and the 500 II. They were both in my gear bag for San Diego and will be for the Greece trip as well. Note, however, that when I am traveling to places where weight is somewhat of a premium and the birds are tame, I will opt for the 100-400II/400 DO II/combo in part because I am so proficient with the 2X III TC and the Canon EF 400 DO II; folks like me who can consistently make sharp images with an f/4 lens and the 2X III TC will then have a nice 100-400 and 560/800 combo to work with.

DJ: It’s a big decision and I would value your opinion.

AM: Understood and it was wise of you to ask me.

DJ: Which combo would you recommend for wildlife and travel?

AM: See above.

I have always wanted the Canon EF 400mm f/4 DO IS II lens but the new 100-400 a seems to be such a versatile lens.

AM: It is an amazingly versatile lens and I absolutely love the close focus as well as its amazing sharpness and 4-stop Image Stabilization system. Understand that the 400mm DO II somewhat counterfeits the 100-400 unless–as noted above–you are skilled at making sharp images with the 400mm f/4 DO IS II and the 2X III TC. Of note is the fact that the 1-4 II is so versatile that many have gone away from the 200-400 with internal Extender. That one still remains at the top of the list for Africa in part because of its versatility and in part because the built-in TC is a big plus in extremely dusty environments.

This image was created at the highlands of Puerto Ayora at 8:55am on July 21, Day 8 of the 2015 Galapagos Photo Cruise. I used the tripod-mounted Canon EF 400mm f/4 DO IS II USM lens with the Canon Extender EF 1.4X III and the Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 800: Evaluative metering at zero: 1/500 sec. at f/10 in Av mode. Center AF point/Spot AF/Shutter Button AI Servo AF was active at the moment of exposure as is pretty much mandatory with moving subjects. The selected bird’s folded wing as originally framed. Click on the image to see a larger version. Image #1: Galapagos White-cheeked Pintail displaying male

The 400 DO II

When working with tame birds or when I wish to travel light, the 400 DO II serves as my big super-telephoto lens, most often on a tripod with the 2X III TC.

The e-mail conversation continued…

DJ: Would the portability of the 400mm DO II make it a better choice than a 500mm II IS? BTW, I will purchase these through your web site.

AM: As above, only in very certain circumstances; I routinely travel to places like the Southern Ocean and the Galapagos with 400 DO II/100-400II combo. On some of those trips the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS lens comes along for the ride. That old favorite was very useful in several low light situations in San Diego.

DJ: I shoot a 7D2 and a 5DSR.

AM: Good luck 🙂 This will probably shock the world but I may be selling all of my camera bodies and going only with 5DS Rs… Thanks to dear friends Patrick Sparkman it will soon–via a coming blog post–be easy to see and absolutely clear how much better the 5DS R is than anything that Canon offers at present.

DJ: I am planning to book a trip with you this year. I am going to Kenya and France this year with a fellow Tennessean, Jim Zuckerman. I too bought a 5DSR. Seeing your images, I feel it was a good decision–Jim is not so sure. Large, super high-res monitors are coming.

AM: Jim is somewhat of a friend and someone who has my great respect. My 5DS R images look mighty fine on my Macbook Pro with Retina Display. I will ask a favor: when the 5DSR Image Quality Superiority blog post is published, please send a link to Jim.

To simplify your shopping, here are my affiliate links for the two lenses discussed above:

Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM Lens

Canon EF 400mm f/4 DO IS II USM Lens

Please let me know if you have any additional questions. If you want to chat further about your gear choices give me a buzz at home at 863-692-2806 next week. I will be home late Sunday.

Please let me know if you need any additional product specific links and please shoot me your B&H receipt when you are done shopping.

later and love and be sure to subscribe to the blog.

artie

The 600 II

I continue to own and use the Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens when I need every bit of reach, when I can easily get the lens to a given location, and when I do not have to walk long distances.

The 600 II is numero uno when working from my car off a BLUBB. I ship it to Bosque every year so that I can use it to photograph single cranes and single geese in flight. I managed to get it to Japan on my last trip there and to the UK as well for the puffins in flight. It is, however, a bear to travel with.

The 100-400II

Right now, the Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens just might be my favorite-ever Canon lens. As regular readers know, and as above, I love it for it amazing close focus (.98 meters!) as well as for its superb sharpness and its 4-stop Image Stabilization system. Not to mention its great versatility and focal length range as well as its light weight and hand holdability. If you photograph birds, wildlife, or nature and do not own this great lens, you should!

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 🙂

What’s Up?

Six of us enjoyed a last morning at the cliffs. There were not a lot of pelicans but those that remained after a big group took off were quite tame… Muriel McClellan graciously treated everyone to a fine lunch at The Crab Catcher. In the afternoon I put the finishing touches on my Saturday morning program–see yesterday’s blog–and headed up to Carlsbad for dinner and INSPIRE: The Power of Story. Cliff Oliver’s mentor, Dr. Paul Brenner, the father of alternative medicine in the US, is one of four featured speakers.

If today’s blog post inspires you to join the BAA group for the OCT/NOV 2016 Cheesemans’ South Georgia/Falklands Expedition please scroll down for details.

This image was created with the hand held Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Lens with Internal 1.4x Extender (at 400mm) and the Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 1250: 1/1600 sec. at f/5.6 was probably +2/3 stop off of the water. AWB. Grey-headed Albatross on final approach to nest Image courtesy of and copyright 2015: Clemens Van der Werf

Clemens Van der Werf Blog Post

If you enjoy good photography, you will want to check out Clemens’ Adventure in South Georgia blog post here. In addition to some good writing you will find a dazzling array of images including lots of scenics, some killer black and whites, and some excellent people in nature stuff.

In addition to being a good friend Clemens is one of (if not the) top BIRDS AS ART students.

Free Relevant Excerpt from the Southern Ocean Photography Guide

Elsehul

On my 2015 trip we landed the next morning at Elsehul after being faced with wind and snow on our landing at Undine Harbor the day before. Cheesemans’ had sent out a scout team to search for Grey-headed Albatross nests and reported by walkie talkie that in addition to the hike being steep in spots and tough (both as usual) that the only nest they had found was quite a distance from the landing site, about 1 ½ miles.
The day was quite lovely and though you can never count on such conditions to last long on South Georgia, many folks decided to make the trek. For me, with my problematic left knee, the decision not to try the hike was an easy one. On the beach you can expect the same birds and animals as noted for Undine Harbor.

Knowing that most of the folks in my group would not be making the long difficult hike I was keen to see if we might find a spot to photograph some Grey-headed Albatross in flight. That search did not take long. In fact, as we landed I noted a headland to the right of the landing site. Both grey-headeds and light mantled sootys were flying by on a fairly regular basis. Bingo I thought.

I asked permission from a staff member to make the gentle climb up the top of the headland and hang out for a while. It was granted. I took my time and the climb was not too difficult at all. Some folks in the BAA group joined me. At first the birds simply stopped flying. I was 100% positive that that was purely coincidental and that the birds in flight were in no way affected by our presence. After a while, I would be proven right.

One group member got bored too quickly and left. Others who had faith in their leader stuck it out. And after about 45 minutes they were rewarded. We had birds of both species flying above us and below us, some so close that you had to duck. In addition, we had some good chances with a few Giant Petrels that were exploring the hillside below us for nest sites.

I enjoyed on and off action for about four hours as other group members came and went. When it comes to flight photography, my determination serves me well. Be on the lookout for nice scenics anywhere at this location: on the ridges, on the beach, from the zodiacs, and even from the ship. Heck, the same applies to pretty much all of South Georgia with its spectacular mountains and related geology. The best lens for scenics might range from a fish eye or wide angle to an intermediate telephoto and would include everything in between.

As always for flight photography we worked in Manual mode. We used one exposure for the Grey-headed Albatrosses and went one shutter speed click lighter for the overall slightly darker Light Mantled Sooty Albatrosses. If you are confused by the above please see Exposure Simplified in The Art of Bird Photography II (ABP II: 916 pages, 900+ images on CD only). Learn more in the “A Brush-up Tutorial on Working in Manual Mode” blog post here. Learn which is the best shooting mode in the “At Long Last, As Promised: the Greatest, Most Educational Blog Post Ever? Manual… Av… Tv… Program… Which is The Best Shooting Mode?” blog post here.

Southern Ocean Photography Guide

The Southern Ocean Photography Guide is a work in progress. I hope to have it finished as soon as possible. If you are headed to the Southern Ocean and would like to purchase a pre-publication version please shoot me an e-mail.

All images on the card were created on the 2015 Cheesemans’ South Georgia Expedition. From top left clockwise to center: King Penguin resting on Snow, Fortuna Bay; Macaroni Penguin in snow, Cooper Island; Grey-headed Albatross, Elsehul; King Penguin neck abstract, Godthul; Northern Giant Petrel, Undine Harbor; adult Wandering Albatross, Prion Island; Elephant Seal, Undine Harbor; South Georgia Pipit fledgling/thanks Joe Kaplan! Fortuna Bay; high key King Penguins in snow, Fortuna Bay. Card design and all images copyright 2015: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

Hard to Believe: An End to the Best…

I have been to the Southern Ocean five times, the last four with Cheesemans’ Ecology Safaris (CES). It is common knowledge that they offer the finest ship-based photographic expeditions to South Georgia and the Falklands. Nobody else is close. They will make landings in tough conditions. Always. Their experienced staff and crew of zodiac drivers will get you on and off safely. You will enjoy so much time on a given landing that you will often want to head back to the ship early! Sorry, not me (though I did go back to the ship an hour early on our 2015 St. Andrews Bay landing. I quit after only 12 1/2 hours to go back to the ship on the 5pm zodiac when I could have stayed till 6pm…. My excuse? I could not raise my lens anymore.)

I learned recently that their October 22-November 6 (on the Sea Spirit) will be their last trip down to wildlife heaven on earth. Here is what Ted Cheeseman had to say:

The 2016 October/November expedition will be our last to South Georgia. Market changes, regulation changes, and as big of a part of our lives as it has been, we realize this next will indeed be the last.

When I asked him if he was sure that the 2016 trip would be the last, he replied:

To be honest, we have been known to go back on our statement of ‘last trip ever’. But for South Georgia, I don’t see how we could do it in the future. We want to continue but the costs are skyrocketing, regulation is threatening in a way that I think after 2016 may very well make it impossible to have free roaming folks ashore, i.e. possibly guided groups only – no thank you. So though I am loathe to say it, the Oct/Nov 2016 trip will be our last. If we do another before the end of 2018, I’ll see to it that you get free passage aboard. How’s that for a commitment?

BIRDS AS ART and the 2016 Cheesemans’ South Georgia/Falklands Expedition

When I got off the Ortelius at Stanley and told Ted that the just concluded voyage would be my last to the Southern Ocean, I meant it. But once I heard that the 2016 trip would be their last, I realized that I had to make the trip. As soon as I sign up a single participant for the expedition’s BAA group, I will be sending my deposit check.

If you would like to join me on what will be an amazing trip to a wondrous place, please shoot me an e-mail with the words “Cheesemans’ Last South Georgia Expedition” cut and pasted into the Subject Line.

All of the images on this card were created in the Falklands on the 2014 Cheesemans’ Southern Oceans Expedition. From top left clockwise to center: Black-browed Albatross tending chick, Steeple Jason Island; Black-browed Albatross courting pair, New Island; the Black-browed Albatross colony at Steeple Jason Island; Black-browed Albatross landing, New Island; King Cormorant head portrait, New Island; hull detail/derelict minesweeper, New Island; Rockhopper Penguin head portrait in bright sun, New Island; Striated Caracara, Steeple Jason Island; Magellanic Snipe chick, Sea Lion Island.

An Expedition Overview

Experience the vibrant spring of South Georgia, a true Antarctic wildlife paradise. Observe and photograph wildlife behaviors seldom seen beneath the towering, snow blanketed mountains (see image below) that dominate the island’s landscape. Southern Elephant Seal bulls fight for breeding rights while females nurse young, overlook vast colonies of loafing King Penguins, watch Macaroni Penguins cavort in the snow, photograph handsome Gray-headed Albatrosses in flight or attending to their cliffside nests and awkward Wandering Albatrosses attempting first flight. The itinerary includes six landing days on South Georgia and three landing days in the Falklands to observe too cute Rockhopper Penguins, Magellanic Penguins standing watch at their nesting burrows, and more Black-browed Albatrosses than you could ever imagine. To commemorate Shackleton’s famous self-rescue crossing South Georgia, CES also offers an optional trek retracing his steps. With Cheesemans’ twenty years of experience in the Antarctic region, they commit to an in-depth exploration of one of the densest wildlife spectacles found anywhere in the world, and with only 100 passengers, they routinely give you the opportunity to completely immerse yourself on each landing.

Two of the scheduled Falklands landings, New Island and especially Steeple Jason Island, rival the best locations on South Georgia. Those will likely include Salisbury Plain, St. Andrews Bay, Elsehul, Fortuna Bay, and either Cooper Island or Hercules Bay (for Macaroni Penguins).

Why Sign Up Through BIRDS AS ART?

If you have been thinking and dreaming of finally visiting South Georgia, this is the trip for you. There will likely never be another trip like this as the best outfit in the Southern Oceans business will not be returning after 2016…. Quit dreaming and act now. Though I will not be an expedition staff member on this trip, those who have traveled with me know that I cannot help but teach. And I will be doing a introductory photography program for the entire ship on our crossing to South Georgia. All who sign up via BAA will receive a free copy the new Southern Ocean Photography Guide (a $100 value) that I am currently working on. It will include pre-trip gear and clothing recommendations and a ton of info that you will find to be invaluable.

I will hold informal pre-landing briefings aboard ship so that when you land you know exactly what to expect and where to go. I will be available on the ship to review your images, answer your questions, and conduct informal over-the shoulder Photoshop sessions. And best of all, everyone who signs up under the auspices of BAA are invited to tag along with me on the landings where I will be glad to offer invaluable in-the-field advice. And the same goes for the shipboard birds in flight and marine mammal photographic sessions.

Again, if you would like to join me on what will truly be a once in a lifetime opportunity to a wondrous place, please shoot me an e-mail with the words “Cheesemans’ Last South Georgia Expedition,” cut and pasted into the Subject Line.

You can learn more about the trip here. If you sign up on your own be sure to mention that you would like to be part of the BAA Group. I’d be glad to answer any and all question via e-mail or by phone at 863-692-0906.

Important Notes

#1: If you fail to e-mail me as noted directly above, and register directly with CES you MUST let them know that you would like to be part of the BIRDS AS ART group.

#2: Joining the BIRDS AS ART group as above will not cost you one penny.

The Sea Spirit

The Sea Spirit is an “all suite” luxury vessel built for sailing in ice with an ice-strengthened hull and retractable fin stabilizers, the latter deliver smooth sailing to make your polar expedition enjoyable and safe. All cabins have a private, en-suite bathroom, a lounge area, and ample storage. The cabins have unobstructed exterior views via portholes, picture windows, or a private balcony. The ship is outfitted with a presentation room for on-board lectures as well as a gym, library, game room, lounge, bar with bartender, and dining lounge with chef-prepared meals. The Sea Spirit provides warm and comfortable accommodation for 100 passengers, the expedition staff, and the ship’s crew. The Sea Spirit carries a fleet of ten Zodiacs. The Zodiac loading area, located at the rear of the ship, provides a safe and relatively sheltered place from which to embark on our adventures.

Best of all, the Sea Spirit does 14 knots, a huge step above the other ships that I have been on; each crawled along at 11 knots…

Going Light

On recent trips I found myself going with shorter lenses and lighter gear than on my previous Southern Ocean Expedition. It is completely conceivable that you could do the entire trip with either the new Canon EF 100-400mm L IS II lens or a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens with both teleconverters. Nikon folks could go with the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm G ED VR lens or the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II lens and the Nikon TC-14E II 1.4x Teleconverter for D-AF-S & AF-I lenses ONLY. We do not recommend the Nikon 2X TCE.

A good crop factor camera body like the Canon EOS-7D Mark II makes makes life (and landings!) much easier.

Cheesemans’ Well Deserved Kudos

I know from personal experience that if you are a photographer who is going to invest in Southern Ocean voyage, you will want to put your money on Cheesemans’. No other tour company goes as far out of their way to ensure making every possible safe landing. And no other tour company will have you spending more time on land. Michael Viljeon from South Africa was aboard the Ortelius on a Southern Oceans voyage that preceded the Cheesemans’ trip that we were both on. As we headed back to Ushuaia, he said, “The folks that ran that first trip were pathetic. Too rough. No landing today. Surf too high today. No landing. Wind wrong direction. No landing. Cheesemans’ routinely and safely gets folks on land in conditions where the leaders of other tour companies do not even bother getting out of their bunks.”

Here, from the” Way to Go CES! (Cheeseman’s Ecology Safaris)” blog post here, is one of my favorite Cheesemans’ stories:

The landing at Bailey Head, Antarctica, was especially rewarding to me as I had been sitting in a zodiac 100 yards off shore on my 2007 trip when the zodiac in front of mine swamped and the captain of the ship called off the landing…. Early that day it looked as if my weather Karma might not be working. Ted’s “Good morning shipmates” was followed by the news that we would not be able to land at Bailey Head that morning as the swell was too big. The beach there is sloped tremendously and the sea strives to pull the zodiacs back into the ocean before folks have gotten off with their gear. Tom Murphy had said to me several days before, “We will get you on the beach at Bailey Head.” Ted concluded his morning greetings by saying, “We are sending out a scout team to see if landing is possible.”

After breakfast I was thrilled to hear Ted’s voice again on the PA, “We will be landing at 8am.” Afterwards folks noted that it was the calmest landing ever at this amazingly beautiful spot. My good weather Karma (courtesy of late-wife Elaine) had come through one last time. Along with St. Andrews Bay, it was one of my two favorite super-great once-in-a-lifetime days of the trip. And we even got to enjoy three additional hours at Hannah Point, Antarctica before calling it a wrap and heading for the feared Drake Passage. All thanks to Cheesemans’ Ecology Safaris.

If you’d like to join me on the OCT/NOV 2016 expedition to South Georgia and the Falklands, please shoot me an e-mail with the words “Cheesemans’ Last South Georgia Expedition” cut and pasted into the Subject Line.

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 :).

What’s Up?

I photographed the entire morning at the cliffs with just the 100-400 II hand held. And enjoyed a nice stroll on one of my favorite La Jolla beaches with no birds and a pretty nice sunset. I am nearly finished with my Saturday morning program.

The Streak

In spite of having been buried by travel, teaching, and several major writing projects for the last two months, today’s blog post marks 71 days in a row with a new educational blog post. Please remember to use our B&H links for your major gear purchases.

Important Note

Please understand that if you are up in the air about selling any old gear that the price of your item is dropping every day….

Used Gear Apologies

Apologies to those who have written recently asking about selling their used gear through BAA. I will get back to y’all no later than next Monday (if not before) as I have been swamped with the IPT, the exhibit, and the Saturday morning program 🙂

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.

New Listings

Canon EF 300mm f/4L IS USM

Caleb Putnam is offering a used Canon EF 300mm f/4L IS USM lens in very good plus condition with pristine glass for $649. The sale includes the original boxes with all the original contents: manuals and lens case, front and rear caps, cords, CD roms, etc., and insured ground shipping via major courier. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Caleb by e-mail or phone at 616-826-2098 (central time zone).

The 300 f/4 makes a great starter lens for all beginning nature photographers. As it is an image stabilized lens and you get all AF points with a 1.4X TC I consider this lens better than my beloved toy lens, the old 400mm f/5.6L lens. Even better, the close focus of the 300 f/4IS makes it great for large bugs and butterflies and medium- and large-sized flowers. artie

Caleb Putnam is also offering a used Canon 60D body in excellent condition for $349. The sale includes the original boxes with all the original contents and insured ground shipping via major courier. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Caleb by e-mail or phone at 616-826-2098 (central time zone).

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 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 sells new at B&H for $12,999, Andres’s lens is a superb buy; grab it now and save more than $5K! artie

This image was created at La Jolla, CA on the last morning of the hugely successful 2016 San Diego IPT with the Induro GIT 304L/Mongoose M3.6-mounted Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM lens, the Canon Extender EF 2X III, and the Canon EOS 5DS R. ISO 400: 1/640 sec. at f/11. AWB. Center AF point (by necessity)/AI Servo Expand/Rear Focus AF as originally framed was active at the moment of exposure. This is a very, very, small crop from the left and the top. Click here to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see the incredible fine feather detail in a larger version. Tight Crop of Brown Pelican bill pouch detail image

Two 100% 5DS R Crops

Presented here today are two tight crops of 5DS R images from recent previous blog posts. I am not quite sure if they are true 100% crops but here is how I made them. I cropped the unsharpened master TIFF file approximately to 1200 pixels wide by 800 pixels tall and saved those as JPEGs. Then they were optimized to < 395kb and then presented as 800 wide JPEGs here on Word Press. I am quite impressed by the fine feather detail and sharpness.

Mud on Your Shoes?

A guest comes to your home with mud on their shoes. You ask him or her to remove their shoes before coming in. They proceed to walk all over your new white carpet. In general, such folks would not be invited back again.

The blog is my home.

Here is another one that was created at La Jolla, CA on Day 2 of the 2016 San Diego IPT, this one with the Induro GIT 304L/Mongoose M3.6-mounted Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM lens and the Canon EOS 5DS R. ISO 500. Evaluative metering +1 2/3 stops: 1/250 sec. at f/5.6. Cloudy WB. Center AF point (Manual selection)/AI Servo Expand/Rear Focus AF as originally framed was active at the moment of exposure. This is a very small crop from the right and the bottom. The active AF point was on the spot where the gray of the neck meets the white. Click here to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see the incredible fine feather detail in a larger version. Tight crop of Brown Pelican scratching image

Airing Some Dirty Laundry

Some of you may have caught part or all of this exchange in the comments section of the blog post here. The initials have been changed to protect the guilty.

BM: Ok,I’ll put my two cents in, but reluctantly. I think Jon’s comment, “The image looks fine to me” is just the kind of faint praise this image deserves. I’m looking at it on my iPad Air 2 with Retina display which has a pixel density of about 400ppi and frankly I’ve seen much sharper (more detail) from my 7D II. My guess is that those 50MPs are of little value unless your going to make very large blowups or need to severely crop. I’m also fully aware that two cent opinions are almost always worthless to the recipient.

First, please realize that most folks would simply delete the comment above. My gut feeling that BM was at least trying to bait me. I for one have never seen a 7D II image that looked half as good as the pelican scratching image for fine detail and image quality. But I cut the guy some slack and posted this:

Maybe your i-pad is defective or you need new glasses, or perhaps I don’t know jack-_ _ _ _ about nature photography. If not, you are way over-rating the value of your opinion at 2 cents. For me, this image screams sharp and detailed off my monitor and is far superior to anything I have ever created with a 7D II.

In short order BM wrote back:

Sadly Art, your response is even more acerbic than I predicted.

To me, it was quite obvious that BM had been intentionally nasty in his original post. Why else would he have expected a nasty reaction from me?

Acerbic (adjective): harsh or severe, as of temper or expression.

I spammed him immediately for walking on my white carpet with mud on his shoes.

Please do not take this to mean that I will bear no criticism here on the blog. Folks who offer honest criticisms are welcome. I have learned a bunch from such comments over the years.

Not knowing that he had been spammed, BM wrote:

Art – It was you that asked for opinions, but when I offered mine you respond with a personal attack. I’m sure a 50mp full frame has many advantages over a cropped 20mp, but responding with such vitriol if far from enlightening.

I would point out to BM that I did not attack him personally. I did not, for example, call him a stupid idiot. I am 100% sure that BM’s original post was intended to raise my hackles. In that he succeeded. He is, however, no longer welcome as guest in my house.

“The faint praise that this image deserves…” Please. How’d that work out?

The San Diego Site Guide

Whether you are visiting San Diego for photography for the first time or live in the area and have done the pelicans many dozens of times, you will learn a ton by studying the San Diego Site Guide. Why spend days stumbling around when you can know exactly where and when to be depending on the wind direction and sky conditions? In addition to the pelican primer, there is great info on the best beaches for the gorgeous gulls, on Marbled Godwit, on the lower cliffs, Lesser Scaup, and Wood and Ring-necked Ducks as well.

Learn more or purchase your copy 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 🙂

What’s Up?

In the morning, co-leader Denise Ipplito took several pelican loving participants back to the cliffs for more while co-leader Arthur Morris escorted the duck-hungry folks back to Santee Lakes. In the afternoon we headed to another of my favorite beaches and pretty much struck out on birds. Many folks hung with me photographing patterns in the sandstone rocks while learning and utilizing my flower technique: Av mode with Live View for mirror lock and 2-second self timer and either AEB or in-camera HDR. Lots of folks stayed with Denise and photographed the big pier. We all got together to photograph the meg-sunset we had been hoping for. It was well worth the wait.

Here is another one that was created at La Jolla, CA on Day 2 of the 2016 San Diego IPT, this one with the Induro GIT 304L/Mongoose M3.6-mounted Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM lens and the Canon EOS 5DS R. ISO 500. Evaluative metering +1 2/3 stops: 1/250 sec. at f/5.6. Cloudy WB. Center AF point (Manual selection)/AI Servo Expand/Rear Focus AF as originally framed was active at the moment of exposure. This is a very small crop from the right and the bottom. The active AF point was on the spot where the gray of the neck meets the white. Click here to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see the incredible fine feather detail in a larger version. Brown Pelican scratching

5DS R & Canon 500mm f/4L IS II Lens = Breathtaking Image Files…

If you are on a decent monitor please click on the image to enlarge it and let me know what you think of the image quality. When I have used my 500 II on this trip I have been using the 5DS R exclusively.

Photoshop Hanky Panky?

If you see any evidence of Photoshop hanky panky please let us know what you think I did and offer your proof.

The San Diego Site Guide

Whether you are visiting San Diego for photography for the first time or live in the area and have done the pelicans many dozens of times, you will learn a ton by studying the San Diego Site Guide. Why spend days stumbling around when you can know exactly where and when to be depending on the wind direction and sky conditions? In addition to the pelican primer, there is great info on the best beaches for the gorgeous gulls, on Marbled Godwit, on the lower cliffs, Lesser Scaup, and Wood and Ring-necked Ducks as well.

Learn more or purchase your copy 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 🙂

What’s Up?

Even before I left for San Diego I felt as if I might be losing my voice. Dr. Oliver suggested that I get some Dr. King’s Sore Throat & Laryngitis spray by King Bio. I had it delivered to the hotel. Wow; it worked wonders. I have felt just fine for the past few days. That is a very good feeling after being under the weather for more than 10 weeks.

This image was created at La Jolla, CA on Day 2 of the 2016 San Diego IPT with the Induro GIT 304L/Mongoose M3.6-mounted Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM lens, the Canon Extender EF 2X III, and the Canon EOS 5DS R. ISO 800: 1/160 sec. at f/10 (to the point of significant blinkies on the sky). AWB. Center AF point (Manual selection)/AI Servo Expand/Rear Focus AF on the bird’s eye and re-compose. Click here to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version. Peregrine Falcon, perched female

La Jolla Treasure: Bird Name Starting With P–Not a Pelican…

Several folks in the group had asked about Peregrine Falcon. “We see them pretty regularly at La Jolla but I have never had a really good chance with them.” That is, until the morning of Saturday, January 9, 2016. We were working the pelicans but with the improving weather and the weekend crowd of photographers there were fewer by far than there had been the previous two days. We had some excitement earlier in the morning when co-leader Denise Ippolito relocated the Brown Booby that she has seen the day before. Several of us made some not-too-great images of this rare La Jolla visitor.

A birder called out “peregrine” and pointed to the lovely lady perched in a pine tree on the hillside behind us. An hour later all but one of the participants had photographed the heck out of her. Including yours truly. It was a great teaching situation as we were able to go over exposure settings, help folks with their tripod handling and sharpness techniques, and comment on image design.

The lone participant who passed on the peregrine did so because he was completely fixated on the beauty and the colors of the Brown Pelicans.

The San Diego Site Guide

Whether you are visiting San Diego for photography for the first time or live in the area and have done the pelicans many dozens of times, you will learn a ton by studying the San Diego Site Guide. Why spend days stumbling around when you can know exactly where and when to be depending on the wind direction and sky conditions? In addition to the pelican primer, there is great info on the best beaches for the gorgeous gulls, on Marbled Godwit, on the lower cliffs, Lesser Scaup, and Wood and Ring-necked Ducks as well.

Learn more or purchase your copy 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

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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 🙂

What’s Up?

We met our San Diego IPT group last night at the introductory Meet and Greet. It looks as if it will be a great group. And best of all, the weather is improving. We meet the group at 6am for our first crack at the pelicans.

This image was created at La Jolla, CA with the Induro GIT 304L tripod/Mongoose M3.6-mounted Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM lens with the Canon EOS 5DS R DSLR . ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1 stop as framed: 1/160 sec. at f/5.6. AWB. On-camera fill flash at -3 stops with the Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT Center AF point/AI Servo Expand/Rear Focus AF on the top knot and re-compose. Click here to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Brown Pelican, Pacific race in breeding plumage, back of neck abstract

Sometimes When It is Supposed to Suck, It Doesn’t…

Weather forecast for San Diego, 7am, Thursday January 7, 2015: 80% chance of torrential downpours with high winds.

What to do? Head to the cliffs of course. It had poured twice between 4 and 6am when I left the hotel. To get to my rental car, I had to wade through an eight-inch deep puddle. It was drizzling when I arrived. I scoped out the situation and found that there were no birds in their usual spot. But there were several hundred roosting nearby. The next thing that I know good friend Patrick Sparkman materialized right behind me. Long story short: we had one of our best-ever mornings at the cliffs. And that included lots of neat flight photography with our 100-400 IIs.

So what are the morals of the story?

• Pay no attention at all to the weather forecast; you will not make any good images in your hotel room.
• Bad weather often makes for excellent photography.

I will be sharing many more images from this wonderful morning here with you in future blog posts.

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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 🙂

What’s Up?

I woke 20 minutes before the alarm at 3:40am this morning, Wednesday, January 6, 2016, in my Orlando Airport motel room. Grabbed the 4:30am shuttle to MCO. Got TSA Pre-check for the first time in ages. I thought that they had lost track of me. Got my very favorite seat on the plane on the way to ATL. The flight went perfectly; I answered about 30 e-mails and started a new airport novel: Invisible by James Patterson and David Ellis. I am now having breakfast at Philly Cheesesteak: regular Philly cheesesteak with extra cheese. It looks as if I should have ordered extra meat.. It was pretty tasty though. And I did not need to order extra meat.

Help Needed With Keynote

I have created a new Keynote presentation and saved and titled it. I have inserted 160 blank slides with a nice gray background. I am trying to insert a folder of 151 images slides in one fell swoop. No can do. I know that is a way to do exactly that but online help does not help.

If you can help with exact directions, please leave a comment. That would be greatly appreciated.

If I figure it out at some point I will let everyone know asap.

Update! And more help needed.

I found an old e-mail from Arni Stinnissen. He wrote:

In Keynote, go to View menu and select Light table. Open up a finder window and then folder that contains your 151 images. Position the Keynote window and the finder window beside each other. Select all of the images and drag them into Keynote and they should automatically create new slides.

I did that in two swoops. My new problem is that I do not know how to do the following things:

1: Re-size the images. Is there a way to do them all at once? Or do you need to do them one at a time.

2: Add a nice simple gray background for each slide. Again, it would seem that I can do them all at once. All help is of course welcome.

San Diego Cancellation

If you missed the Very Late Registration Discount off for the San Diego IPT (due to a last second cancellation), click here.

Nikon D5 Bodies

If you missed the info on the two new Nikon flagship digital bodies, see this morning’s blog post here.

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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 🙂

What’s Up?

We had a last minute cancellation today on the San Diego IPT. If you would like to join us and enjoy a $200 Very Late Registration discount please shoot me an email or call Jim or Jen at the office on Wednesday at 863-692-0906 to make arrangements and to have the confirmation letter sent to you.

I did receive this good news via e-mail today:

BTW, the Brown Pelicans are in GORGEOUS color and are here in droves. Your SD shoot should be awesome.

In the same vein, there are still two openings on the Lake Kerkini/Dalmatian Pelican IPT. There will be no more than 3 folks per world class instructor!

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….

2016 San Diego 4 1/2-DAY BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT) JAN 8 thru the morning of JAN 12, 2016: $1899 (Limit: 10/1 opening due to a cancellation.)

Meet and Greet at 7:30pm on the day before the IPT begins/Two great leaders: Arthur Morris and Denise Ippolito

$200 Late Registration Discount.

Join us 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 in breeding plumage with their amazing crests; breeding plumage Wood and Ring-necked Duck; other 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 likely; and Bird of Paradise flowers. And as you can see by studying the two IPT cards there are some nice landscape opportunities as well.

Did I mention that there are wealth of great birds and natural history subjects in San Diego in winter?

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.

The San Diego Details

This IPT will include five 3 1/2 hour morning photo sessions, four 2 1/2 hour afternoon photo sessions, five lunches, after-lunch image review and Photoshop sessions, and a thank you dinner. To ensure early starts, breakfasts will be your responsibility.

A $499 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 11/1//2015. 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.

Like Pelicans?

Keep on reading.

Images copyright 2011: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART. Card design by Denise Ippolito.

Dalmatian Pelicans ~ Northern Greece
: A Creative Adventure/BIRDS AS ART Workshop/Two great leaders: Denise Ippolito & Arthur Morris
. January 24th – 29th, 2016 ~ 5 Nights/ 4 Full days of photography: $2950. Limit: 6/Openings: 2.

This trip is a go.

Photograph beautiful Dalmatian Pelicans in Greece. Our trip will be from January 24-29th, 2016. Our hotel accommodations are located fifteen minutes from Lake Kerkini. This is a huge plus as we will be able to take advantage of great light at a moment’s notice. This location is well known as the best location on the planet to photograph these beautiful, common, and extremely photogenic birds. And we will enjoy tons of flight photography. Though your 70-200 will be your very best friend, you will be able to use almost every lens in your gear bag. Wide angle shots, close portrait work, flight shots, creative blurs- you name it. Our expert guide knows the area like the back of his hand; he guides some of the most world renowned photographers.

There will be in-the-field instructional photography sessions each morning and afternoon from the shore and we will enjoy extended small boat sessions. Image review and post processing sessions will be informal; we will cover a ton of information during both our in-the-field and indoor session. With two great leaders that only thing that will limit your learning is a lack of stamina.

More than 100 pairs of Dalmatian Pelicans nest on specially constructed platforms on the lake. They remain at the lake during the winter. During our time in Greece the Pelicans will be in their brightest and most impressive breeding plumage. The birds hang around the local fisherman and in addition, we purchase live bait to bring the pelicans close. They are silly tame as they have been begging fish from the locals for many decades.

The groups of Dalmatian Pelicans are often accompanied by single Great White Pelicans, Pygmy Cormorants and Great Cormorants.

The price of this IPT IS $2950.00 per person USD, based on double occupancy; The single supplement is $360. The workshop fee includes hotel accommodations, WiFi, breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, round trip transfers from Thessaloniki Airport, all ground transportation during trip, boat fees and lots of fish.

Not included: Round trip airfare to Thessaloniki Airport, alcoholic beverages, personal items including but not limited to laundry, phone, or fax services.

This workshop is currently limited to 6 participants. A non-refundable deposit of $1000.00 is required to hold your spot for this workshop. Balances are are due on August 1st, 2015 and are also non-refundable. Payments in full are of course welcome at any time. All payments including the deposit must be made by check made out to “Arthur Morris.” Please be sure to check your calendar carefully. 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. If your spot is filled, you will lose your deposit. If not, you can secure your spot by paying your balance.

Please note that even though we have secured a top notch guide this is somewhat of a scouting trip (as denise has never been). The price of next year’s trip will be considerably higher. There are only 2 slots open. This is an especially attractive deal for folks from Europe….

Please contact us via e-mail to check on availability or write with questions: artie or Denise Ippolito. All deposits and balances must be paid by personal check or money order made out to “Arthur Morris” and mailed to BIRDS AS ART, PO Box 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855. Overseas folks can, however, pay their deposits and balances by wire transfer; the registrant is responsible for the fees on both ends.

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.

We do hope that you can join us.

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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 🙂