Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

What’s Up?

I am currently leading a BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Cruise in the Galapagos archipelago. Basically, I will not have internet access until late in the day on July 29 so please refrain from e-mailing me at the traditional samandmayasgrandpa@att.net address until very late July. For mail order or other help please contact Jim by phone M-F at 863-692-0906 or via e-mail at the staffbaa address. To register for an IPT please contact Jennifer by phone during weekday banker’s hours at 863-692-0906 or via e-mail to our Verizon address with ATTN: JEN in the subject line. AS a side note, my right hand man Jim Litzenberg can help you with just about anything BIRDSASART.

Please Help Support My Work on the BAA Blog

Thanks a Stack! June was a Great Month.

The last six weeks as a B&H affiliate have been quite rewarding. Thanks a stack to the many who used our B&H links for purchases large and small. Right now I am working closely with my B&H rep to have four 400 DO and two 100-400 II BAA Affiliate orders expedited. It has been nearly impossible to come by a 400 DO II. I am hoping that my efforts pay dividends fairly soon…. 100-400IIs are now in stock at B&H. The 400 DO II lenses continue to be in very short supply. The sooner you order, the sooner you will get yours; I am working closely with my contact at B&H to have the current orders expedited when a shipment does actually arrive.

To show your appreciation for my efforts here, we ask, as always, that you use our the B&H and Amazon affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your purchases. B&H Is recommended for you major photography gear purchases, Amazon for your household, entertainment, and general purpose stuff. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially Gitzo tripods, Wimberley tripod heads, 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 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.

Not Sure Why…

I am not sure why I am so fascinated by rusty old trucks and cars. There is something about the history and their sticking it out over many, many decades. Sort of like me. I love the look of the faded original colors and of the rust.

The Image Design #1

What do think of the image design and composition of Image #1? Could you have made a better designed image by pointing the camera a bit up or down or left or right or by framing a bit wider or a bit tighter? In any case, please explain why.

Exposure Question

You usually need lots of plus compensation with Art Vivid in soft light. Why did I need to go to -1/3 stop for image #1?

The Image Design #2

What do think of the image design and composition of Image #2? Could you have made a better designed image by pointing the camera a bit up or down or left or right or by framing a bit wider or a bit tighter? In any case, please explain why.

What are They?

If you can identify (as to manufacturer and model) and age (as to year) either or both of today’s subjects please do share your knowledge by leaving a comment.

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.

Facebook

Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right. Tanks a stack!

Support the BAA Blog. Support the BAA Bulletins: Shop B&H here!

We want and need to keep providing you with the latest free information, photography and Photoshop lessons, and all manner of related information. Show your appreciation by making your purchases immediately after clicking on any of our B&H or Amazon Affiliate links in this blog post. Remember, B&H ain’t just photography!

Amazon.com

Those who prefer to support BAA by shopping with Amazon may use this link:

Amazon Canada

Many kind folks from north of the border, eh, have e-mailed stating that they would love to help us out by using one of our affiliate links but that living in Canada and doing so presents numerous problems. Now, they can help us out by using our Amazon Canada affiliate link by starting their searches by clicking here. Many thanks to those who have written.

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 am currently leading a BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Cruise in the Galapagos archipelago. Basically, I will not have internet access until late in the day on July 29 so please refrain from e-mailing me at the traditional samandmayasgrandpa@att.net address until very late July. For mail order or other help please contact Jim by phone M-F at 863-692-0906 or via e-mail at the staffbaa address. To register for an IPT please contact Jennifer by phone during weekday banker’s hours at 863-692-0906 or via e-mail to our Verizon address with ATTN: JEN in the subject line. AS a side note, my right hand man Jim Litzenberg can help you with just about anything BIRDSASART.

Please Help Support My Work on the BAA Blog

Thanks a Stack! June was a Great Month.

The last six weeks as a B&H affiliate have been quite rewarding. Thanks a stack to the many who used our B&H links for purchases large and small. Right now I am working closely with my B&H rep to have four 400 DO and two 100-400 II BAA Affiliate orders expedited. It has been nearly impossible to come by a 400 DO II. I am hoping that my efforts pay dividends fairly soon…. 100-400IIs are now in stock at B&H. The 400 DO II lenses continue to be in very short supply. The sooner you order, the sooner you will get yours; I am working closely with my contact at B&H to have the current orders expedited when a shipment does actually arrive.

To show your appreciation for my efforts here, we ask, as always, that you use our the B&H and Amazon affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your purchases. B&H Is recommended for you major photography gear purchases, Amazon for your household, entertainment, and general purpose stuff. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially Gitzo tripods, Wimberley tripod heads, 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 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.

Selling Your Used Photo 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 weeks we have sold nearly 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 the complete listings here. The Used Gear Listings are quite slim as a slew of mostly intermediate telephoto lenses (mostly old 100-400s) along with a 300 II sold within the past week. There are still two old 100-400s priced to all along with some great super-telephoto lenses listed including a Canon 400mm f/2.8L IS and a Sigmonster.

You can see all of the current listings here.

Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM Lens

IPT veteran Sean Traynor is offering a used Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM lens, the “old five,” (s/n 24343) a very sharp copy in excellent condition for $4,499. The sale includes all of the original stuff such as the lens trunk (hard case) with keys, the front leather hood, the rear lens cap, and LensCoat, and insured shipping via either UPS or Fed-Ex Ground. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made. Photos available upon request.

You can contact Sean via e-mail or by phone at 201.696.1962 eastern time.

As regular readers know the “old five” was the world’s most popular super telephoto lens for many years. I owned and used one for more than a decade. Sean’s lens is priced to sell. artie

Canon EF 100-400 f 4.5-5.6 L IS USM Lens

Sean Traynor is also offering a used Canon EF 100-400 f/4.5-5.6 L IS in excellent condition for $699 including insured shipping via Fed Ex or UPS Ground to US addresses. The sale also includes the original tough fabric case, the strap, the front and rear caps, the lens hood, and the tripod ring. Your gear will be shipped only after your check clears. Photos available upon request.

You can contact Sean via e-mail or by phone at 201.696.1962 eastern time.

Both denise and I owned and used the original 1-4 for many, many years and made hundreds of high quality images with it with pretty much every Canon camera body in production. This one is priced to sell. artie

Bridled Murre

Bridled Murre features a white eye ring and the accompanying distinctive white slash. It is a morph or type of Common Murre that makes up a small percentage of the population. Here it has landed on a cliff just above its nesting ledge with a somewhat mangled baitfish for its single chick.

The DPP 4 RAW Conversion & the Image Optimization

For the DPP 4 conversion of the RAW file for today’s image I moved the Shadow slider to +4 and the Highlight slider to -1 thus revealing the beautiful chocolatey tones of the Bridled Murre’s hood. The image optimization was fairly straightforward with a bit of cliff clean-up and my NIK 50-50 recipe at about 20%.

DPP 4 Kudos

From Richard Gollard via e-mail:

I have been doing tons of studying the books and PDFs that I have purchased from BIRDS AS ART. And I have to say that after reading the DPP 4 conversion guide that you did with Arash Hazeghi I tried DPP 4 and was blown away with the difference from the conversions that I made with Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom. Thanks for the consistently great information.

Scroll down for more on the DPP 4 RAW Conversion Guide.

Digital Basics

Everything that I did to optimize today’s image is covered in detail in my Digital Basics File–written in my easy-to-follow, easy-to-understand style. Are you tired of making your images look worse in Photoshop? Digital Basics File is an instructional PDF that is sent via e-mail. It includes my complete digital workflow, dozens of great Photoshop tips, details on using all of my image clean-up tools, the use of Contrast Masks, several different ways of expanding and filling in canvas, all of my time-saving Keyboard Shortcuts, Quick Masking, Layer Masking, and NIK Color Efex Pro basics, Contrast Masks, Digital Eye Doctor techniques, using Gaussian Blurs, Tim Grey Dodge and Burn, a variety of ways to make selections, how to create time-saving actions, the Surface Blur (background noise reduction) settings as taught to me by Denise Ippolito, and tons more.

APTATS I & II

Learn the details of advanced Quick Masking techniques in APTATS I. Learn Advanced Layer Masking Techniques in APTATS I. Mention this blog post and apply a $5 discount to either with phone orders only. Buy both APTATS I and APTATS II and we will be glad to apply at $15 discount with phone orders only. Please call Jim or Jennifer weekdays at 863-221-2372 to take advantage of this special offer. I am pretty sure that we have extended that offer to the BAA Online Store as well… No time to check right now. 🙂

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 into your e-mail as proof of purchase.

2016 UK Puffins and Gannets IPT
June 27 through July 4, 2016: $5699: Limit 10 photographers/only 3 spots left. Two great leaders: Denise Ippolito and Arthur Morris.

Please call or e-mail while I am in the Galapagos to see if this workshop is sold out. We will keep a wait list. You can get Jim by phone M-F at 863-692-0906 or via e-mail at the staffbaa address or reach Jennifer by phone during weekday banker’s hours at 863-692-0906 or via e-mail to our Verizon address with ATTN: JEN in the subject line.

Here are the plans: take a red eye from the east coast of the US on June 26 arriving in Edinburgh, Scotland on the morning of Monday 27 June no later than 10am (or simply meet us then at the Edinburgh Airport–EDI, or later in the day at our cottages if you are driving your own vehicle either from the UK or from somewhere in Europe). Stay 7 nights in one of three gorgeous modern country cottages.

There are 5 days of planned puffin/seabird trips and 1 morning of gannet photography, all weather permitting of course.

The Details

We will get to photograph Atlantic Puffin, Common Murre, Razorbill, Shag, and Northern Gannet; Arctic, Sandwich, and Common Terns, the former with chicks of all sizes; Black-headed, Lesser-Black-backed, and Herring Gulls, many chasing puffins with fish; Black-legged Kittiwake with chicks. And two species of castles 🙂 We will be staying in upscale country-side lodging that are beyond lovely with large living areas and lots of open space for the informal image sharing and Photoshop sessions. The shared rooms are decent-sized, each with a private bathroom. See the limited single supplement info below.

All breakfasts, lunches and dinners are included. All 5 puffins boat lunches will need to be prepared by you in advance, taken with, and consumed at your leisure. I usually eat mine on the short boat trip from one island to the other. Also included is a restaurant lunch on the gannet boat day and a farewell thank you dinner.

Plan to fly home on the early morning of Monday July 4 or to continue your stay or travels.

Deposit Info

If you are good to go sharing a room–couples of course are more than welcome–please send your non-refundable $2,000/person deposit check now to save a spot. Please be sure to check your schedule carefully before committing to the trip and see the travel insurance info below. Your balance will be due on March 29, 2016. Please make your check out to “Arthur Morris” and send it to Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART, PO Box 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL, 33855. 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.

Single Supplement Deposit Info

Single supplement rooms are available. To ensure yours, please register early. The single supplement fee is $1575. If you would like your own room, please request it when making your deposit and include payment in full for the single supplement; your single supplement deposit check should be for $3,575. As we will need to commit to renting the extra space, single supplement deposits are non-refundable so please be sure that check your schedule carefully before committing to the trip and see the travel insurance info below.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance for big international trips is highly recommended as we never know what life has in store for us. I strongly recommend that you purchase quality insurance. 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. My family and I use and depend on the great policies offered by TIS whenever we travel. 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 of running your credit card. Whenever purchasing travel insurance be sure to read the fine print careful even when dealing with reputable firms like TSI.

We do hope that you can join us. artie and denise

Facebook

Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right. Tanks a stack!

Support the BAA Blog. Support the BAA Bulletins: Shop B&H here!

We want and need to keep providing you with the latest free information, photography and Photoshop lessons, and all manner of related information. Show your appreciation by making your purchases immediately after clicking on any of our B&H or Amazon Affiliate links in this blog post. Remember, B&H ain’t just photography!

Amazon.com

Those who prefer to support BAA by shopping with Amazon may use this link:

Amazon Canada

Many kind folks from north of the border, eh, have e-mailed stating that they would love to help us out by using one of our affiliate links but that living in Canada and doing so presents numerous problems. Now, they can help us out by using our Amazon Canada affiliate link by starting their searches by clicking here. Many thanks to those who have written.

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 flew to Guayaquil with friend and participant Chris Billman. We are both beat after a long day of travel. I meet the group tomorrow at 10:00am for an orientation meeting and introductory slide program.

Beginning on Tuesday I will be leading a BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Cruise in the Galapagos archipelago. It will be a first ever with two days spent at the two best sites, Hood Island and Tower Island.

I will not have internet access until late in the day on July 29 so please refrain from e-mailing me at the traditional samandmayasgrandpa@att.net address until very late July. For mail order or other help please contact Jim by phone M-F at 863-692-0906 or via e-mail at the staffbaa address. To register for an IPT please contact Jennifer by phone during weekday banker’s hours at 863-692-0906 or via e-mail to our Verizon address with ATTN: JEN in the subject line. AS a side note, my right hand man Jim Litzenberg can help you with just about anything BIRDSASART.

Please Help Support My Work on the BAA Blog

Thanks a Stack! June was a Great Month.

The last six weeks as a B&H affiliate have been quite rewarding. Thanks a stack to the many who used our B&H links for purchases large and small. Right now I am working closely with my B&H rep to have four 400 DO and two 100-400 II BAA Affiliate orders expedited. It has been nearly impossible to come by a 400 DO II. I am hoping that my efforts pay dividends fairly soon…. 100-400IIs are now in stock at B&H. The 400 DO II lenses continue to be in very short supply. The sooner you order, the sooner you will get yours; I am working closely with my contact at B&H to have the current orders expedited when a shipment does actually arrive.

To show your appreciation for my efforts here, we ask, as always, that you use our the B&H and Amazon affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your purchases. B&H Is recommended for you major photography gear purchases, Amazon for your household, entertainment, and general purpose stuff. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially Gitzo tripods, Wimberley tripod heads, 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 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.

Selling Your Used Photo 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 weeks we have sold nearly 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 the complete listings here.

100-400 II Versatility

That the same lens with the 1.4X III TC made both of today’s images from pretty much the same position demonstrates the amazing versatility of the 100-400 II. It truly is an astounding tool.

Graphic Depth-of-field Question…

Before you scroll down to the answer below. Try the following: In image #1, the aperture is f/11. In image #2, the aperture is f/10. For all intents and purposes, the apertures are the same. How is it possible that the ocean in Image #1 is totally out of focus–a pleasing blue blur, but that the equally distant waves image #2 are fairly sharply defined?

Graphic Depth-of-field Answer and Lesson

With both images, I was about 12 feet from the subject. The only important difference in the EXIF data between Image #1 and Image # 2 is the focal length. A visit to Depth-of-Field Master.com revealed the explanation:

Depth-of-field with a 7D II at 12 feet with a focal length of 215mm at f/11 is roughly .38 feet, roughly 4 1/2 inches. (Note: I originally posted 34 feet in error.)
Depth-of-field with a 7D II at 12 feet with a focal length of 560mm at f/10 is roughly 1/2 inch.

Thus, the shorter the focal length at a given aperture and a given distance the greater the depth of field. Some might like to think of it like this: when you go to a shorter focal length you are effectively moving away from the subject, thus the huge increase in depth-of-field. In any case, note how much more the background was brought up in the second image as compared to the first image.

2015 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)

Meet and Greet at 7:00pm on the day before the IPT begins
Two great leaders: Arthur Morris and Denise Ippolito

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?

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.

Facebook

Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right. Tanks a stack!

Support the BAA Blog. Support the BAA Bulletins: Shop B&H here!

We want and need to keep providing you with the latest free information, photography and Photoshop lessons, and all manner of related information. Show your appreciation by making your purchases immediately after clicking on any of our B&H or Amazon Affiliate links in this blog post. Remember, B&H ain’t just photography!

Amazon.com

Those who prefer to support BAA by shopping with Amazon may use this link:

Amazon Canada

Many kind folks from north of the border, eh, have e-mailed stating that they would love to help us out by using one of our affiliate links but that living in Canada and doing so presents numerous problems. Now, they can help us out by using our Amazon Canada affiliate link by starting their searches by clicking here. Many thanks to those who have written.

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 leave for the Galapagos Photo Cruise early on Sunday morning. I have spent the last few days answering many dozens of e-mails and am still far behind. Basically, I will not have internet access from this coming Monday until late in the day on July 29 so please refrain from e-mailing me at the traditional samandmayasgrandpa@att.net address until very late July. For mail order or other help please contact Jim by phone M-F at 863-692-0906 or via e-mail at the staffbaa address. To register for an IPT please contact Jennifer by phone during weekday banker’s hours at 863-692-0906 or via e-mail to our Verizon address with ATTN: JEN in the subject line. AS a side note, my right hand man Jim Litzenberg can help you with just about anything BIRDSASART.

Today is packing day. I will be trying to get down to one checked bag…. I am not sure how that will do. Many would chuckle to learn that I pretty much live out of a suitcase when I am home. The dirty clothes go into the washer and then the dryer and then back into the suitcase.

Please Help Support My Work on the BAA Blog

Thanks a Stack! June was a Great Month.

The last few weeks have been quite rewarding. Thanks a stack to the many who used our B&H links for purchases large and small. Right now I am working closely with my B&H rep to have four 400 DO and two 100-400 II BAA Affiliate orders expedited. It has been nearly impossible to come by a 400 DO II. I am hoping that my efforts pay dividends fairly soon…. 100-400IIs are now in stock at B&H. The 400 DO II lenses continue to be in very short supply. The sooner you order, the sooner you will get yours; I am working closely with my contact at B&H to have the current orders expedited when a shipment does actually arrive.

To show your appreciation for my efforts here, we ask, as always, that you use our the B&H and Amazon affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your purchases. B&H Is recommended for you major photography gear purchases, Amazon for your household, entertainment, and general purpose stuff. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially Gitzo tripods, Wimberley tripod heads, 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 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.

400 DO II

If what you read below and elsewhere on the BAA Blog motivates you to purchase this lens we would of course appreciate you using my B&H affiliate link. Please shooting me your B&H receipt (mail order only as always!) via e-mail so that I can attempt to help. I am hoping that the logjam of orders will be eased as happened recently with the Canon EF 100-400mm f/4L IS II.

Galapagos Gear Bag

I will be packing my Think Tank Airport Security™ V 2.0 Rolling Camera Bag on Saturday. I was undecided at to whether to borrow a Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II as my big lens, bring the Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS with Internal 1.4x Extender as I did so successfully on my last trip to the archipelago, or tote the lighter Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II that has served me well on several Southern Ocean expeditions….

And then I tried the William T. (Bill) Lloyd’s Canon EF 400mm f/4 DO IS II USM lens with the 7D II for flight on the UK Puffins IPT and began to think…. I decided that I would like to bring the 400 DO II as my big lens used often with both TCs and keep either the 100-400 II or the 70-200mm f/2.8L IS (depending on both the sky/ambient light conditions and the particular landing) on my shoulder via a Black Rapid RS-7 strap.

Bookmark This Page

Be sure to bookmark our Lens Chart page here so that you can quickly check the weights and minimum focusing distances for all Canon telephoto lenses.

The 400 DO II Problem…

As everyone here knows, getting your hands on a 400 DO II is no easy chore. Some folks have waited as long as several months. I tried to get one through the Canon Explorers of Light Program early this week but they had none in stock and no idea of an ETA. I tried to secure a loaner through both Canon Professional Services and B&H but none were available. I mentioned all of the above to John Armitage via e-mail who had written to thank me for helping him to get his 400 DO II. I was stunned when he wrote back as follows:

Art — if you are really stuck, you can borrow mine — it has been sent to my daughter in Oregon and I will not be there (from Colorado) for a couple of weeks to start playing with it; having it is not essential for me. My original 400 DO is doing just fine. I am having the new lens insured against all risks so that it can easily and cheaply be sent to you if you wish. What dates would you need it?

Well, needless to say I just about fell off of my chair. And I gladly accepted his amazingly generous offer. The lens, which had been in Portland, OR on Thursday afternoon, made it to ILE at 11:59am on Friday. Fed-Ex Priority cost me $243; if the driver had arrived 2 minutes later that fee would have been refunded as delivery was promised “by noon.” Getting your hands on the lens you want at the last second? Priceless!

I will use the 400 DO II mostly on a tripod as my big lens with either TC on most landings. I will use it on the pangas (zodiacs) and for flight photography. All with either a 7D II or with the 1D X. What is the single huge advantage that the 400 DO has over the far more versatile 200-400 with internal extender? The hand hold-ability that comes with its lighter weight: 4.63 pounds versus 7.98 pounds. The 400 DO II is 3.35 pounds lighter than the 200-400. It should and would be a bit more had Canon made the tripod ring (collar) removable as it was on the original version…. In any case, the 400 DO II is actually more than a half pound lighter than the 300 f/2.8L IS II.

It is often dark and sometimes drizzly on Puerto Ayora; I will use the 400 DO II/2X III/1D X on a tripod there. 800mm should be fine for photographing the various Darwin’s finches and Galapagos Yellow Warblers that we will see. Why the 1D X? To take advantage of its superior high ISO performance as compared to the 7D II.

The Lens Line-up

In addition to the Canon EF 400mm f/4 DO IS II USM lens I will bring the following lenses:

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens. The new 1-4 will be on my shoulder by way of a Black Rapid RS-7 strap on most landings with either the 5D Mark III or the 7D II depending on both the sky conditions that affect the amount of ambient light and the expected subjects on a particular landing.

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens. This one will be on my shoulder on some landings with either the 5D Mark III or the 7D II again depending on both the sky conditions that affect the amount of ambient light and the expected subjects on a particular landing.

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM Lens. This all-purpose B-roll lens will be in my Vested Interest Xtrahand vest on virtually ever landing where it can be grabbed when needed. It meshes beautifully with the 100-400 II.

If I have room I will throw in the old Canon 15mm fish eye lens now replaced by the much more fun but somewhat heavier Canon EF 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye USM lens.

Focal Length Coverage…

The lenses above give me focal length coverage of 15mm and then from 24-800mm if teamed with a full frame body and effective 1280mm with the 7D II; with the 600II/2X III/7D II combination I’d again be sure to pre-focus manually because–as above–initial AF acquisition is always slower with the 7D II than with a 1D X because of its less powerful battery.

Camera Bodies

EOS-1D X. I will use my rugged pro body primarily with the 400 DO II, going with the 7D II on the big lens at times on certain landings. The more powerful 1D X battery makes it great for driving the AF system when a TC is added. As above, I will most likely go to the 1D X for the finches so that I can take advantage of its superior high ISO performance; it is often dreary on Puerto Ayora.

5D Mark III with the Canon BG-E11 Battery Grip. Depending on the situation, I will use either the 5D III or the 7D II on the 100-400 II or the 70-200 II. Using the full frame 5D III with either of those combos will effectively give me a wider focal length range with my intermediate telephoto lens that will mesh better with 400 DO with TCs…. Questions on this are welcome.

EOS-7D Mark II. I will go to the 7D II for hand held flight with the 400 DO II and in various other situations when I know that I will need the extra reach. If I have room I will bring a backup 7D II without the Canon BG-E16 Battery Grip. I use the battery grip on both my 7D II and my 5D III to give the bodies a pro body feel.

I will have a 5D Mark II that was converted to infrared by Kolari Vision with me just because infrared is great fun. See here for IR details. I am sure that I will do some IR on the big piles of Marine Iguanas that we will encounter. Thanks to the many who have used Kolari vision to convert a camera body to IR.

TCs

I almost always travel with three Canon 1.4X III TCs and two 2X III TCs, To save weight, and because I will not be using the 2X III TC much, I am bringing only two 1.4X TCs and one 2X TC to the Galapagos in part to save weight. I will be extra cautious.

Why do I bring extras? For my style of photography I cannot afford to be without both TCs in case of accident or malfunction. Most common in the latter category would be that the locking pin might stick occasionally. When that happens, there is a risk of having your camera body hit the ground….

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. I usually use the slightly smaller of the two, the Airport International™ LE Classic for my Southern Ocean trips. Everything above fits easily into my Airport Security™ V 2.0 Rolling Camera Bag.

Think Tank Glass Limo

The Think Tank Glass Limo, which served me so well on my last Southern Ocean trip, will again be instrumental in helping me get the 400 DO around while preserving my shoulder health. It travels in a checked bag.

Think Tank Urban Disguise Laptop Shoulder Bag

Both denise and I use and love this amazing bag as it has tons of room and enables us to bring tons of extra stuff.

Please click on my Think Tank affiliate link here to earn a free gift when you purchase a Think Tank Rolling Bag.

Think Tank

Please use the Think Tank logo link on the right side of each page to order any of the great products mentioned above and earn a free gift.

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 in the form or card loss….

The Southern Ocean

South Georgia Expedition Voyage

I’ve been blessed. I’ve now made four trips to the Southern Ocean, three expeditions that visited the Falklands, South Georgia, and the Antarctic Peninsula, and one to the Falklands and South Georgia. Each was a truly amazing experience. South Georgia has been the star of the show each time: rugged snow covered peaks, tame and abundant wildlife including Southern Elephant Seal and Southern Fur Seal, and penguins: more King Penguins than you could ever have dreamed of. Gentoos. And my favorite, the golden-yellow spaghetti-topped Macaronis. With four trips to South Georgi under my belt, I have a pretty good idea about how to make great images at each of the iconic landings. In addition, we should have some pretty good flight photography sessions from the stern of the ship. I would love the chance to share my knowledge with you.

Going Light

On my recent trip, I found myself going with shorter lenses and lighter gear than on any previous Southern Ocean Expedition. In part that was due to the crop factor of the 7D Mark II, in part because going light makes life (and landings!) much easier. I made many landings with just the 7D II and the 70-200mm f/2.8L IS. I refined the way that I got my gear safely from ship to shore. Lots more on that here soon.

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.

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. Quit dreaming and act now. Though I will not be an official leader on this trip, those who have traveled with me know that I cannot help but teach. I will make pre-trip gear recommendations. I will hold informal pre-landing briefings. In the same vein, everyone will receive a free copy of our Antarctica Site Guide once they are paid in full (July 2, 2015). I will be available on the ship to review your images,, answer 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 ship-board birds in flight and marine mammal photography opportunities.

Do join us. To learn how to be part of the BAA group please e-mail me with the words Antarctica/Extended Expedition BAA Info Please cut and pasted into the Subject line.

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 Cheesemans’ Ecology Safaris South Georgia Expedition Voyage

An in-depth Adventure aboard the Ortelius: October 29 to November 17, 2015

From the CES website:

We are very excited to be able to bring this special in-depth expedition to you. This is a product of years of experience leading voyages to South Georgia and a passion for everything found here. Our itinerary is specifically designed to take advantage of the vibrant early season on South Georgia when snow blankets the mountains and early summer brings special wildlife treats seldom experienced. We will explore vast colonies of King Penguins, elephant seals in their peak of breeding activity, and colonies of Wandering, Gray-headed, Light-mantled, and Black-browed albatross. This cruise allows us many days to explore this truly unique island, the crown jewel of the Antarctic. The landscape filled with expanses of glaciers pouring into the sea provides rare beauty and photogenic impressiveness that words cannot convey. We will enjoy about nine days in the midst of the most beautiful and wildlife-rich island on the planet! Exceptional leadership expertise will enrich your experience throughout the voyage. Our priority on this special expedition is to give you the maximum time possible in the field so you can explore at your own pace during a special time on South Georgia. Come explore South Georgia with us!

I can personally attest to the accuracy of everything above. 🙂

More CES Kudos

From multiple IPT veteran Alan Lillich who (along with wife Pat) was in the BAA group on a 2012 CES voyage with me:

Start with some of the world’s best alpine landscapes, add an overwhelming abundance of tolerant wildlife, and finish with tour operators who put you there and give you the freedom to explore. It doesn’t get any better.

What’s Up?

I am just a bit jet-lagged. I have been getting to bed early and getting up very early, between 3 and 4am, but have been getting a ton of work done. I got home late Monday and fly to Guayquil, Ecuador for my Galapagos Photo-Cruise leaving early on Sunday morning. Yikes! What a life I lead. And how blessed I am.

I made time for a long meditative (B-B-S-T-S) swim on Tuesday and Wednesday and plan the same for the next three days. I have been enjoying an ice bath each night and have gotten back into my core exercise routine. I have answered hundreds of e-mails over the past few days but am still far behind. The 2016 UK Puffins and Gannets IPT that was announced here in yesterday’s blog is approaching a sell-out and we have two spots sold already for the 2017 trip! If you are serious about joining us in 2016 it would behoove you to call or to e-mail immediately so that we can save you a spot. We do have lots of single room supplements available.

Please Help Support My Work on the BAA Blog

Thanks a Stack! June was a Great Month.

The last few weeks have been quite rewarding. Thanks a stack to the many who used our B&H links for purchases large and small. Right now I am working closely with my B&H rep to have four 400 DO and two 100-400 II BAA Affiliate orders expedited. It has been nearly impossible to come by a 400 DO II. I am hoping that my efforts pay dividends fairly soon…. 100-400IIs are now in stock at B&H. The 400 DO II lenses continue to be in very short supply. The sooner you order, the sooner you will get yours; I am working closely with my contact at B&H to have the current orders expedited when a shipment does actually arrive.

To show your appreciation for my efforts here, we ask, as always, that you use our the B&H and Amazon affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your purchases. B&H Is recommended for you major photography gear purchases, Amazon for your household, entertainment, and general purpose stuff. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially Gitzo tripods, Wimberley tripod heads, 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 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.

Selling Your Used Photo 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 weeks we have sold nearly 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 the complete listings here. The Used Gear Listings are quite slim as a slew of mostly intermediate telephoto lenses (mostly old 100-400s) along with a 300 II sold within the past week. There are still two old 100-400s priced to all along with some great super-telephoto lenses listed including a Canon 400mm f/2.8L IS and a Sigmonster.

You can see all of the current listings here.

Brand New Listings

Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L USM Macro Lens

Michael Zajac is offering a used Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L USM Macro Lens in mint condition with the tough carrying case and the front and rear lens caps for $999.99. You can contact Michael by e-mail or by phone at 732-979-6644 (eastern time). The sale includes insured shipping via either UPS or Fed-Ex Ground to US addresses. Your lens will not ship until your check clears.

I have owned and used this lens for many years for flowers, frogs, butterflies, dragonflies, large insects, and lots more. The 180 gives you lots of reach as well as a narrow angle of view.

Near-mint Canon EOS-1D Mark IV Camera Body with Extras

Michael Zajac is also offering a used Canon EOS-1D Mark IV camera body in excellent plus/near mint condition with a low shutter counts for $2099. The sale includes the original box, all included accessories, the dual charger, 2 batteries, the RRS L Bracket (a $183.00 value), and insured shipping via either UPS or Fed-Ex Ground to US addresses. Your camera body will not ship until your check clears. You can contact Michael by e-mail or by phone at 732-979-6644 (eastern time). The sale includes insured shipping via either UPS or Fed-Ex Ground to US addresses. Your lens will not ship until your check clears.

Exposure Fine Point Considerations…

In the “The 400 DO II/7D II Combo: Saving the Best for Last (in more ways than one…)” blog post here, I wrote, Serous students are invited to study the exposure data carefully and try this one on for size: Why only +1 2/3 stops off the sky in image #1 but +2 1/3 stops off the sky in image #2? Please be specific.

Several folks were on the right track by noting that the sky in the puffin image was brighter (bluer) than the sky in the murre image but nobody wound up giving a clear answer despite the fact that I responded to many of the comments with helpful hints…. As a group, some progress was made:

1-The ambient light level for the murre image was 2/3 stop less than it was for the puffin image. How do we know that for sure? The exposure values for the two images (1/2000 sec. at f/4.5) are the same but the ISO is 2/3 stop higher for the murre image.

2-Both the dark and light tonalities of the two subjects are for all practical purposes pretty much identical.

Exposure Fine Point Answer and Explanation

Let’s start with a bit more on the sky. In the puffin image, the sun was a bit brighter and the sky was a bit bluer, still very light but definitely a bit on the blue side. Many folks referred to the sky in the murre image as “gray.” Yes it was dingy and darker and more overcast but the sky was not at all gray. it was pretty darned close to pure WHITE; here are the RGB numbers from the sky close to the bird: R: 242, G:243, B: 244. Very close to a pure WHITE. (Why so close to perfectly neutral? Because I used Click White Balance in DPP 4 during the RAW conversion process.

When photographing birds with some white plumage I generally start by taking a reading off the white sky and opening up 2 1/3 stops. For birds without any white feathers I will start at +3 stops off the white sky because WHITE tones need less light to be properly exposed than MIDDLE or DARK tones. In all cases you must check your histogram to ensure that you have exposed to the right without having any significant blinkies (over-exposure warnings) on the subject. With dark toned birds it is often correct to have lots of blinkies in the sky in order to ensure a proper exposure for the darker tones. But we digress.

We are now in a position to answer the question correctly, something that nobody (except for denise ippolito in a phone conversation) was able to do correctly. Here is the original question:

Why only +1 2/3 stops off the sky in image #1 but +2 1/3 stops off the sky in image #2?

Here is the correct answer in full:

As I have been teaching here an elsewhere for years, when the sun is out at full strength, the camera’s metering system is pretty smart. You will rarely need more than +1/3 stop or -1/3 stop exposure compensation (EC) to come up with a properly exposed image. When the sun, however, is not out at full strength, the meter gets really dumb. The softer the light and the closer the entire scene comes to being pure WHITE, the stupider the meter becomes. In the murre image, the light was soft and sky was nearly white (242, 243, 244) so the meter was really stupid. Experience has taught me that in these condition the correct EC is very close to +2 1/3 stops off the WHITE (not gray) sky.

With the puffin image, the sky was a bit bluer and brighter as there was a bit more sun and just a light haze in the air (rather than clouds as in the murre image). Thus, the camera’s meter was a bit smarter than it was in the murre image. The sky was not nearly blue and the sun was not out at full strength so one learns that the meter still needs lots of help. Not as much help as it needed in the soft light/white sky conditions in the murre image, but significant help. Help in the form or +1 2/3 stops off the very light blue sky.

Note that I did offer some clues in the original post when I wrote this for the puffin image:

Evaluative metering +1 2/3 stops off the light-toned sky: 1/2000 sec. at f/4.5.

And this for the murre image:

Evaluative metering +2 1/3 stops off the white sky: 1/2000 sec. at f/4.5.

Are the Concepts Too Difficult?

At this point I can hear some folks thinking, “These concepts are too difficult to master. What does he expect from us? We are not full time professionals.”

They are missing the point that with digital photography you learn by estimating and then by checking your thinking and your results by evaluating the histogram.

Everyone can learn to do it by studying exposure theory in the original “The Art of Bird Photography” (ABP in soft cover) and the section on Exposure Simplified in “The Art of Bird Photography II” (ABP II: 916 pages, 900+ images each with our legendary educational captions on CD only).

My grandson Sam, then 13 and now in high school, learned to come up with the right exposure every time in less than five minutes when he visited the Galapagos with me several years ago by learning to analyze each histogram and add or subtract light as needed. He is admittedly a very bright young man. Jen shared with me yesterday that he scored a perfect 5 (out of 5) on an AP (college level) exam. But the fact is that you do not need to be brilliant to learn to get the right exposure every time with digital capture…. You just need to study and practice….

Bear Boat/Bears Catching Salmon IPT: September 1-8, 2015 from Kodiak, AK/6 FULL & 2 1/2 DAYS: $6699. Happy campers only! Maximum 8/Openings: 3. Plus the leader: Arthur Morris.

This trip is a go.

Join me in Katmai National Park, AK for seven days of photographing Coastal Brown Bears (grizzlies) catching salmon, fattening up for the long winter. Other subjects will include Mew and Glaucous-winged Gulls in flight and dip-feeding on salmon roe. Did I mention that we live on a boat and that the food is great? Most of our photography will be done in a variety of famed locations: Geographic Harbor, Kinak Bay, and Kukak Bay. We once had 39 bears fishing the creek at Kukak….

It is mandatory that you be in Kodiak no later than the late afternoon of August 31, 2015 September to avoid missing the float planes to the boat on the morning of September 1. With air travel in AK being what it is, with the chance of fog or other bad weather–being on Kodiak on August 30 is an even better plan). I will be on Kodiak on August 30 to avoid any potential disaster. That said in my nearly a dozen bear boat trips I was delayed only once but since I was day early as noted above there was no harm, no foul.

We will take one or more float planes to the boat mid-morning on September 1. We will photograph bears fishing that afternoon and every day for the next six days (weather permitting of course). We should have bears catching salmon every day. In addition, we will get some nice stuff on Mew Gull and Glaucous-winged Gulls dining on roe and the remains of predated salmon. We may–depending on where the concentrations of bears are–get to photograph Harbor seals and some hauled out Steller’s Sea Lions (an endangered species). Halibut fishing (license required) is optional. On September 8, our last morning on the boat, those who would like to enjoy one last photo session will do so. The group returns to Kodiak via float plane midday. Most folks will fly to Anchorage and then continue on red-eye flights to their home cities.

The eight days will consist of six full days (Sept 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, & 7) of photography featuring lots of Coastal Brown Bears catching salmon as above plus a variety of other natural history subjects plus some nice scenic photography that I forgot to mention above. Plus the first afternoon and the last morning.

What’s included? 8 DAYS/7 NIGHTS on the boat as above. All meals on the boat. (The food is quite excellent.) National Park fees. One night’s double occupancy lodging on Kodiak; arrive: Sept 1/depart: Sept 2. The thank-you-in-advance dinner on Sept 1. In-the-field photo tips, instruction, and guidance. An insight into the mind of a top professional; I will constantly let you know what I am thinking, what I am doing, and why I am doing it. Small group image review, image sharing, and Photoshop instruction on the boat.

What’s not included: Your round trip airfare to and from Kodiak, AK (almost surely through Anchorage). All necessary lodging other than the cost of your double occupancy room on the night of August 31 should you opt to arrive early–we can arrange that in advance for you. We will let you know the cost of a single supplement for the one night if so desired. The cost of the round-trip float plane to the boat on September 2 and back to Kodiak on September 9. The cost of a round trip this year was $500. The suggested crew tip of $210.

Is this an expensive trip? Yes, of course. But with 6 full and two half days, a wealth of great subjects, and the fact that you will be walking with the bears just yards away (or less….) it will be one of the great natural history experiences of your life. Most folks who take part in a Bear Boat IPT wind up coming back for more.

A $2,000 per person non-refundable deposit by check only made out to “Arthur Morris” is required to hold your spot. Please click here to read our cancellation policy. Then please print, read, and sign the necessary paperwork here and send it to us.

Your deposit is due immediately. That will leave a balance of $4699. The next payment of $2699 will be due on February 15, 2015. The final payment of $2000 is due on May 1, 2015.

I hope that you can join us for this wondrously exciting trip.

By e-mail from Bill Keown, veteran of three bear boat trips!

Hi Artie, What a great trip! With the exception of the one bright sunny day it was just great. Very different from my first trip in June where we only had the bears clamming; the fishing bears were amazing! As always I learned a lot and enjoyed the group immensely. All the Best, Bill

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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 :).

Stuff

We left the cottages at 4:45am sharp as planned and arrived at Edinburgh Airport just before 7:00am, also as planned. After a short delay while returning our rental vans and a long delay at security, denise and I got to the gate for our 9:25 flight to Newark at about 8:55 only to find groups 1 & 2 were boarding. Whew. I slept off and on in a somewhat comatose state for the first five hours. I edited some image files and then worked on the two images for this blog post on the flight to EWR, UA 37. We almost landed 30 minutes early at Newark but with the runway in sight just below the pilot gunned the engines and circled for an additional 30 minutes stating that there had been a disabled plane on our runway. Oops. I had been there and done that.

We arrived on time at just about noon. After a coffee break Denise headed home while I prepared to enjoy the rest of my five hour layover: Jet Blue to MCO leaving at 5:00 pm scheduled to arrive at MCO at 7:43pm where the dependable Mr. Litzenberg should be waiting to grab me. I spent about 2 hours preparing this blog post, most of that during my layover. I plan on publishing this on the early morning of Tuesday, July 7th.

Please Help Support My Work on the BAA Blog

Thanks a Stack! June was a Great Month.

The last few weeks have been quite rewarding. Thanks a stack to the many who used our B&H links for purchases large and small. Right now I am working closely with my B&H rep to have four 400 DO and two 100-400 II BAA Affiliate orders expedited. It has been nearly impossible to come by a 400 DO II. I am hoping that my efforts pay dividends fairly soon…. 100-400IIs are now in stock at B&H. The 400 DO II lenses continue to be in very short supply. The sooner you order, the sooner you will get yours; I am working closely with my contact at B&H to have the current orders expedited when a shipment does actually arrive.

To show your appreciation for my efforts here, we ask, as always, that you use our the B&H and Amazon affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your purchases. B&H Is recommended for you major photography gear purchases, Amazon for your household, entertainment, and general purpose stuff. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially Gitzo tripods, Wimberley tripod heads, 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 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.

The 400 DO II/7D II Combo: Saving the Best for Last (in more ways than one…)

Long-ago multiple IPT veteran William T. (Bill) Lloyd–it was great to see him again after so long–had offered to let me try his 400 DO II since day one of the trip. Several other lucky 400 DO II owners kindly offered to do that same. Finally, on the last morning of the trip, I succumbed. Bit time thanks to Bill. Co-leader Denise Ippolito had put most of our folks in a great spot from which to photograph the incoming puffins, many with fish. After putting the rest of the group in a pretty darned good spot myself with landing birds at closer range, I joined denise’s clan; she and I had rarely photographed together on the whole trip. There were smiles and high fives all around.

Conditions were dead-solid prefect with sky conditions ranging from cloudy bright to solid overcast. Denise was at 600mm on a tripod with the 600 II and a 1D X. I was at 640mm with the hand held 400 DO II/7D II combination. When I was editing my images on our United flight to Newark on Monday, denise said, “You really rocked ’em. When are you getting the 400 DO II?” I responded, “I will try to get one through Canon Explorers of Light before my Galapagos trip.” When I got the sensor on the bird’s face and the system was tracking, most every image was razor sharp on the eye. As I say here often, diminishing strength and diminishing hand eye coordination often prevents me from tracking flying birds smoothly…. My persistence often makes up for these short-comings.

With perfect sky and wind conditions the flight photography was so, so good that the folks who were hand holding complained of lower back and shoulder muscle strain. If you lowered your lens to rest for even a few seconds you usually paid a big price in form of a great missed opportunity. I photographed through the pain for nearly two hours before I quit to take a walk. It was then that I found a decent spot to photograph the incoimng murres. More pain. But heck, it was the last day!

In short, it was the very best day of puffin flight photography that I have ever had the privilege to enjoy.

Exposure Fine Point Question

Serous students are invited to study the exposure data carefully and try this one on for size:

A: Why only +1 2/3 stops off the sky in image #1 but +2 1/3 stops off the sky in image #2? Please be specific.

Your Favorite?

Which of today’s two images do you like best? Be sure to let us know why?

2016 UK Puffins and More IPT

We hope to be announcing the dates details for this great trip soon. If you would like to have us save you a spot please shoot us an e-mail. We have three folks signed up already….

400 DO II

I look forward to getting my hands on this lens and giving it a thorough test with and without TCs. If what you read here motivates you to purchase this lens we would of course appreciate you using my B&H affiliate link and shooting me your receipt via e-mail so that I can attempt to have your order expedited. Please understand that there is a large backlog of orders and that I am hoping that the logjam is eased as happened recently with the Canon EF 100-400mm f/4L IS II.

Nickerson Beach/JBWR (possibly…)/Black Skimmer/Oystercatcher/migrant shorebird IPT: August 13-16, 2015. 3 1/2 DAYS: $1399.

Meet and greet on the evening of WED August 12. Limit 10/Openings 3.

Most of our seven photo sessions will be spent at Nickerson beach photographing the nesting Black Skimmers. In flight, sometimes battling. Carrying fish. Chicks of varying sizes from a very few just-hatched to lots of fledglings. It is likely that we will get to see some Great Black-backed Gulls preying on the juvenile skimmers. They swallow them whole. There will be lots of gulls to photograph as well as some Common Terns. Locally breeding shorebird species include American Oystercatcher–pretty much guaranteed, Willet, which is likely, and Piping Plover, which is probable but we need to get lucky with those to get close….

Save a space by calling Jim or Jen at the office and arranging to leave your deposit of $499. I hope to see you there.

JBWR?

If local conditions are ideal we may visit Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge to photograph southbound migrant shorebirds on one or possibly two mornings. Even if we do not visit JBWR we should get some good chances with the migrant shorebirds at the beach, especially Sanderling and Semipalmated Plover. Red Knot and others are possible.

Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge In-the-field Instructional Photo Workshop/Scouting Session. August 12, 2015. Morning only: $250. Cheap!

The tide will be pretty good at the East Pond…. If I learn that conditions there are un-photographable we will do Nickerson Beach as a back-up. This will work either as an add-on for out of town folks coming for the IPT above or as a stand alone session. Either way, you will, as always, learn a ton. And we might even get some good images.

Facebook

Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right. Tanks a stack!

Support the BAA Blog. Support the BAA Bulletins: Shop B&H here!

We want and need to keep providing you with the latest free information, photography and Photoshop lessons, and all manner of related information. Show your appreciation by making your purchases immediately after clicking on any of our B&H or Amazon Affiliate links in this blog post. Remember, B&H ain’t just photography!

Amazon.com

Those who prefer to support BAA by shopping with Amazon may use this link:

Amazon Canada

Many kind folks from north of the border, eh, have e-mailed stating that they would love to help us out by using one of our affiliate links but that living in Canada and doing so presents numerous problems. Now, they can help us out by using our Amazon Canada affiliate link by starting their searches by clicking here. Many thanks to those who have written.

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 :).

Be Careful What You Wish For; You Just Might Get It

Though most Brits, especially those on holiday, gloried in the blue skies and unusually warms temperatures along the northeast coast of the UK, a bit more overcast would have been welcomed by this bird photographer. Well, we got our wish on Saturday; there were lots of clouds. Unfortunately a huge storm with lots of wind and rain cancelled all sailings and thus all landings in the morning. Conditions in the afternoon improved but the wardens closed the afternoon landing site to protect the too-wet tern chicks.

This blog post, the 3rd in a row, took about 2 hours to prepare. It should be published automatically at 7:00am on Sunday, July 5, 2015.

Please Help Support My Work on the BAA Blog

Thanks a Stack! June was a Great Month.

The last few weeks have been quite rewarding. Thanks a stack to the many who used our B&H links for purchases large and small. Right now I am working closely with my B&H rep to have four 400 DO and two 100-400 II BAA Affiliate orders expedited. It has been nearly impossible to come by a 400 DO II. I am hoping that my efforts pay dividends fairly soon…. 100-400IIs are now in stock at B&H. The 400 DO II lenses continue to be in very short supply. The sooner you order, the sooner you will get yours; I am working closely with my contact at B&H to have the current orders expedited when a shipment does actually arrive.

To show your appreciation for my efforts here, we ask, as always, that you use our the B&H and Amazon affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your purchases. B&H Is recommended for you major photography gear purchases, Amazon for your household, entertainment, and general purpose stuff. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially Gitzo tripods, Wimberley tripod heads, 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 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.

Selling Your Used Photo 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 weeks we have sold nearly 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 the complete listings here. Six recently listed lenses have sold within the past week.

Featured Listings

Canon 300mm EF300mm f/2.8L IS USM Lens

IPT veteran Tom Blackman is offering a used Canon EF300mm f/2.8L IS USM lens (s/n 29811) in mint condition for $3,175. The sale includes all of the original items such as the lens trunk (hard case), the front and rear lens caps, the documentation, and insured shipping via Fed-Ex Ground. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Tom via e-mail or by phone at 619.807.5615 PDT.

Though I never owned this lens I borrowed it often and was quite impressed with the sharpness with and without TCs and with the relatively light weight. It was long the favorite lens of the world’s top raptor photographers.

Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM Lens

IPT veteran Tom Blackman is also offering a used Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM lens, the “old five,” (s/n 27104) in excellent condition for $4,275. The sale includes all of the original stuff such as the leather front hood, the lens trunk (hard case) with keys, the front leather hood and the rear lens cap, the documentation, a RRS foot as well as the original foot, a LensCoat, and insured shipping via either UPS or Fed-Ex Ground. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Tom via e-mail or by phone at 619.807.5615 PDT.

I owned and depended on the “old five” for well more than a decade. At one time it was clearly the world’s most popular super-telephoto lens. Purchasing this lens will leave you with a lot more cash for travel as compared to purchasing a 500 II….

Brand New Price Drop

Used Canon EF 300mm f/2.8 L IS II Lens

Price reduced $401 on 7/4/2015!

Arash Hazeghi is offering a used Canon EF 300mm f/2.8 L IS II lens in like-new condition for $4999. The sale includes the lens hood, the rear cap, the lens strap, the Canon lens trunk (hard case) with keys, A LensCoat Real Snow camo cover, and a LensCoat front lens cover (a $120 value). All packed in original Canon box and sent to you via Fed Ex insured Ground shipping. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Arash by e-mail at e-mail or by phone at 650-353-1866 (Pacific time zone). Photos of the lens and sample RAW files can be provided upon request.

The 300 II is amazingly sharp and deadly. It can easily be hand held by most folks including me. It is sick sharp even with the 2X TC. It is versatile. And with or without the 1.4X III TC is is a superb flight lens. Unlike me, Arash takes very good care of his gear. artie

Image Question

For me there is a single negative in the otherwise angelic image above. What do you think bugs me?

Hanging Back as a Strategy I

On our morning landings we want to exit the boat quickly as there are two prime locations and lots of photographers; we want and need to get our boys and girls and ourselves into the best situations. Over two years of visits we have learned that there are–depending in part on the wind–several benefits to not rushing off the boat. With white sky conditions and the wind behind us I was one of the last to exit the boat. On purpose. There were about 70 folks in the queue waiting to show their landing passes to the rangers. I stayed well back on the dock, grabbed my 100-400II/7D II, set the exposure as above, and photographed the terns kiting above the visitors in protest. With the fairly brisk wind they birds would often stay in place for a half minute or more. 7D II AF performed beautifully even in the low light/low contrast situation; nearly all of the 36 images in the series were sharp on the eye (though many were mis-framed as the terns shifted position in the wind).

Hanging Back as a Strategy II

Once the throng of visitors had made their way up the hill old friend and IPT veteran Bill Lloyd and I followed. By luck, we spotted a very young Arctic Tern chick on a small patch of grass on the left side of the path in a spot where the fence had given way. We both grabbed our versatile 100-400 IIs and sat on the far right side of the path. The chick was only about six feet from us, no problem at all with the great close focusing ability of the 100-400 II. We had some great chances that were interrupted for a bit as more than a few cell phone toting visitors–completely oblivious to our presence–stopped right in front of us to grab a few snaps. None-the-less we had some great chances. Participant Pascal Favre, a first time IPTer from Switzerland, came back down the hill and joined us for a bit.

100-400 II Versatility Continued…

As you have seen here often the 100-400 II is a superb flight lens. It is easily hand held by most folks. It’s close focusing ability makes it deadly for both small subjects and close subjects. Its fabulous 4-stop Image Stabilization system allows folks to create sharp images at relatively slow shutter speeds. And the 4:1 zoom range makes it ideal for a great variety of subjects.

Bear Boat/Bears Catching Salmon IPT: September 1-8, 2015 from Kodiak, AK/6 FULL & 2 1/2 DAYS: $6699. Happy campers only! Maximum 8/Openings: 3. Plus the leader: Arthur Morris.

This trip is a go.

Join me in Katmai National Park, AK for seven days of photographing Coastal Brown Bears (grizzlies) catching salmon, fattening up for the long winter. Other subjects will include Mew and Glaucous-winged Gulls in flight and dip-feeding on salmon roe. Did I mention that we live on a boat and that the food is great? Most of our photography will be done in a variety of famed locations: Geographic Harbor, Kinak Bay, and Kukak Bay. We once had 39 bears fishing the creek at Kukak….

It is mandatory that you be in Kodiak no later than the late afternoon of August 31, 2015 September to avoid missing the float planes to the boat on the morning of September 1. With air travel in AK being what it is, with the chance of fog or other bad weather–being on Kodiak on August 30 is an even better plan). I will be on Kodiak on August 30 to avoid any potential disaster. That said in my nearly a dozen bear boat trips I was delayed only once but since I was day early as noted above there was no harm, no foul.

We will take one or more float planes to the boat mid-morning on September 1. We will photograph bears fishing that afternoon and every day for the next six days (weather permitting of course). We should have bears catching salmon every day. In addition, we will get some nice stuff on Mew Gull and Glaucous-winged Gulls dining on roe and the remains of predated salmon. We may–depending on where the concentrations of bears are–get to photograph Harbor seals and some hauled out Steller’s Sea Lions (an endangered species). Halibut fishing (license required) is optional. On September 8, our last morning on the boat, those who would like to enjoy one last photo session will do so. The group returns to Kodiak via float plane midday. Most folks will fly to Anchorage and then continue on red-eye flights to their home cities.

The eight days will consist of six full days (Sept 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, & 7) of photography featuring lots of Coastal Brown Bears catching salmon as above plus a variety of other natural history subjects plus some nice scenic photography that I forgot to mention above. Plus the first afternoon and the last morning.

What’s included? 8 DAYS/7 NIGHTS on the boat as above. All meals on the boat. (The food is quite excellent.) National Park fees. One night’s double occupancy lodging on Kodiak; arrive: Sept 1/depart: Sept 2. The thank-you-in-advance dinner on Sept 1. In-the-field photo tips, instruction, and guidance. An insight into the mind of a top professional; I will constantly let you know what I am thinking, what I am doing, and why I am doing it. Small group image review, image sharing, and Photoshop instruction on the boat.

What’s not included: Your round trip airfare to and from Kodiak, AK (almost surely through Anchorage). All necessary lodging other than the cost of your double occupancy room on the night of August 31 should you opt to arrive early–we can arrange that in advance for you. We will let you know the cost of a single supplement for the one night if so desired. The cost of the round-trip float plane to the boat on September 2 and back to Kodiak on September 9. The cost of a round trip this year was $500. The suggested crew tip of $210.

Is this an expensive trip? Yes, of course. But with 6 full and two half days, a wealth of great subjects, and the fact that you will be walking with the bears just yards away (or less….) it will be one of the great natural history experiences of your life. Most folks who take part in a Bear Boat IPT wind up coming back for more.

A $2,000 per person non-refundable deposit by check only made out to “Arthur Morris” is required to hold your spot. Please click here to read our cancellation policy. Then please print, read, and sign the necessary paperwork here and send it to us.

Your deposit is due immediately. That will leave a balance of $4699. The next payment of $2699 will be due on February 15, 2015. The final payment of $2000 is due on May 1, 2015.

I hope that you can join us for this wondrously exciting trip.

By e-mail from Bill Keown, veteran of three bear boat trips!

Hi Artie, What a great trip! With the exception of the one bright sunny day it was just great. Very different from my first trip in June where we only had the bears clamming; the fishing bears were amazing! As always I learned a lot and enjoyed the group immensely. All the Best, Bill

Facebook

Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right. Tanks a stack!

Support the BAA Blog. Support the BAA Bulletins: Shop B&H here!

We want and need to keep providing you with the latest free information, photography and Photoshop lessons, and all manner of related information. Show your appreciation by making your purchases immediately after clicking on any of our B&H or Amazon Affiliate links in this blog post. Remember, B&H ain’t just photography!

Amazon.com

Those who prefer to support BAA by shopping with Amazon may use this link:

Amazon Canada

Many kind folks from north of the border, eh, have e-mailed stating that they would love to help us out by using one of our affiliate links but that living in Canada and doing so presents numerous problems. Now, they can help us out by using our Amazon Canada affiliate link by starting their searches by clicking here. Many thanks to those who have written.

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 Wednesday afternoon a huge thunderstorm hit the puffin island 15 minutes earlier than predicted at 3:45pm. Sideways hail and rain with 40+ mph winds left most folks drenched; the rule in Northumberland is to always have your rain gear along…. Lightning flashed and thunder boomed; our boatman skillfully got us back to port. The storm knocked out internet for about a day and a half. Thus, there was no blog post on Thursday.

Selling Your Used Photo 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 weeks we have sold nearly 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 the complete listings here.

Recent News

Four more recently-listed lenses sold with the past few days. With the demands of cooking for 12, now 13 folks, and with the internet down for a good bit, I am once again far, far behind in updating the used gear page and answering e-mails. Heck, denise and I have barely had time to breathe…. I may have some time to catch up today. If I missed an important e-mail please re-send it. I will do my best.

600 II vs 100-400II

Though I have lugged the 600II on every landing, I used it only briefly until Thursday afternoon, and even then the 100-400II proved very valuable. The 100-400 II is lightweight, easily hand holdable, and super-sharp. With the 7D II it offers lots of reach, especially with the 1.4X III TC in place. As shown in today’s image, it is extremely versatile; without being able to zoom out I’d have seriously clipped the puffin’s wings. Lastly it’s ridiculously short minimum focusing distance of less than a meter, or about 3 feet, two inches, allows the creative photographer to envision and create images that simply were not possible before the release of this lens.

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Lens In Stock

For the very first time since its release, B&H has the 100-400 II in stock, ready to be shipped to you. Simply click on the logo link immediately above or use the product-specific text links in any blog post to purchase yours while supporting my efforts here on the blog .

The 100-400 II vs the 200-400 with Internal TC

As expected, I have received several e-mails asking for a comparison of these two great lenses, the Canon EF 100-400mm II and the Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Lens with Internal 1.4x Extender. You should find find my detailed analysis here within a week.

The Single Negative?

What do you think is the biggest negative in this image?

Facebook

Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right. Tanks a stack!

Support the BAA Blog. Support the BAA Bulletins: Shop B&H here!

We want and need to keep providing you with the latest free information, photography and Photoshop lessons, and all manner of related information. Show your appreciation by making your purchases immediately after clicking on any of our B&H or Amazon Affiliate links in this blog post. Remember, B&H ain’t just photography!

Amazon.com

Those who prefer to support BAA by shopping with Amazon may use this link:

Amazon Canada

Many kind folks from north of the border, eh, have e-mailed stating that they would love to help us out by using one of our affiliate links but that living in Canada and doing so presents numerous problems. Now, they can help us out by using our Amazon Canada affiliate link by starting their searches by clicking here. Many thanks to those who have written.

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 :).

Stuff

Our red eye flight to EDI was a piece of cake. I actually slept pretty well. Denise did not. We met the group at about 10:15 am, met met our transfer truck right on time, picked up our rental vehicles, stopped for a great lunch, and arrived at our lodgings just after 3:00pm. Then it was off to the local market for a group shopping trip. It was really great fun. Then your truly prepared a sumptuous dinner of baked chicken thighs, steamed cauliflower, and steamed kale. It was the first time for me and several others. It is super healthy, really tasty, and went great with the cauliflower. With lots of butter.

It is scheduled to be published automatically at 9:00am eastern time on Tuesday, June 30. Tomorrow is our first puffin boat trip; everyone on the sold out UK Puffins and Gannets IPT is thrilled (and that includes the two leaders!) This blog post is the 172nd in a row.

Par For the Course…

I’ve done this a few times. Yet each time for me is more exciting than the last. With all of my diabetic needs and supps it is not possible for me to travel with one checked bag so two it is, here are 47 and 45 pounds respectively.

The 29 inch Samsonite Four-wheel Spinners

About two years denise introduced me to these great bags. They allow me to get around airports without having to rent a luggage cart; heck, as much as I travel they have already paid for themselves.

Recently, after having one of her soft-sided spinners wrecked during a flight, she switched to one of the Samsonite Hard-sided 4-wheel Spinners You will need to scroll down. In the meantime, mine have held up quite well, even the zippers.

Laptop Security Tip

If you are not lucky enough to get TSA-Pre-Check, the tendency is, when you are going through security, to grab one of the large plastic trays, put your laptop in it, and place it on the belt first. Bad idea. I did that twice today and twice the tray with my Macbook Pro Retina was nearly toppled off the end of the belt by the stuff behind it. From now on it is everything else first, laptop last.

Think Tank Airport Security™ V 2.0 Rolling Camera Bag

It is very simple, without my Think Tank Airport Security™ V 2.0 Rolling Camera Bag, I am not going anywhere with my 600 II. Above it comes in at a svelte 44.25 pounds, 4 1/4 pounds heavier than the legal US limit. I have only twice been hassled for roll aboard weight, once flying out of Nairobi, and once in London. Be sure to have a big smile for the gate agent. Pull your rolling bag with the laptop bag atop it on the side opposite the gate agent. In other words, if you are handing over your boarding pass with your right hand, be sure to be pulling your roll-aboard with your left hand with the bag somewhat hidden behind you. And that goes triple if you are wearing a photo vest. Again, I have been hassled about the vest only a very few times in three decades of flying around the world. And I have always talked my way past the agents. Being a diabetic carrying insulin in the vest has saved me on occasion.

Think Tank Urban Disguise Laptop Shoulder Bag

Both denise and I use and love this amazing bag as it has tons of room and enables us to bring tons of extra stuff. A nine inch band of fabric allows you to easily slide the laptop bag safely and securely onto the extended handle of your Think Tank roller. If you take a close look at Jen’s image you should be able to note that feature. Combined with the two Samsonite spinners this allows me to make it through airports easily on my own without a cart. Carpeted areas can be a challenge with the spinners….

Please click on my Think Tank affiliate link here to earn a free gift when you purchase either a Think Tank Rolling Bag or an Urban Disguise laptop bag.

Delkin Flash Cards

As always, both denise and I will have a 64gb Delkin e-Film Pro Flash Card in each camera body so that we 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….

Bosque del Apache 2015 BIRDS AS ART/A Creative Adventure Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT). 3-FULL DAY IPT: NOV 22-24, 2015. $1149. Two great leaders: Denise Ippolito and Arthur Morris. Meet and greet and introductory slide program after dinner on your own at 7:00pm on SAT NOV 21.

Tens of thousands of Snow Geese, 10,000 Sandhill Cranes, ducks, amazing sunrises, sunsets, and blast-offs. Live, eat, and breathe photography with two of the world’s premier photographic educators at one of their very favorite photography locations on the planet. Top-notch in-the-field and Photoshop instruction. This will make 21 consecutive Novembers at Bosque for artie. This will be denise’s 7th workshop at the refuge. Nobody knows the place better than artie does. Join us to learn to think like a pro, to recognize situations and to anticipate them based on the weather, especially the sky conditions, the light, and the wind direction. Every time we make a move we will let you know why. When you head home being able to apply what you’ve learned on your home turf will prove to be invaluable.

This workshop includes 3 morning and 3 afternoon photography sessions, an inspirational introductory slide program after dinner on your own on Saturday, 11/21, all lunches, and after-lunch digital workflow, Photoshop, and image critiquing sessions.

There is never a strict itinerary on a Bosque IPT as each day is tailored to the local conditions at the time and to the weather. We are totally flexible in order to maximize both the photographic and learning opportunities. We are up early each day leaving the hotel by 5:30 am to be in position for sunrise. We usually photograph until about 10:30am. Then it is back to Socorro for lunch and then a classroom session with the group most days. We head back to the refuge at about 3:30pm each day and photograph until sunset. We will be photographing lots of Snow Geese and lots of Sandhill Cranes with the emphasis on expanding both your technical skills and your creativity.

A $449 non-refundable deposit is required to hold your slot for this IPT. Your balance, payable only by check, will be due on 7/25/2015. If you cancel and the trip fills, we will be glad to apply a credit applicable to a future IPT for the full amount less a $100 processing fee. 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.

Please print, complete, and sign the form that is linked to here and shoot it to us along with your deposit check (made out to “Arthur Morris.”) You can also leave your deposit with a credit card by calling the office at 863-692-0906. 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.

Bosque del Apache 2015 BIRDS AS ART/A Creative Adventure Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT). 4-DAY IPT: (three full and two 1/2 DAYS) NOV 28-DEC 2, 2015. $1499. Two great leaders: Denise Ippolito and Arthur Morris. Meet and greet at 3pm on SAT NOV 28 followed by an afternoon photo session at the crane pools and the introductory slide program after dinner on your own.

Tens of thousands of Snow Geese, 10,000 Sandhill Cranes, ducks, amazing sunrises, sunsets, and blast-offs. Live, eat, and breathe photography with two of the world’s premier photographic educators at one of their very favorite photography locations on the planet. Top-notch in-the-field and Photoshop instruction. This will make 21 consecutive Novembers at Bosque for artie. This will be denise’s 7th workshop at the refuge. Nobody knows the place better than artie does. Join us to learn to think like a pro, to recognize situations and to anticipate them based on the weather, especially the sky conditions, the light, and the wind direction. Every time we make a move we will let you know why. When you head home being able to apply what you’ve learned on your home turf will prove to be invaluable.

This workshop includes 4 afternoon (11/28through 12/1), 4 morning (11/29 to 12/2) photography sessions, an inspirational introductory slide program after dinner on your own on Saturday, 11/28, all lunches, and after-lunch digital workflow, Photoshop, and image critiquing sessions.

There is never a strict itinerary on a Bosque IPT as each day is tailored to the local conditions at the time and to the weather. We are totally flexible in order to maximize both the photographic and learning opportunities. We are up early each day leaving the hotel by 5:30 am to be in position for sunrise. We usually photograph until about 10:30am. Then it is back to Socorro for lunch and then a classroom session with the group most days. We head back to the refuge at about 3:30pm each day and photograph until sunset. We will be photographing lots of Snow Geese and lots of Sandhill Cranes with the emphasis on expanding both your technical skills and your creativity.

A $599 non-refundable deposit is required to hold your slot for this IPT. Your balance, payable only by check, will be due on 7/25/2015. If you cancel and the trip fills, we will be glad to apply a credit applicable to a future IPT for the full amount less a $100 processing fee. 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.

Please print, complete, and sign the form that is linked to here and shoot it to us along with your deposit check (made out to “Arthur Morris.”) You can also leave your deposit with a credit card by calling the office at 863-692-0906. 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.

Facebook

Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right. Tanks a stack!

Support the BAA Blog. Support the BAA Bulletins: Shop B&H here!

We want and need to keep providing you with the latest free information, photography and Photoshop lessons, and all manner of related information. Show your appreciation by making your purchases immediately after clicking on any of our B&H or Amazon Affiliate links in this blog post. Remember, B&H ain’t just photography!

Amazon.com

Those who prefer to support BAA by shopping with Amazon may use this link:

Amazon Canada

Many kind folks from north of the border, eh, have e-mailed stating that they would love to help us out by using one of our affiliate links but that living in Canada and doing so presents numerous problems. Now, they can help us out by using our Amazon Canada affiliate link by starting their searches by clicking here. Many thanks to those who have written.

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 :).

Stuff

Again I spent a good part of Saturday working on old image files…. And I started packing my checked bags. This blog post, which took me about 1 1/4 hours to assemble, is the 170th in a row. It was published just before 5:30am on Saturday, June 28, 2015. I fly to Newark today to meet up with denise for our red-eye flight to Edinburgh, Scotland.

Please Help Support My Work on the BAA Blog

Thanks a Stack! June has been a Great Month.

The last two weeks have been quite rewarding. Thanks a stack to the many who used our B&H links for purchases large and small. Right now I am working closely with my B&H rep to have four 400 DO and two 100-400 II BAA Affiliate orders expedited. It has been nearly impossible to come by a 400 DO II. I am hoping that my efforts pay dividends fairly soon…. The supply of 100-400IIs has been much more steady with availability every week to ten days.

To show your appreciation for my efforts here, we ask, as always, that you use our the B&H and Amazon affiliate links on the right side of the blog for all of your purchases. B&H Is recommended for you major photography gear purchases, Amazon for your household, entertainment, and general purpose stuff. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially Gitzo tripods, Wimberley tripod heads, 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 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.

Big Glass Advice Request…

An e-mail from SB:

Artie, Hope your summer is going well. I just watched your B&H video with Denise on Pleasing Blurs; lovely stuff. You guys have inspired me to try some! Thanks.

Be mindful that my biggest two lenses at the moment are 300mm F/4L IS and the 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II. I also own the 24-105mm zoom and both the 1.4X III and the 2X III TCs.

Option 1:

Canon 600mm f/4L IS II
Canon 500mm f/4L IS II
Canon 300mm f/2.8L IS II

Option 2:

Canon 600mm f/4L IS II
Canon 400mm f/2.8L IS II
Canon 300mm f/2.8L IS II

Option 3:

Canon 500mm f/4L IS II
Canon 400mm f/2.8L IS II
Canon 300mm f/2.8L IS II

Option 4:

Canon 600mm f/4L IS II
Canon 500mm f/4L IS II
Canon 400mm f/2.8L IS II

Here is the e-mail conversation that followed:

AM: Where do you photograph?
SB: Mostly in Ohio where I live.
AM: What do you like to photograph?
SB: All types of birds. And I love to do flight photography.
AM: Do you travel to Africa, Antarctica, the Galapagos or similar places with either large animals or very tame birds?
SB: Nope.
AM: Do you go out west to photograph large mammals in low light?
SB: Nope.
AM: How old are you?
SB: 50.
AM: Are you fairly fit?
SB: Yes, fairly.
AM: Give me a call at the office and we can do a phone consult. BTW, if you’d like to learn more about creating pleasing blurs, check out A Guide to Pleasing Blurs by Denise Ippolito and Arthur Morris.

Your Call

#1: Which of the options above would you recommend for SB? Why? (Try not to let the fact that you will be earning a 3.5% commission on the total influence your answer.)
#2: If none of the above, what combination of lenses would you recommend for him? Why?
#3: Which intermediate telephoto lens would you recommend? Why?
#4: Would you recommend that he consider the 200-400II f/4L IS II with Internal TC? Why?
#5: Which of the super-telephotos on his list would you suggest that he definitely not buy? Why?
#6: Would you recommend an additional camera body? Why?
7: What other advice would you give SB?

I will share my answers to the above with y’all here soon. artie

Bosque del Apache 2015 BIRDS AS ART/A Creative Adventure Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT). 3-FULL DAY IPT: NOV 22-24, 2015. $1149. Two great leaders: Denise Ippolito and Arthur Morris. Meet and greet and introductory slide program after dinner on your own at 7:00pm on SAT NOV 21.

Tens of thousands of Snow Geese, 10,000 Sandhill Cranes, ducks, amazing sunrises, sunsets, and blast-offs. Live, eat, and breathe photography with two of the world’s premier photographic educators at one of their very favorite photography locations on the planet. Top-notch in-the-field and Photoshop instruction. This will make 21 consecutive Novembers at Bosque for artie. This will be denise’s 7th workshop at the refuge. Nobody knows the place better than artie does. Join us to learn to think like a pro, to recognize situations and to anticipate them based on the weather, especially the sky conditions, the light, and the wind direction. Every time we make a move we will let you know why. When you head home being able to apply what you’ve learned on your home turf will prove to be invaluable.

This workshop includes 3 morning and 3 afternoon photography sessions, an inspirational introductory slide program after dinner on your own on Saturday, 11/21, all lunches, and after-lunch digital workflow, Photoshop, and image critiquing sessions.

There is never a strict itinerary on a Bosque IPT as each day is tailored to the local conditions at the time and to the weather. We are totally flexible in order to maximize both the photographic and learning opportunities. We are up early each day leaving the hotel by 5:30 am to be in position for sunrise. We usually photograph until about 10:30am. Then it is back to Socorro for lunch and then a classroom session with the group most days. We head back to the refuge at about 3:30pm each day and photograph until sunset. We will be photographing lots of Snow Geese and lots of Sandhill Cranes with the emphasis on expanding both your technical skills and your creativity.

A $449 non-refundable deposit is required to hold your slot for this IPT. Your balance, payable only by check, will be due on 7/25/2015. If you cancel and the trip fills, we will be glad to apply a credit applicable to a future IPT for the full amount less a $100 processing fee. 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.

Please print, complete, and sign the form that is linked to here and shoot it to us along with your deposit check (made out to “Arthur Morris.”) You can also leave your deposit with a credit card by calling the office at 863-692-0906. 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.

Bosque del Apache 2015 BIRDS AS ART/A Creative Adventure Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT). 4-DAY IPT: (three full and two 1/2 DAYS) NOV 28-DEC 2, 2015. $1499. Two great leaders: Denise Ippolito and Arthur Morris. Meet and greet at 3pm on SAT NOV 28 followed by an afternoon photo session at the crane pools and the introductory slide program after dinner on your own.

Tens of thousands of Snow Geese, 10,000 Sandhill Cranes, ducks, amazing sunrises, sunsets, and blast-offs. Live, eat, and breathe photography with two of the world’s premier photographic educators at one of their very favorite photography locations on the planet. Top-notch in-the-field and Photoshop instruction. This will make 21 consecutive Novembers at Bosque for artie. This will be denise’s 7th workshop at the refuge. Nobody knows the place better than artie does. Join us to learn to think like a pro, to recognize situations and to anticipate them based on the weather, especially the sky conditions, the light, and the wind direction. Every time we make a move we will let you know why. When you head home being able to apply what you’ve learned on your home turf will prove to be invaluable.

This workshop includes 4 afternoon (11/28through 12/1), 4 morning (11/29 to 12/2) photography sessions, an inspirational introductory slide program after dinner on your own on Saturday, 11/28, all lunches, and after-lunch digital workflow, Photoshop, and image critiquing sessions.

There is never a strict itinerary on a Bosque IPT as each day is tailored to the local conditions at the time and to the weather. We are totally flexible in order to maximize both the photographic and learning opportunities. We are up early each day leaving the hotel by 5:30 am to be in position for sunrise. We usually photograph until about 10:30am. Then it is back to Socorro for lunch and then a classroom session with the group most days. We head back to the refuge at about 3:30pm each day and photograph until sunset. We will be photographing lots of Snow Geese and lots of Sandhill Cranes with the emphasis on expanding both your technical skills and your creativity.

A $599 non-refundable deposit is required to hold your slot for this IPT. Your balance, payable only by check, will be due on 7/25/2015. If you cancel and the trip fills, we will be glad to apply a credit applicable to a future IPT for the full amount less a $100 processing fee. 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.

Please print, complete, and sign the form that is linked to here and shoot it to us along with your deposit check (made out to “Arthur Morris.”) You can also leave your deposit with a credit card by calling the office at 863-692-0906. 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.

Facebook

Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right. Tanks a stack!

Support the BAA Blog. Support the BAA Bulletins: Shop B&H here!

We want and need to keep providing you with the latest free information, photography and Photoshop lessons, and all manner of related information. Show your appreciation by making your purchases immediately after clicking on any of our B&H or Amazon Affiliate links in this blog post. Remember, B&H ain’t just photography!

Amazon.com

Those who prefer to support BAA by shopping with Amazon may use this link:

Amazon Canada

Many kind folks from north of the border, eh, have e-mailed stating that they would love to help us out by using one of our affiliate links but that living in Canada and doing so presents numerous problems. Now, they can help us out by using our Amazon Canada affiliate link by starting their searches by clicking here. Many thanks to those who have written.

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 :).