Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

This image of a hunting Cheetah was created with a Wimberley V-2 head atop a Todd-Pod-mounted Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens and the Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 3200. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/640 sec. at f/8 in Manual mode. Image courtesy of and copyright 2013: Dennis Behn

…..

This is a second frame from the cheetah hunt series; it was created 7 seconds before the image above. Gear and exposure were all the same. Image courtesy of and copyright 2013: Dennis Behn

Denny Behn

Denny Behn and his lovely wife Connie joined Todd and me for last summer’s Tanzania photo-safari-both sweet as sugar. Connie made some point and shoot images, shot some video, and otherwise simply enjoyed Africa. And Denny was eager to learn to make better images; I have never seen anyone improve so much in the space of two weeks. Denny showed what’s possible if you stay close, ask a ton of questions, and take advantage of the informal computer sessions that are offered every day. Thanks a stack to Denny for sharing his safari story with us in today’s blog post.

This image of a Leopard with its Thomson’s Gazelle prey was created with the Wimberley V-2 head atop a Todd-Pod-mounted Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens and the Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 3200. Evaluative metering +1 1/3 stops: 1/320 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual mode. Image courtesy of and copyright 2013: Dennis Behn This image should look familiar to regular readers. When we find something great on safari we strive to get all of our vehicles in position to make great images. That’s just what we did here. Then Denny did his job by applying what he had learned in only a few days. And he created a superb image.

My Safari Experience, by Denny Behn

Our trip to Tanzania this year with Artie and Todd Gustafson was amazing to say the least! Organization of the trip was perfect; hotels, travel, everything went off without a hitch. And our safari vehicles were the best setup I have ever seen for photography. This trip was first class in every way. And as for game sightings we could not have asked for more. I had hoped above all hope to see a cheetah or a lion hunt, and we saw both. And perhaps we might see a wildebeest crossing, and we saw many, or a leopard in a tree with a kill, saw that… it was unbelievable!

This tight image of Wildebeests crossing the Mara River was created with the Wimberley V-2 head atop a Todd-Pod-mounted Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens and the Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 3200. Evaluative metering -1/3 stop: 1/1600 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual mode. Image courtesy of and copyright 2013: Dennis Behn

You go on a trip like this to get photos you cannot get in any other way. But for me, the constant instruction was invaluable. There was no question asked that did not get thorough attention until one worked it out. Instruction was hands on, but even more than that there was much to be learned by simply watching two pros at work. It doesn’t get any better than that.

Here, Denny got a great image of a lioness chasing a large snack. With flamingos in the background. This image was created with the Wimberley V-2 head atop a Todd-Pod-mounted Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens and the Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 800. Evaluative metering at zero: 1/5000 sec. at f/7.1 in Manual mode. Image courtesy of and copyright 2013: Dennis Behn

I learned a lot about light and composition, and how to look for a photo and actually get the shot. Artie and Todd usually had several good photos taken before I could get around to it. I teased Todd that he was the only photographer I know of with a “zoom” 600mm f4, as he was able to change teleconverters faster than anything I have ever seen! I also learned to look for a photograph and not just shoot pictures.

These Spotted Hyenas with the head of a lion-killed Wildebeest were photographed with a Wimberley V-2 head atop a Todd-Pod-mounted Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens, the Canon 1.4x EF Extender III (Teleconverter), and the Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 800. Evaluative metering =2/3 stop: 1/4000 sec. at f/5.6 in Av Manual mode. Image courtesy of and copyright 2013: Dennis Behn

In the evenings, Artie sat by his computer and showed many of his shots from the day, what he planned to keep and what he would throw away, and why. He also showed us how to optimize a photo of our own and that was an incredible learning experience as well. Artie is a Photoshop wizard and after seeing his own personal optimized shots it was easy to see why he is the best at what he does.! I am forever grateful for the trip of a lifetime.

This Common Shrike image was created with a Wimberley V-2 head atop a Todd-Pod-mounted Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens, the Canon 2x EF Extender III (Teleconverter), and the Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 1600. Evaluative metering -1/3 stop: 1/400 sec. at f/8 in Manual mode. Image courtesy of and copyright 2013: Dennis Behn

Denny and the Shrikes

On the first few days of the safari, Denny was obsessed with the shrikes. If he saw a shrike anywhere, he would shout “Stop” to the driver guide. We patiently explained to him that by stopping for distant birds sitting on ugly perches that he was likely missing out on excellent opportunities. I worked with him every day at the computer (while many others grabbed much needed rest). I showed him what a pleasing perch looks like. I explained the benefits of using the 2X III TC with his 600 II when photographing relatively small birds. The image above, a lovely bird, sharp, on a beautiful perch, with a distant sweet background, is the culmination of the time we spent together at my laptop.

Big Cat Chase Photographer

Consider the following: after 8 safaris, I have created exactly zero big cat chase images. Did Denny have good safari luck? Absolutely. But more importantly, he used his newly learned skills to create several great images that leave me a bit envious. But very proud.

2014 Tanzania Summer Safari

This morning I learned of our first sign-up, multiple IPT veteran and all around good guy Jean-Luc Vailant who wrote: Count me in. I’ll mail the check this week. Jluc That is great news. Since we were prepared to go with only a single registrant I can purchase my flights this week! (Note: you can see some of Jean-Luc’s very fine images from the 2013 Galapagos Photo-Cruise in An Eye for Design here.)

If you are interested in joining us in Tanzania next summer please shoot me an e-mail and I will be glad to forward you the PDF with dates, itinerary, and price.

Bosque IPTs/Late Registration Discounts Increased

It’s Getting Late!

Register now; apply a $1000 discount to the 7-DAY IPT!

For information on both the 7-Day and the recently announced short version of the 2013 Bosque IPTs please scroll down here. If you would like to join us for the first 3 or 4 days of this IPT please shoot me an e-mail. Please call Jim at 863-692-0906 or e-mail for late registration discount info.

BIRDS AS ART 2nd International Bird Photography Competition

Learn more and enter the BIRDS AS ART 2nd International Bird Photography Competition here. Twenty-five great prizes including the $1000 Grand Prize and intense competition. Bring your best.

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

Everyone buys something from Amazon, be it a big lens or deodorant. Support the blog by starting your search by starting your search by clicking on the logo-link below. No purchase is too small to be appreciated; they all add up. Why make it a habit? Because I make it a habit of bringing you new images and information on an almost daily basis.

Typos

In all blog posts and Bulletins feel free to e-mail or leave a comment regarding any typos, wrong words, misspellings, omissions, or grammatical errors. Just be right. 🙂

IPT Info

Many of our great trips are filling up. You will learn more about how to make great images on a BAA IPT than anywhere else on the planet. Click here for the schedule and additional info.

BAA Bulletin #451

BAA Bulletin #451 is online and can be accessed by clicking here.

• Chilean Patagonia Trip Report
• 300 II or 200-400 with Internal Extender?
• Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens
• BIRDS AS ART 2nd International Bird Photography Competition
• BAA Site Guide Kudos
• 2014 Tanzania Summer Safari
• Flight Plan
• Alan Murphy Guides
• Affiliate Links
• IPT INFO

Relevant to today’s blog post that begins immediately below is item 2 above (in red) “300 II or 200-400 with Internal Extender?” Best advice: give it a read after perusing today’s post.

Canon/Nikon Rejoinder

Before the Nikon folks go off on a big rant I need them to understand that both systems are superb, that good photographers make good images with whatever gear they have in their hands, that great photographers make great images with whatever gear they have in their hands, and that two of my best friends and two of the most talented photographers that I know use Nikon gear. Below I attempt to be as honest and as objective as possible. I am fine if you wish to disagree with me by leaving a civil comment. 🙂

This image shows my gear in the back of my Toyota Sequoia in 2008. When I am photographing from the car it looks much the same today but for a different set of lenses and bodies. Do understand that making good photographs has much more to do with what is in your head, your heart, your soul, and your gut–can you say “determination”? than it has to do with what’s in your gear bag….

Big Lens Choices for Canon and Nikon–As I See Them….

The 600 & 800mm Lenses

If you love to do birds, especially small wild birds, and especially birds that are ridiculously tame, and you are capable of carrying a heavy lens and are willing to work on a sturdy tripod nearly all of the time, your choices are fairly obvious. You will want either a 600mm f/4L IS or VR lens or the 800mm f/5.6L IS or VR lens.

Here are the basics for these great lenses:

Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens

Weight: 8.65 lbs Current B&H price: $12,799

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4G ED VR AF lens

Weight: 11.16 lbs Current B&H price: $9,799

Analysis: aside from price, the advantage goes to Canon. Most folks will overlook the following: many Canon users (including and especially me) successfully use the Canon 2x EF Extender III (teleconverter) with their f/4 super-telephoto lenses. Very few Nikon folks have had success using the Nikon TC-20E III 2x Teleconverter for AF-S & AF-I lenses with their big lenses. Nearly all report sharpness issues. Most but not all Nikon folks who use the Nikon TC-17E II 1.7x Teleconverter for AF-S & AF-I lenses have no trouble creating sharp images with the 1.7 TCE. For folks with excellent sharpness techniques the huge advantage here goes to Canon as 1,200mm is a far cry from either 840mm or 1020mm….

Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Autofocus ens

Weight: 9.86 lbs Current B&H price: $13,249

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 800mm f/5.6E FL ED VR lens

Weight: 10.12 lbs Current B&H price: $17,896.95

Analysis: I loved my Canon 800 for its incredible sharpness, fast focusing, and the great 4-stop IS system. I have never seen a Nikon 800mm or spoken to anyone who owns a copy; though the prices seems prohibitive I am sure that it is a killer lens. I eventually sold my 800 as the 600 II used with either TC gave me much more versatility. For more on the topic of 600 vs. 800 click here or here.

The 500mm f/4 Lenses

Those who want a long super-telephoto lens, would like to hand hold all or some of the time, and know that a 600mm is not right for them, need to consider one of the great 500mm f/4 lenses.

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

Weight: 7.04 lbs Current B&H price: $10,399

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/4G ED VR II AF lens (Black)

Weight: 8.54 lbs Current B&H price: $8,399

Analysis: again the price advantage goes to Nikon but it is all downhill from there. With Canon’s 1 1/2 pound weight advantage comes easier hand hold-ability. And again the Canon’s 2X TC sharpness superiority comes into play. Remember that the size of the subject in the frame is a function of the square of the focal length….
The 500mm f/4 super-telephotos have long been extremely popular choices.

The 400mm f/2.8 Lenses

Though the current Canon and Nikon versions are super sharp I have long dismissed the 400 f/2.8 lenses as being a great choice as a prime lens for bird photography. They are great lenses for folks who do large mammals (think out west or Africa for starters) or for folks who do lots of close range work at bird feeders but for most bird photographers choosing a 400 f/2.8 as their workhorse super-telephoto lens simply does not make sense to me.

Just for the record books:

Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens

Weight: 8.49 lbs Current B&H price: $10,999

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 400mm f/2.8G ED VR AF lens (Black)

Weight: 10.16 lbs Current B&H price: $8,999

Analysis: again the price advantage goes to Nikon but again it is all downhill from there. With Canon’s more than 1 1/2 pound weight advantage comes easier hand hold-ability. And again the Canon’s 2X TC sharpness superiority comes into play.

The 200-400 f/4 and the 300mm f/2.8 Lenses

If you like to do birds and if you like to hand hold and/or if you travel to places with lots of tame birds and large and small wildlife, then one of the two lenses in this group might be perfect for you. Let’s take a look.

Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Lens with Internal 1.4x Extender

Weight: 7.98 lbs Current B&H price: $11,799

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-400mm f/4G ED VR II Lens

Weight: 7.4 lbs Current B&H price: $6,749

Analysis: In spite of the small weight advantage and huge price advantage for Nikon, I still have to give the nod to the Canon 200-400 solely because of the revolutionary (at least for a dSLR lens) Built-in 1.4X Extender technology. From my Canon Digital Learning Center Focus On feature here:

There are many advantages to the internal TC. At about one second, set up is nearly instantaneous. For really skilled folks who store their TCs in a pocket without the front and rear caps, adding or removing an external TC might take as little as 10 seconds. Otherwise, 30 to 60 seconds or more would be the norm for most. You can add another 10 seconds or so for those who, as they should, turn the camera off and on to prevent dust from entering the system. With the internal TC, dust is of no concern at all. After working with the lens for an hour or two, sliding the lever down to engage the internal TC became second nature; the lever mechanism is smooth and painless. There is also a locking mechanism that some might find useful. I never use it and when I hit it accidentally and do not realize it, I find myself wishing that it was not there. Additionally, there is no need to rebalance the lens in the clamp as you should do when adding or removing an external TC; that saves another 10-15 seconds.

In the wildlife photography sense of time, even fractions of a second can be of huge importance. When a safari vehicle comes to a quick stop, you need to be ready to shoot now. Anticipating the framing is done as you are approaching the animal; the time saved by being able to simply flick the lever, as compared to adding or removing an external TC, is often the difference between making a great image and walking away empty handed. Being able to go wide in an instant allows you to create small in the frame/environmental type images without having to bother to change lenses.

In short, the EF 200-400mm f/4 L IS USM Extender 1.4x’s internal TC is a huge advantage.

Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens

Weight: 5.19 lbs Current B&H price: $6,799

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/2.8G ED VR II lens

Weight: 6.39 lbs Current B&H price: $5,799

Analysis: With the two Canon lenses here the 200-400 had the edge over the 300 in terms of versatility and maximum reach (784mm with both the internal and an external 1.4X TC > 600mm) but the 300 has a substantial weight advantage and is much more easily hand held than the 2-4. That said, despite the fact that the 200-400 weighs nearly a pound more than the 500 II and only 2/3 of a pound less than the 600 II, I find that the 2-4 is much easier to hand hold than the 500 II because of its smaller overall size and its more compact design. But the lighter weight and ease of hand holding may be the deciding factor for those who for a variety of reasons choose not to go the 500/600 f/4 route. Do understand that as much as I love the 200-400 that I do not bring it with me on all trips. On most trips where I need the reach of the 600II/2X III TC the 2-4 stays in the air conditioned garage….

With Nikon the analysis is similar and the lack of an internal TC does not make much of a difference for folks who are committed to the black side. The 1.2 pound weight advantage for the 300 makes it the clear choice for those who do lots of hand held flight photography. The Nikon 200-400 is a great lens for Africa whether or not you travel with a super-telephoto lens. And, just as the Canon 200-400, it would serve folks well on Galapagos or Southern Oceans trips.

Questions?

As always, folks with specific gear questions are invited to shoot me an e-mail.

Canon/Nikon Rejoinder II

As above, before the Nikon folks go off on a big rant I need them to understand that both systems are superb, that good photographers make good images with whatever gear they have in their hands, that great photographers make great images with whatever gear they have in their hands, and that two of my best friends and two of the most talented photographers that I know use Nikon gear. Below I attempt to be as honest and as objective as possible. I am fine if you wish to disagree with me by leaving a civil comment. 🙂

Canon Lens Specifications

Canon folks are invited to click here for a chart that contains most of the relevant specifications for big lenses including all of the original (i.e., older) super-telephotos.

Bosque IPTs/Late Registration Discounts Increased

It’s Getting Late!

For information on both the 7-Day and the recently announced short version of the 2013 Bosque IPTs please scroll down here. If you would like to join us for the first 3 or 4 days of this IPT please shoot me an e-mail. Please call Jim at 863-692-0906 or e-mail for late registration discount info.

BIRDS AS ART 2nd International Bird Photography Competition

Learn more and enter the BIRDS AS ART 2nd International Bird Photography Competition here. Twenty-five great prizes including the $1000 Grand Prize and intense competition. Bring your best.

2014 Tanzania Summer Safari

If you are interested in joining us in Tanzania next summer please shoot me an e-mail and I will be glad to forward you the PDF with dates, itinerary, and price.

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

Everyone buys something from Amazon, be it a big lens or deodorant. Support the blog by starting your search by starting your search by clicking on the logo-link below. No purchase is too small to be appreciated; they all add up. Why make it a habit? Because I make it a habit of bringing you new images and information on an almost daily basis.

Typos

In all blog posts and Bulletins feel free to e-mail or leave a comment regarding any typos, wrong words, misspellings, omissions, or grammatical errors. Just be right. 🙂

IPT Info

Many of our great trips are filling up. You will learn more about how to make great images on a BAA IPT than anywhere else on the planet. Click here for the schedule and additional info.

The original for this optimized Yellow-billed Pintail image was created with the Gitzo 3532 LS carbon fiber tripod, the Mongoose M3.6 head, the Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens, the Canon 2x EF Extender III (Teleconverter), and the Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/640 sec. at f/11 in Manual mode. Central sensor (by necessity) Expand/AI Servo Rear Focus AF on the upper breast just above the waterline active at the moment of exposure. Click here to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.

“Editing Practice/Yellow-billed Pintail: Keep One or Both?” Update and Reasoning

In the November 9, 2013 blog post (Editing Practice/Yellow-billed Pintail) here, folks were asked, “keep One or both?”

At first glance I was sure that the answer was Image B for the reasons given by multiple IPT veteran Alan Lillich (along with lovely wife Pat) who wrote in part, I would keep the second one. The bird’s pose and sharpness is the same in both. The second has a little more room above the head to the dark line of water. It also has more room to the first dark dot in front of the bird, more comfortable cloning space for me. I would crop it into a pano. Cut off the left just in front of the leftmost dark dot that the tail points to. Cut off the bottom just above the higher bit of reflection showing some yellow. Cut off the top just below the upper dark water, keeping the lowest semi-dark line and some lighter above it. Take nothing off the right, I like the circular waves.

But, however, a funny thing happened on the way to the Phorum. (Note: Phorum is not a typo :)).

After taking a close look at the two images, I realized that I liked the taller head and the elongated neck better in Image A as suggested by Ken Kovak who swam against the tide when he wrote (again in part), I am going to go against the trend of what is posted so far and select the first image. What decided for me is in the first(number 2894)image the duck’s neck is slightly more elongated and pleasing to me.

The Image Optimization

To create the optimized image that opens this blog post I went with image A and used the Patch Tool and the Clone Stamp Tool at 40% hardness to eliminate all the cruddy brown spots. You can check out the clean-up work and the crop in the animated GIF above. Be sure to give it a few moments to play.

Though Alan Lillich’s suggested crop would have worked well, I decided to place the bird near the upper left third because I really liked the white swirlies along the lower frame edge. The crop therefore, was from the left and the top.

All of my clean-up tools and techniques are described in detail in our in Digital Basics File, an instructional PDF that is sent via e-mail. It includes my complete digital workflow, dozens of great Photoshop tips, several different ways to expand canvas, all of my time-saving Keyboard Shortcuts, Quick Masking, Layer Masking, and NIK Color Efex Pro basics, and tons more.

Insane Deal on One of My Very Favorite Lenses

This amazing offers expires soon!

Right now B&H is offering one of my very favorite lenses, the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens, at the ridiculously low price of only $1899.00 The regular price is $2499.00. They are offering a limited quantity as follows: after clicking on one of the BAA affiliate links here proceed to checkout to receive the $2199.00 price. Follow that up with the mail-in-rebate $300.00. When the smoke clears you will own this great lens for only $1899. The rebate is good only for US purchasers. The $1899 is the lowest ever price anywhere. Get one today and earn a free contest entry.

Note: the rebate is good only for US purchasers. If you missed this blog post, ” Scenic, Wildlife, & B-roll Versatility,” click here. It featured a variety of images created at Torres del Paine with my 70-200 II,

I have this lens with me on every trip. I use it as above for scenics and habitat images. I use it to create bird scapes and images of groups of birds, for flight images of single birds with either TC and often with the 1.4X III TC for flocks in flight and for blast off blurs. It is a great travel and all purpose nature and wildlife lens. It is rare that I am in the field without having the 70-200 II on my shoulder via the Black Rapid S-7 strap.

…..

Bosque IPTs/Late Registration Discounts Increased!

For information on both the 7-Day and the recently announced short version of the 2013 Bosque IPTs please scroll down here. If you would like to join us for the first 3 or 4 days of this IPT please shoot me an e-mail. Please call Jim at 863-692-0906 or e-mail for late registration discount info.

BIRDS AS ART 2nd International Bird Photography Competition

Learn more and enter the BIRDS AS ART 2nd International Bird Photography Competition here. Twenty-five great prizes including the $1000 Grand Prize and intense competition. Bring your best.

2014 Tanzania Summer Safari

If you are interested in joining us in Tanzania next summer please shoot me an e-mail and I will be glad to forward you the PDF with dates, itinerary, and price.

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

Everyone buys something from Amazon, be it a big lens or deodorant. Support the blog by starting your search by starting your search by clicking on the logo-link below. No purchase is too small to be appreciated; they all add up. Why make it a habit? Because I make it a habit of bringing you new images and information on an almost daily basis.

Typos

In all blog posts and Bulletins feel free to e-mail or leave a comment regarding any typos, wrong words, misspellings, omissions, or grammatical errors. Just be right. 🙂

IPT Info

Many of our great trips are filling up. You will learn more about how to make great images on a BAA IPT than anywhere else on the planet. Click here for the schedule and additional info.

This image was created at Torres del Paine National Park, Chile with the hand held Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens, the Canon 1.4x EF Extender III (Teleconverter) (at 155mm), and the Canon EOS 5D Mark III Digital camera body ISO 400. Evaluative metering at zero: 1/640 sec. at f/8 in Manual mode. Two sensors below the central sensor/AI Servo Rear Focus/Suround AF as framed active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a larger version.

Scenic Image Versatility

Wherever on the planet I am photographing I find the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens to be a perfect adjunct to whatever big lens I am using. It fits perfectly with the 500mm II/a>, the 600II, and with the 200-400 with Internal 1.4X TC.

The image above shows the three Paine Towers with Condor Nest on our right. The towers are one of the park’s two iconic formations. We stopped when we noticed a bit of golden light on the two left-hand towers. While wide angle lenses often work well for landscape photography (see here) I often go to an intermediate telephoto lens to achieve much tighter and often more dramatic and detail revealing framing. That the 70-200 is capable of creating professionally sharp images with either the 1.4X III or the 2X III TC makes this fast lens even more versatile.

The image above was created from one of the RAW files that went into creating an in-camera HDR Art Vivid JPEG; I went with the RAW for two reasons: the color in the Art Vivid JPEG was a bit over the top and hand holding in the high winds resulted in a fine black outlining of the peaks. I used both Color Efex Pro and Viveza to punch up the image while trying to avoid over-doing things. I am happy with the result.

You can learn everything that you need to know about creating in-camera HDRs and Multiple Exposures with your 5D III in our 5D Mark III User’s Guide. This great e-Guide also covers all menu items and Custom Function settings, details the great AF system, and includes my custom Case setting for photographing birds in flight and in action.

This 3-frame in-camera Natural HDR image was also created at Torres del Paine National Park, Chile with the Gitzo 3532 LS carbon fiber tripod, the Mongoose M3.6 head, the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens, the Canon 1.4x EF Extender III (Teleconverter) (at 205mm), and the Canon EOS 5D Mark III Digital camera body ISO 1600. Evaluative metering +1 1/3 stops yielded a base exposure of 1/125 sec. at f/5.6 (+/- 2 stops) in Av mode. Two sensors to the right of the central sensor/AI Servo Rear Focus/Surround AF as framed active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a larger version.

HDR and 10,000 K for Black and White

On a seemingly boring white sky morning I went in tight with the 70-200/1.4X TC combo to dramatize the shapes and textures of the rocks. To get as close as possible to a B&W and to eliminate the huge blue cast of the heavily overcast morning I set the color temperature to K 10,000. I use the Q button to the right of the rear LCD screen to make color temperature and many other changes quickly and easily. Again, as described in detail in our 5D Mark III User’s Guide. And again, I used both Color Efex Pro and Viveza to enhance the tones and textures of the rocks.

Here we have a good view of Los Cuernos, “The Horns,” the park’s other iconic rock formation. One of our two guides, Cristina Trugeda, let us know that the dark rock is sedimentary rock and that the lighter rock is granite. As the shutter speed for the lightest image here was 1/30 sec. being on a tripod was mandatory to prevent any outlining problems caused by misalignment. Note the fine high ISO performance of the 5D Mark III.

This Guanaco image was created from an opened jeep window with the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens, the Canon 1.4x EF Extender III (Teleconverter) (at 280mm), and the Canon EOS 5D Mark III Digital camera body ISO 800. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/320 sec. at f/4 in Av mode. Three sensors up from the central sensor/AI Servo Rear Focus/Surround AF on the upper section of the animal’s neck active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a larger version.

Wildlife Versatility

My standard practice is to try to have the 70-200/1.4X TC combo available whenever I am afield. While searching for subjects by vehicle in Chile this rig rested on the floor. While tooling around in my own vehicle it sits on the passenger seat. And when I am walking down a beach it hangs most times over my right shoulder via a Black Rapid S-7 strap.

Note here that by working wide open at f/4 with ISO 800 that I had enough shutter speed (1/320 sec.) so that it was not necessary to go to ISO 1600. Both Denise and I wished that we had spent more time photographing the Guanacos that are actually a type of camel. Again Cristina educated us: the Guanacos are free and wild animals from which the domesticated Llama arose. In northern Chile the free and wild Vicuna gave rise to the domesticated Alpaca.

This image of Denise Ippolito at work with her 600 II was created with the hand held Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens (at 135mm) and the Canon EOS 5D Mark III Digital camera body ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/320 sec. at f/9 in Av Mode. Image courtesy of and copyright 2013: Rodrigo Moraga. Central sensor/AI Servo Rear Focus/Surround AF on Denise’s upper back and re-compose. Click here if you missed the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a larger version.

“B-roll Versatility”

At Torres del Paine our main focus was on birds, wildlife, and landscape photography. In the trade vernacular, anything else is B-roll stuff, images of non-target subjects that help to tell the story: people, buildings including lodges and hotels, food, vehicles, and just about anything that will help fill in the blanks. If you missed the Torrential Miracle blog post that detailed our heart-stopping experience with a beautiful family of Torrent Ducks, you can see it here. You can see Denise’s images from that memorable morning here along with a few others.

Insane Deal on One of My Very Favorite Lenses

Right now B&H is offering one of my very favorite lenses, the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens, at the ridiculously low price of only $1899.00 The regular price is $2499.00. They are offering a limited quantity as follows: after clicking on one of the BAA affiliate links here proceed to checkout to receive the $2199.00 price. Follow that up with the mail-in-rebate $300.00. When the smoke clears you will own this great lens for only $1899. The rebate is good only for US purchasers. The $1899 is the lowest ever price anywhere. Get one today and earn a free contest entry.

Note: the rebate is good only for US purchasers.

I have this lens with me on every trip. I use it as above for scenics and habitat images. I use it to create bird scapes and images of groups of birds, for flight images of single birds with either TC and often with the 1.4X III TC for flocks in flight and for blast off blurs. It is a great travel and all purpose nature and wildlife lens. It is rare that I am in the field without having the 70-200 II on my shoulder via the Black Rapid S-7 strap.

Image Questions

Which of the four images above is your favorite? Please let us know why you made your choice.

Bosque IPTs/Late Registration Discounts Increased!

For information on both the 7-Day and the recently announced short version of the 2013 Bosque IPTs please scroll down here. If you would like to join us for the first 3 or 4 days of this IPT please shoot me an e-mail. Please call Jim at 863-692-0906 or e-mail for late registration discount info.

BIRDS AS ART 2nd International Bird Photography Competition

Learn more and enter the BIRDS AS ART 2nd International Bird Photography Competition here. Twenty-five great prizes including the $1000 Grand Prize and intense competition. Bring your best.

2014 Tanzania Summer Safari

If you are interested in joining us in Tanzania next summer please shoot me an e-mail and I will be glad to forward you the PDF with dates, itinerary, and price.

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

Everyone buys something from Amazon, be it a big lens or deodorant. Support the blog by starting your search by starting your search by clicking on the logo-link below. No purchase is too small to be appreciated; they all add up. Why make it a habit? Because I make it a habit of bringing you new images and information on an almost daily basis.

Typos

In all blog posts and Bulletins feel free to e-mail or leave a comment regarding any typos, wrong words, misspellings, omissions, or grammatical errors. Just be right. 🙂

IPT Info

Many of our great trips are filling up. You will learn more about how to make great images on a BAA IPT than anywhere else on the planet. Click here for the schedule and additional info.

This 3-frame in-camera Art Vivid HDR image was created at Torres del Paine National Park, Chile with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM Autofocus lens (at 16mm) and the Canon EOS 5D Mark III Digital camera body ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop yielded a base exposure of: 1/200 sec. at f/16 in Av mode (+/- 2 stops). Central sensor/AI Servo Rear Focus AF on the far end of the pond and recompose. Click here if you missed the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a larger version. When even the remotest possibility of doing some serious land-scape or bird-scape work with a short lens exists, I make sure to have a Wimberley P-5 plate and my Giottos MH 1302-655 Ballhead in my vest. It takes less than two minutes to mount the plate on the camera body, spin off the Mongoose M3.6, and replace it with the tiny ballhead.

Go Ultra-wide With Dramatic Skies

With dramatic skies, pointing the lens up to make the clouds the most prominent feature in the image is often the best way to go. When doing so, the clouds seem to radiate from the vanishing point thus adding to the drama. Be sure to use either a double-bubble level in your camera’s hot shoe or the electronic level if your camera has one to ensure an image that is square to the world with a level horizon.

This 3-frame in-camera Art Vivid HDR image was created at Puerto Natales, Chile with the hand held Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM Autofocus lens (at 19mm) and the Canon EOS 5D Mark III Digital camera body ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop yielded a base exposure of: 1/200 sec. at f/8 in Av mode (+/- 2 stops). Central sensor/AI Servo Rear Focus AF on the far edge of the large yellow rock and recompose. Click here if you missed the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a larger version.

Point the Camera Down With Relatively Boring Skies

With plain skies and an interesting subject (in this case the old fishing boat), look for something interesting in the foreground (in this case the large boulder lower left) and point your camera down. Get close to the foreground object and move left or right to balance the composition. I recently began setting the 4X6 viewfinder grid on both my 5D III and my 1D X bodies. When hand holding this makes it easier to ensure a level horizon and it can do the same thing when you are photographing birds or animals.

This 3-frame in-camera Art Vivid HDR image was created at Torres del Paine National Park, Chile with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM Autofocus lens (at 16mm) and the Canon EOS 5D Mark III Digital camera body ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 2/3 stops yielded a base exposure of: 1/80 sec. at f/16 in Av mode (+/- 2 stops). Central sensor/AI Servo Rear Focus AF on the far shoreline of the pond and recompose. Click here if you missed the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a larger version. When even the remotest possibility of doing some serious land-scape or bird-scape work with a short lens exists, I make sure to have a Wimberley P-5 plate and my Giottos MH 1302-655 Ballhead in my vest. It takes less than two minutes to mount the plate on the camera body, spin off the Mongoose M3.6, and replace it with the tiny ballhead.

Look for Ovals

With all scenic images placing a large oval shape in the foreground can help to create a powerful composition. A Frans Lanting Galapagos Tortoise image drove that point home when I first saw the photograph about 25 years ago. First I moved to my right so as to angle the pond in the frame and I got as close as possible to my oval shape while still fitting the whole pond in the frame. Finally I squared the image to the world using the electronic level in my 5D Mark III. (Note: as detailed in the 5D Mark III User’s Guide I set the Info button to exclusively activate the level so that I do not have to scroll through the other options each time.)

Other Wide Angle Lens Options

Whatever camera system you are using and whether you are using a full frame camera or a crop body you can find the best wide angle lens for you by clicking here and scrolling down. To check out wide angle lenses the are currently being offered with rebates, click here.

To search for a specific wide angle lens simply use the B&H link on the side bar of the blog or click here.

More on Using Wide Angle Lenses

Click on either of the two links below to learn more about using wide angle and ultra wide angle lenses.

“10 Tips on Using a Wide Angle Lens” at Views Infinitum here.

“Using Wide Angle Lenses” at Cambridge in Colour here.

Image Questions

Which of the three images above is your favorite? Why? In the third image would you have moved to your left or to your right to explore the possibility of creating a stronger image? Why?

Bosque IPTs/Late Registration Discounts Increased!

For information on both the 7-Day and the recently announced short version of the 2013 Bosque IPTs please scroll down here. If you would like to join us for the first 3 or 4 days of this IPT please shoot me an e-mail. Please call Jim at 863-692-0906 or e-mail for late registration discount info.

BIRDS AS ART 2nd International Bird Photography Competition

Learn more and enter the BIRDS AS ART 2nd International Bird Photography Competition here. Twenty-five great prizes including the $1000 Grand Prize and intense competition. Bring your best.

2014 Tanzania Summer Safari

If you are interested in joining us in Tanzania next summer please shoot me an e-mail and I will be glad to forward you the PDF with dates, itinerary, and price.

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

Everyone buys something from Amazon, be it a big lens or deodorant. Support the blog by starting your search by starting your search by clicking on the logo-link below. No purchase is too small to be appreciated; they all add up. Why make it a habit? Because I make it a habit of bringing you new images and information on an almost daily basis.

Typos

In all blog posts and Bulletins feel free to e-mail or leave a comment regarding any typos, wrong words, misspellings, omissions, or grammatical errors. Just be right. 🙂

IPT Info

Many of our great trips are filling up. You will learn more about how to make great images on a BAA IPT than anywhere else on the planet. Click here for the schedule and additional info.

This Yellow-billed Pintail image was created with the Gitzo 3532 LS carbon fiber tripod, the Mongoose M3.6 head, the Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens, the Canon 2x EF Extender III (Teleconverter), and the Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/640 sec. at f/11 in Manual mode. Central sensor (by necessity) Expand/AI Servo Rear Focus AF on the upper breast just above the waterline active at the moment of exposure. Click on the image to see a larger version. Image A

Editing Practice/Yellow-billed Pintail: Keep One or Both?

Editing (not optimizing) your images is an important part of the digital photography experience. One of these years I will get around to doing an Editing Guide… In the meantime, I will start posting some series of similar images taken at almost the same moment and ask you which one or ones to keep and why. Most of you should find these exercises to be extremely valuable.

These two images, the first created on our initial morning at Puerto Natales, Chile at 07:54:47am, were made one second apart. Would you keep one or both? If you feel clearly that one is better than the other, please let us know which one and why. Be sure to click on each image to see the larger version.

The two 1200 pixel wide JPEGs here were created from the extracted JPEGs; both were sharpened, neither has been optimized.

This Yellow-billed Pintail image was created with the Gitzo 3532 LS carbon fiber tripod, the Mongoose M3.6 head, the Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens, the Canon 2x EF Extender III (Teleconverter), and the Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/640 sec. at f/11 in Manual mode. Central sensor (by necessity) Expand/AI Servo Rear Focus AF on the upper breast just above the waterline active at the moment of exposure. Click on the image to see a larger version. Image B

Image Optimization Question

Whichever one you keep, how would you crop it?

EOS-1D X Autofocus Guide

Until I get around to doing a complete user’s guide for the 1D X my 1D X Autofocus Guide will help you to master and get the most out of my all time favorite professional digital camera body. It includes my customized Case setting for photographing birds in flight and in action.

5D Mark III User’s Guide

EOS-5D Mark III User’s can learn to set up and use their cameras exactly as I do. Includes detailed advice on all menu and custom function items, AF suggestions, and all you need to know about creating great in-camera HDRs and Multiple Exposures.

Bosque Sandhill Crane Composite; click on the image to enjoy a larger version.

Bosque del Apache 2013 IPT: “The Complete Bosque Experience.” NOV 26-DEC 2, 2013. 7-FULL DAYS: $3399. Co-leader: Denise Ippolito. Introductory Slide program: 6:30 pm on 11/25. Limit: 12/Openings 8.

Please see the info on the short version of this IPT below if you will be spending Thanksgiving with your family.

Tens of thousand of Snow Geese, 10,000 Sandhill Cranes, ducks including point-blank American Wigeon and Wood Duck, amazing sunrises, sunsets, and blast-offs. Live, eat, and breathe photography with one of (if not the) world’s premier photographic educators at one of his very favorite locations on the planet. Top-notch Photoshop instruction. This will make 19 consecutive Novembers at Bosque for me. Nobody knows the place better than I do. 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 applying what you learned will prove to be invaluable. Includes all lunches and the Thanksgiving Buffet at the Crowne Plaza in Albuquerque. I hope that you can join me for what will be an unparalleled learning experience.

There is never a strict itinerary on a Bosque IPT as each day is tailored to the local conditions at the time and the weather. We are totally flexible in order to maximize both the photographic and learning opportunities. There is an introductory slide program on the night before the tour begins. We are up early each day leaving the hotel by 5:30 am to be in position for sunrise. After 18 years we pretty much know where to be when in what sky conditions and what winds. 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. Then dinner with the group most nights. We always spend at least one afternoon at the ponds at the Albuquerque Zoo doing Wood Ducks and usually two mornings at New Mexico Tech doing American Wigeons. The rest is Snow Geese and Sandhill Cranes with the emphasis on expanding both your technical skills and your creativity.

A $500 non-refundable deposit is required to hold your slot for this IPT. Your balance, payable only by check, is due now. You will receive an e-mail notifying you of that after you place your deposit. If 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. If 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 Snow Goose Composite; click on the image to enjoy a larger version.

Bosque del Apache 2013 IPT: “The Short Version.” NOV 30-DEC 2, 2013. 3-FULL DAYS: $1199. Co-leader: Denise Ippolito. Introductory Slide program: 7:30 pm on 11/29. Limit: 12/Openings 4.

Tens of thousand of Snow Geese, 10,000 Sandhill Cranes, amazing sunrises, sunsets, and blast-offs. Top-notch Photoshop instruction. This will make 19 consecutive Novembers at Bosque for artie. Nobody knows the place better than he 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 applying what you learned will prove to be invaluable. Includes all lunches. I hope that you can join us for these three great days; they will offer a great learning experience.

There is never a strict itinerary on a Bosque IPT as each day is tailored to the local conditions at the time and the weather. We are totally flexible in order to maximize both the photographic and learning opportunities. There is an introductory slide program on the night before the tour begins. We are up early each day leaving the hotel by 5:30 am to be in position for sunrise. After 18 years we pretty much know where to be when in what sky conditions and what winds. We usually photograph until about 10:30am. Then it is back to Socorro for lunch and then an informal Photoshop/image review session with the group most days. We head back to the refuge at about 3:30pm each day and photograph until sunset. We may spend an afternoon at the ponds at the Albuquerque Zoo doing Wood Ducks and we may spend a late morning at New Mexico Tech doing American Wigeons. The rest is Snow Geese and Sandhill Cranes with the emphasis on expanding both your technical skills and your creativity.

A $500 non-refundable deposit is required to hold your slot for this IPT. Your balance, payable only by check, is due now. You will receive an e-mail notifying you of that after you place your deposit. If 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. If 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.

BIRDS AS ART 2nd International Bird Photography Competition

Learn more and enter the BIRDS AS ART 2nd International Bird Photography Competition here. Twenty-five great prizes including the $1000 Grand Prize and intense competition. Bring your best.

2014 Tanzania Summer Safari

If you are interested in joining us in Tanzania next summer please shoot me an e-mail and I will be glad to forward you the PDF with dates, itinerary, and price.

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

Everyone buys something from Amazon, be it a big lens or deodorant. Support the blog by starting your search by starting your search by clicking on the logo-link below. No purchase is too small to be appreciated; they all add up. Why make it a habit? Because I make it a habit of bringing you new images and information on an almost daily basis.

Typos

In all Bulletins, feel free to e-mail or leave a comment regarding any typos, wrong words, misspellings, omissions, or grammatical errors. Just be right. 🙂

IPT Info

Many of our great trips are filling up. Two great leaders ensure that you will not learn more anywhere about how to make great images. Click here for the schedule and additional info.

This image was created with the hand held Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens (at 85mm) and the Canon EOS 5D Mark III. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/250 sec. at f/8. One sensor to the right and two rows up from the central sensor/AI Servo-Surround/Rear Focus AF as framed active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.

Large Grey Trio

Here are three very different African Elephant images, each made on last August’s Summer Safari. Please leave a comment and let us know which is your favorite and why. What do you think of the framing of the first image? How do you feel about the centered composition with the second image? Would you change anything in the third image? What is the strength of the third image?

How would you have improved the first image? The second? Does anything in the third image bug you? If yes, what?

This image was created with the hand held Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM lens with Internal 1.4x Extender (at 239mm) and the and the Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/400 sec. at f/7.1. Central sensor/AI Servo-Surround/Rear Focus AF right between the tusks active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.

Best Parts

For you, what is the best thing about the first image? What do you like best about the second image?

This image was also created with the hand held Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM lens with Internal 1.4x Extender (at 225mm) and the and the Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/400 sec. at f/5.6. One sensor up from the central sensor/AI Servo-Surround/Rear Focus AF right between the tusks active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.

…..

BIRDS AS ART 2nd International Bird Photography Competition

Learn more and enter the BIRDS AS ART 2nd International Bird Photography Competition here. Twenty-five great prizes including the $1000 Grand Prize and intense competition. Bring your best.

2014 Tanzania Summer Safari

If you are interested in joining us in Tanzania next summer please shoot me an e-mail and I will be glad to forward you the PDF with dates, itinerary, and price.

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

Everyone buys something from Amazon, be it a big lens or deodorant. Support the blog by starting your search by starting your search by clicking on the logo-link below. No purchase is too small to be appreciated; they all add up. Why make it a habit? Because I make it a habit of bringing you new images and information on an almost daily basis.

Typos

In all Bulletins, feel free to e-mail or leave a comment regarding any typos, wrong words, misspellings, omissions, or grammatical errors. Just be right. 🙂

IPT Info

Many of our great trips are filling up. Two great leaders ensure that you will not learn more anywhere about how to make great images. Click here for the schedule and additional info.

The MiniMag

The November issue of Denise Ippolito’s Creative MiniMag has been online for a few days now. In case you need some inspiration or just want to become a better photographer, be sure to click here. Denise opens the magazine by sharing a collection of participants’ images; each was created as a result of the graffiti photo assignment given to the workshop group on her recent trip to Toronto, Canada.

Tom Jeary’s incredible “The Chipmunk Fall Fair” has to be read and seen to be believed. In “Food Photography 101” Barbara Sammons shares her top five tips for photographing your favorite fare. Next Denise shares the Photoshop techniques and workflow that she used to fashion the lovely “Japanese Maple Leaves” creation above.

Everyone needs to read friend Scott Vincent’s moving “Making Pictures–The Voice.” With a series of powerful images Scott covers lots of ground including photographing controversial subject matter, the modern day whale slaughter that continues in Barrow, AK, and knowing right from wrong.

Mary Stamper’s article dealing with including shadows in our images. Yours truly details the creation of In-Camera HDR images with the Canon 5D Mark III; this article includes all of my favorite settings. In Denise’s “The Bear Neccessities” the publisher shares images and experiences from her first Katmai, AK Bear Boat trip this past September. Andrew McLachlan shares three of his favorite fall color multiple exposures and the set-up and techniques that he used to create them in-camera with his Nikon D800 .

Lisa Cuchara offers some great advice when she reminds us to ask, “Why Are Your Here?” when attending on-location photography workshops. The creative Anita Bower shares her thoughts on using the Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G lens to photograph flowers. In “Themes/Assignments Cheryl Slechta writes of getting out of the photographic ruts that we so often find ourselves in. Friend Nancy Bell shares the experience of photographing for a week in Cape Town, South Africa.

The MiniMag is both free and incredibly inspiring. It is always worth a click; if you visit, you will surely wind up subscribing.

This dead Crested Duck image was created with the Gitzo 3532 LS carbon fiber tripod, the Mongoose M3.6 head, the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens at 182mm, and the Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1 1/3 stops: 1/160 sec. at f/22 in Av mode. Central sensor/AI Servo Rear Focus AF on the duckling’s face and re-compose. Click on the image to see a larger version.

Survival or Not… Death and Life on a Mudflat

While working shorebirds and Chilean Flamingos along the shore of a small lake at Morro Chico Steppe, Chile, I came across the fresh-dead Crested Duck duckling that you see in the image above. I picked it up, stuck it in the fanny pouch of my sweatshirt, and shared it with the group when we re-assembled. Then I posed it on the cracked mud, borrowed a 70-200, and began creating images.

This Crested Duck duckling image was created with the Gitzo 3532 LS carbon fiber tripod, the Mongoose M3.6 head with the Integrated Low Mount Arm that Denise loves, the Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens, the Canon 1.4x EF Extender III (Teleconverter), and the EOS 1D Mark IV (now replaced by the Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/1000 sec. at f/8 in Manual mode. Shutter button AF. Central sensor/AI Servo Shutter button Focus AF on the duckling’s face and re-compose. Click on the image to see a larger version. Image courtesy of and copyright 2013 Denise Ippolito/A Creative Adventure.

The Surviving Siblings

I had gone to the far end of the pond trying without success to get close to winter-plumage White-rumped Sandpiper and Double-banded Plover. Denise Ippolito, who stayed behind, did very well on the white-rumpeds. When I headed back to the eastern end of the pond and found the dead duckling, Denise headed west and after a while, returned with a big smile on her face. One of the two surviving Crested Duck young had come up on the shore to forage and allowed close approach. The other was swimming in the middle of the lake with momma who was calling constantly as she was not very happy with the adventurous chick.

Image Questions

Which of the two images above is your favorite? Please let us know why. Why f/22 for the first image? If you kept the same framing, why might the 100 macro have been a better lens choice for the first image?

EOS-1D X Autofocus Guide

Until I get around to doing a complete user’s guide for the 1D X my 1D X Autofocus Guide will help you to master and get the most out of my all time favorite professional digital camera body. It includes my customized Case setting for photographing birds in flight and in action.

5D Mark III User’s Guide

EOS-5D Mark III User’s can learn to set up and use their cameras exactly as I do. Includes detailed advice on all menu and custom function items, AF suggestions, and all you need to know about creating great in-camera HDRs and Multiple Exposures.

BIRDS AS ART 2nd International Bird Photography Competition

Learn more and enter the BIRDS AS ART 2nd International Bird Photography Competition here. Twenty-five great prizes including the $1000 Grand Prize and intense competition. Bring your best.

Bosque Sandhill Crane Composite; click on the image to enjoy a larger version.

Bosque del Apache 2013 IPT: “The Complete Bosque Experience.” NOV 26-DEC 2, 2013. 7-FULL DAYS: $3399. Co-leader: Denise Ippolito. Introductory Slide program: 6:30 pm on 11/25. Limit: 12/Openings 8.

Please see the info on the short version of this IPT below if you will be spending Thanksgiving with your family.

Tens of thousand of Snow Geese, 10,000 Sandhill Cranes, ducks including point-blank American Wigeon and Wood Duck, amazing sunrises, sunsets, and blast-offs. Live, eat, and breathe photography with one of (if not the) world’s premier photographic educators at one of his very favorite locations on the planet. Top-notch Photoshop instruction. This will make 19 consecutive Novembers at Bosque for me. Nobody knows the place better than I do. 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 applying what you learned will prove to be invaluable. Includes all lunches and the Thanksgiving Buffet at the Crowne Plaza in Albuquerque. I hope that you can join me for what will be an unparalleled learning experience.

There is never a strict itinerary on a Bosque IPT as each day is tailored to the local conditions at the time and the weather. We are totally flexible in order to maximize both the photographic and learning opportunities. There is an introductory slide program on the night before the tour begins. We are up early each day leaving the hotel by 5:30 am to be in position for sunrise. After 18 years we pretty much know where to be when in what sky conditions and what winds. 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. Then dinner with the group most nights. We always spend at least one afternoon at the ponds at the Albuquerque Zoo doing Wood Ducks and usually two mornings at New Mexico Tech doing American Wigeons. The rest is Snow Geese and Sandhill Cranes with the emphasis on expanding both your technical skills and your creativity.

A $500 non-refundable deposit is required to hold your slot for this IPT. Your balance, payable only by check, is due now. You will receive an e-mail notifying you of that after you place your deposit. If 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. If 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 Snow Goose Composite; click on the image to enjoy a larger version.

Bosque del Apache 2013 IPT: “The Short Version.” NOV 30-DEC 2, 2013. 3-FULL DAYS: $1199. Co-leader: Denise Ippolito. Introductory Slide program: 7:30 pm on 11/29. Limit: 12/Openings 4.

Tens of thousand of Snow Geese, 10,000 Sandhill Cranes, amazing sunrises, sunsets, and blast-offs. Top-notch Photoshop instruction. This will make 19 consecutive Novembers at Bosque for artie. Nobody knows the place better than he 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 applying what you learned will prove to be invaluable. Includes all lunches. I hope that you can join us for these three great days; they will offer a great learning experience.

There is never a strict itinerary on a Bosque IPT as each day is tailored to the local conditions at the time and the weather. We are totally flexible in order to maximize both the photographic and learning opportunities. There is an introductory slide program on the night before the tour begins. We are up early each day leaving the hotel by 5:30 am to be in position for sunrise. After 18 years we pretty much know where to be when in what sky conditions and what winds. We usually photograph until about 10:30am. Then it is back to Socorro for lunch and then an informal Photoshop/image review session with the group most days. We head back to the refuge at about 3:30pm each day and photograph until sunset. We may spend an afternoon at the ponds at the Albuquerque Zoo doing Wood Ducks and we may spend a late morning at New Mexico Tech doing American Wigeons. The rest is Snow Geese and Sandhill Cranes with the emphasis on expanding both your technical skills and your creativity.

A $500 non-refundable deposit is required to hold your slot for this IPT. Your balance, payable only by check, is due now. You will receive an e-mail notifying you of that after you place your deposit. If 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. If 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.

2014 Tanzania Summer Safari

If you are interested in joining us in Tanzania next summer please shoot me an e-mail and I will be glad to forward you the PDF with dates, itinerary, and price.

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

Everyone buys something from Amazon, be it a big lens or deodorant. Support the blog by starting your search by starting your search by clicking on the logo-link below. No purchase is too small to be appreciated; they all add up. Why make it a habit? Because I make it a habit of bringing you new images and information on an almost daily basis.

Typos

In all Bulletins, feel free to e-mail or leave a comment regarding any typos, wrong words, misspellings, omissions, or grammatical errors. Just be right. 🙂

IPT Info

Many of our great trips are filling up. Two great leaders ensure that you will not learn more anywhere about how to make great images. Click here for the schedule and additional info.

This Silvery Grebe image was created at Torres del Paine National Park with the Gitzo 3532 LS carbon fiber tripod, the Mongoose M3.6 head, the Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens, the Canon 2x EF Extender III (Teleconverter), and the Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1 2/3 stops: 1/400 sec. at f/13 in Manual mode. Central sensor (by necessity) Expand/AI Servo Rear Focus AF on the center of the bird’s breast (as framed) active at the moment of exposure. Click on the image to see a larger version.

A New Technique

While I have long used the 2X teleconverters with my f/4L IS super-telephoto lenses with great success I usually worked at f/8 or f/9. Recently I have begun working more at f/11 and f/13 (even at the expense of raising the ISO a bit; the resulting images have been insanely sharp. When I viewed this image in BreezeBrowser it looked as if the feathers had been sculpted with an exacto knife.

This White-tufted Grebe image was also created at Torres del Paine National Park with the Gitzo 3532 LS carbon fiber tripod, the Mongoose M3.6 head, the Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens, the Canon 2x EF Extender III (Teleconverter), and the Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +2 stops: 1/320 sec. at f/10 in Manual mode. Central sensor (by necessity) Expand/AI Servo Rear Focus AF on the base of the back of the bird’s neck active at the moment of exposure. Click on the image to see a larger version.

Grebe-e-licous

It is always fun to photograph a new species. Getting to photograph two handsome new grebes on the same day was a special treat.

The Original Capture

Immediately above is the extracted JPEG that accurately represents the tremendous blue color cast. The color cast was removed with a simple Average Blur Color Balance adjustment as described in Digital Basics File. Digital Basics is an instructional PDF that is sent via e-mail. It includes my complete digital workflow, dozens of great Photoshop tips including Digital Eye Doctor techniques, several different ways of expanding canvas, all of my time-saving Keyboard Shortcuts, and Layer Masking and NIK Color Efex Pro basics.

High Key

Above is the BreezeBrowser Main View screen capture for this image. The black is the highlight alert. In real time, it flashes black and white just as it does on the back of your camera. The illuminated red square shows the active sensor. In Breezebrowser you need to make sure to check Show Focus Points under View to activate this feature. To see the focus points in DPP check AF Point under View or hit Alt L.

The main point here is that in order to reveal maximum detail on the bird that I needed to overexpose the background; doing this reduces noise and yields an excellent exposure on the bird. The trick is that you wanted to avoid having any blinkies at all on the subject.

Regular readers know that I use and depend on BreezeBrowser every day of the year. It allows me to sort my keepers and deletes the rejects faster than any other browsing program. We use it on the main computer in the home office to catalog our images file-drawer style. And the companion program, Downloader Pro allows me to download my images quickly and conveniently. It automatically adds my IPTC data and the shooting location. I have it set up to create a folder named by the Month/date/year. The Breezebrowser/Downloader Pro combo saves me many hours each week. To learn earn more or to purchase this great PC only program, click here.

Image Questions

Which of the two is your favorite? Please let us know why. In the opening image, would you have eliminated all of the reeds in the background? Why or why not?

EOS-1D X Autofocus Guide

Until I get around to doing a complete user’s guide for the 1D X my 1D X Autofocus Guide will help you to master and get the most out of my all time favorite professional digital camera body. It includes my customized Case setting for photographing birds in flight and in action.

5D Mark III User’s Guide

EOS-5D Mark III User’s can learn to set up and use their cameras exactly as I do. Includes detailed advice on all menu and custom function items, AF suggestions, and all you need to know about creating great in-camera HDRs and Multiple Exposures.

Bosque Sandhill Crane Composite; click on the image to enjoy a larger version.

Bosque del Apache 2013 IPT: “The Complete Bosque Experience.” NOV 26-DEC 2, 2013. 7-FULL DAYS: $3399. Co-leader: Denise Ippolito. Introductory Slide program: 6:30 pm on 11/25. Limit: 12/Openings 8.

Please see the info on the short version of this IPT below if you will be spending Thanksgiving with your family.

Tens of thousand of Snow Geese, 10,000 Sandhill Cranes, ducks including point-blank American Wigeon and Wood Duck, amazing sunrises, sunsets, and blast-offs. Live, eat, and breathe photography with one of (if not the) world’s premier photographic educators at one of his very favorite locations on the planet. Top-notch Photoshop instruction. This will make 19 consecutive Novembers at Bosque for me. Nobody knows the place better than I do. 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 applying what you learned will prove to be invaluable. Includes all lunches and the Thanksgiving Buffet at the Crowne Plaza in Albuquerque. I hope that you can join me for what will be an unparalleled learning experience.

There is never a strict itinerary on a Bosque IPT as each day is tailored to the local conditions at the time and the weather. We are totally flexible in order to maximize both the photographic and learning opportunities. There is an introductory slide program on the night before the tour begins. We are up early each day leaving the hotel by 5:30 am to be in position for sunrise. After 18 years we pretty much know where to be when in what sky conditions and what winds. 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. Then dinner with the group most nights. We always spend at least one afternoon at the ponds at the Albuquerque Zoo doing Wood Ducks and usually two mornings at New Mexico Tech doing American Wigeons. The rest is Snow Geese and Sandhill Cranes with the emphasis on expanding both your technical skills and your creativity.

A $500 non-refundable deposit is required to hold your slot for this IPT. Your balance, payable only by check, is due now. You will receive an e-mail notifying you of that after you place your deposit. If 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. If 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 Snow Goose Composite; click on the image to enjoy a larger version.

Bosque del Apache 2013 IPT: “The Short Version.” NOV 30-DEC 2, 2013. 3-FULL DAYS: $1199. Co-leader: Denise Ippolito. Introductory Slide program: 7:30 pm on 11/29. Limit: 12/Openings 4.

Tens of thousand of Snow Geese, 10,000 Sandhill Cranes, amazing sunrises, sunsets, and blast-offs. Top-notch Photoshop instruction. This will make 19 consecutive Novembers at Bosque for artie. Nobody knows the place better than he 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 applying what you learned will prove to be invaluable. Includes all lunches. I hope that you can join us for these three great days; they will offer a great learning experience.

There is never a strict itinerary on a Bosque IPT as each day is tailored to the local conditions at the time and the weather. We are totally flexible in order to maximize both the photographic and learning opportunities. There is an introductory slide program on the night before the tour begins. We are up early each day leaving the hotel by 5:30 am to be in position for sunrise. After 18 years we pretty much know where to be when in what sky conditions and what winds. We usually photograph until about 10:30am. Then it is back to Socorro for lunch and then an informal Photoshop/image review session with the group most days. We head back to the refuge at about 3:30pm each day and photograph until sunset. We may spend an afternoon at the ponds at the Albuquerque Zoo doing Wood Ducks and we may spend a late morning at New Mexico Tech doing American Wigeons. The rest is Snow Geese and Sandhill Cranes with the emphasis on expanding both your technical skills and your creativity.

A $500 non-refundable deposit is required to hold your slot for this IPT. Your balance, payable only by check, is due now. You will receive an e-mail notifying you of that after you place your deposit. If 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. If 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.

BIRDS AS ART 2nd International Bird Photography Competition

Learn more and enter the BIRDS AS ART 2nd International Bird Photography Competition here. Twenty-five great prizes including the $1000 Grand Prize and intense competition. Bring your best.

2014 Tanzania Summer Safari

If you are interested in joining us in Tanzania next summer please shoot me an e-mail and I will be glad to forward you the PDF with dates, itinerary, and price.

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

Everyone buys something from Amazon, be it a big lens or deodorant. Support the blog by starting your search by starting your search by clicking on the logo-link below. No purchase is too small to be appreciated; they all add up. Why make it a habit? Because I make it a habit of bringing you new images and information on an almost daily basis.

Typos

In all Bulletins, feel free to e-mail or leave a comment regarding any typos, wrong words, misspellings, omissions, or grammatical errors. Just be right. 🙂

IPT Info

Many of our great trips are filling up. Two great leaders ensure that you will not learn more anywhere about how to make great images. Click here for the schedule and additional info.

This Black-necked Swan was photographed in early morning light with the Gitzo 3532 LS carbon fiber tripod, the Mongoose M3.6 head–so good that we can’t keep them in stock; best to call Jim at 863-692-0906 and order yours so that you can one when we get a few, the Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens, the Canon 1.4x EF Extender III (Teleconverter), and the Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 400. Evaluative metering at zero: 1/1000 sec. at f/8 in Manual mode. Central sensor AI Servo/Surround Rear Focus AF on spot where the black of the neck and the white of the upper breast meet active at the moment of exposure. Click on the image to see a larger version.

First Blood Drawn Despite Bad Left Knee

Little more than a week ago I could not have imagined being able to walk a rock-strewn beach carrying my 600II on the Gitzo 3532 LS tripod. My twice surgically repaired left knee had been bothering me for nearly a month when I jumped out of bed while trying to nap about two weeks ago. I felt nothing. After I got back to sleep and woke, I could barely stand. The knee was swollen and the pain was fairly intense.

After my second arthroscopic surgery in 2006 or 2007, the surgeon said to me, “There is nothing left in the way of cartilage; I’ll see you in a year or two for a new knee.” The left knee had been fine till this most recent episode. Not being a huge fan of major surgery, I called Dr. Cliff Oliver in San Diego for guidance. Here’s what followed: Pete Egoscue Pain Free: A Revolutionary Method for Stopping Chronic Pain positions for knee pain, earth naps, Rock-taping, Active Release Therapy, mechanical thumper treatment, Tate Avacen treatment, rest, and ice baths (whole body in the tub for 35 minutes in 59 degree water).

While the knee is not yet fully heeled I was able to get around this morning quite comfortably. In short, the whole adventure with the knee has been somewhat miraculous. I just need to be careful and keep from wrecking it. 🙂

CRX-5 Low Foot/Plate

The CRX-5 Low Foot plate is ideal for all three of the Series II super-telephoto lenses. Learn why by clicking here. As it is also hard to keep this item in stock your best course of action is to call Jim at 863-692-0906 and order yours to ensure getting one from our next shipment.

This feeding Black-necked Swan image was created with the Gitzo 3532 LS carbon fiber tripod, the Mongoose M3.6 head, the Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens, the Canon 2x EF Extender III (Teleconverter), and the Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/500 sec. at f/13 in Manual mode. Central sensor (by necessity) Expand/AI Servo Rear Focus AF on the waterline just below the bird’s breast active at the moment of exposure. Click on the image to see a larger version.

Up Early

After our long flights to Punta Arenas, Chile on Sunday evening red-eyes Denise Ippolito and I were picked up by a Remota Lodge van at about 5pm local time, one hour ahead of Florida and New Jersey. By 7:15pn we were at the lodge and were enjoying a fine fish dinner just before 8:00pm.

I woke early and seeing a calm sunny morning developing we walked down the hill to the water in hopes of photographing some birds. We were greeted by a pair of Black-necked Swans and photographed them for more than an hour.

These Black-necked Swan cygnets were photographed this morning with the Gitzo 3532 LS carbon fiber tripod, the Mongoose M3.6 head, the Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens, the Canon 2x EF Extender III (Teleconverter), and the Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/400 sec. at f/13 in Manual mode. Central sensor (by necessity) Expand/AI Servo Rear Focus AF on the body of the middle bird active at the moment of exposure. Click on the image to see a larger version.

Continuing On

After a while, we decided to walk north a bit along the beach in search of some different species. Almost immediately I saw another pair of the handsome swans, this pair with four cygnets. We both were squealing with excitement. We stayed with the cygnets for well more than an hour. So much for variety being the spice of life….

Exposure Fine Point

Knowing that the exposure for the adult bird in image #2 was perfect, above, why did I add an additional 1/3 stop of light when photographing the very young swans? (1/400 sec. at f/13 for the cygnets as compared to 1/500 sec. at f/13 for the adults.)

This adult Black-necked Swan with a cygnet on its back was photographed with the Gitzo 3532 LS carbon fiber tripod, the Mongoose M3.6 head, the Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens, the Canon 2x EF Extender III (Teleconverter), and the Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/1000 sec. at f/10 in Manual mode. Central sensor (by necessity) Expand/AI Servo Rear Focus AF on the body of the middle bird active at the moment of exposure. Click on the image to see a larger version.

Dealing With the Bright Whites

I should have been at 1/1250 sec. at f/10; I had not noticed that the light had gotten brighter as it got closer to 9:00am. I dealt with the relatively high contrast and the bright whites during the image optimization process. After dealing with the whites while converting the RAW file in DPP (see our DPP RAW Conversion Guide), I employed a variety of other techniques to restore detail in the whites. I used several NIK Color Efex Pro filters including Detail Extractor, Tonal Contrast, and White Neutralizer. I used a reverse S curve in Photoshop to reduce the contrast. And a small Linear Burn painted in with a Hide-All Layer Mask.

All of the above as described in detail in Digital Basics File, an instructional PDF that is sent via e-mail. It includes my complete digital workflow, dozens of great Photoshop tips including Digital Eye Doctor techniques, several different ways of expanding canvas, all of my time-saving Keyboard Shortcuts, Layer Masking and NIK Color Efex Pro basics, dealing with bright highlights, and tons more.

Your Favorite?

Please take a moment to leave a comment and let us know which of the four images is your favorite. And be sure to let us know why.

EOS-1D X Autofocus Guide

Until I get around to doing a complete user’s guide for the 1D X my 1D X Autofocus Guide will help you to master and get the most out of my all time favorite professional digital camera body. It includes my customized Case setting for photographing birds in flight and in action.

5D Mark III User’s Guide

EOS-5D Mark III User’s can learn to set up and use their cameras exactly as I do. Includes detailed advice on all menu and custom function items, AF suggestions, and all you need to know about creating great in-camera HDRs and Multiple Exposures.

Bosque Sandhill Crane Composite; click on the image to enjoy a larger version.

Bosque del Apache 2013 IPT: “The Complete Bosque Experience.” NOV 26-DEC 2, 2013. 7-FULL DAYS: $3399. Co-leader: Denise Ippolito. Introductory Slide program: 6:30 pm on 11/25. Limit: 12/Openings 8.

Please see the info on the short version of this IPT below if you will be spending Thanksgiving with your family.

Tens of thousand of Snow Geese, 10,000 Sandhill Cranes, ducks including point-blank American Wigeon and Wood Duck, amazing sunrises, sunsets, and blast-offs. Live, eat, and breathe photography with one of (if not the) world’s premier photographic educators at one of his very favorite locations on the planet. Top-notch Photoshop instruction. This will make 19 consecutive Novembers at Bosque for me. Nobody knows the place better than I do. 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 applying what you learned will prove to be invaluable. Includes all lunches and the Thanksgiving Buffet at the Crowne Plaza in Albuquerque. I hope that you can join me for what will be an unparalleled learning experience.

There is never a strict itinerary on a Bosque IPT as each day is tailored to the local conditions at the time and the weather. We are totally flexible in order to maximize both the photographic and learning opportunities. There is an introductory slide program on the night before the tour begins. We are up early each day leaving the hotel by 5:30 am to be in position for sunrise. After 18 years we pretty much know where to be when in what sky conditions and what winds. 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. Then dinner with the group most nights. We always spend at least one afternoon at the ponds at the Albuquerque Zoo doing Wood Ducks and usually two mornings at New Mexico Tech doing American Wigeons. The rest is Snow Geese and Sandhill Cranes with the emphasis on expanding both your technical skills and your creativity.

A $500 non-refundable deposit is required to hold your slot for this IPT. Your balance, payable only by check, is due now. You will receive an e-mail notifying you of that after you place your deposit. If 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. If 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 Snow Goose Composite; click on the image to enjoy a larger version.

Bosque del Apache 2013 IPT: “The Short Version.” NOV 30-DEC 2, 2013. 3-FULL DAYS: $1199. Co-leader: Denise Ippolito. Introductory Slide program: 7:30 pm on 11/29. Limit: 12/Openings 4.

Tens of thousand of Snow Geese, 10,000 Sandhill Cranes, amazing sunrises, sunsets, and blast-offs. Top-notch Photoshop instruction. This will make 19 consecutive Novembers at Bosque for artie. Nobody knows the place better than he 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 applying what you learned will prove to be invaluable. Includes all lunches. I hope that you can join us for these three great days; they will offer a great learning experience.

There is never a strict itinerary on a Bosque IPT as each day is tailored to the local conditions at the time and the weather. We are totally flexible in order to maximize both the photographic and learning opportunities. There is an introductory slide program on the night before the tour begins. We are up early each day leaving the hotel by 5:30 am to be in position for sunrise. After 18 years we pretty much know where to be when in what sky conditions and what winds. We usually photograph until about 10:30am. Then it is back to Socorro for lunch and then an informal Photoshop/image review session with the group most days. We head back to the refuge at about 3:30pm each day and photograph until sunset. We may spend an afternoon at the ponds at the Albuquerque Zoo doing Wood Ducks and we may spend a late morning at New Mexico Tech doing American Wigeons. The rest is Snow Geese and Sandhill Cranes with the emphasis on expanding both your technical skills and your creativity.

A $500 non-refundable deposit is required to hold your slot for this IPT. Your balance, payable only by check, is due now. You will receive an e-mail notifying you of that after you place your deposit. If 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. If 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.

BIRDS AS ART 2nd International Bird Photography Competition

Learn more and enter the BIRDS AS ART 2nd International Bird Photography Competition here. Twenty-five great prizes including the $1000 Grand Prize and intense competition. Bring your best.

2014 Tanzania Summer Safari

If you are interested in joining us in Tanzania next summer please shoot me an e-mail and I will be glad to forward you the PDF with dates, itinerary, and price.

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

Everyone buys something from Amazon, be it a big lens or deodorant. Support the blog by starting your search by starting your search by clicking on the logo-link below. No purchase is too small to be appreciated; they all add up. Why make it a habit? Because I make it a habit of bringing you new images and information on an almost daily basis.

Typos

In all Bulletins, feel free to e-mail or leave a comment regarding any typos, wrong words, misspellings, omissions, or grammatical errors. Just be right. 🙂

IPT Info

Many of our great trips are filling up. Two great leaders ensure that you will not learn more anywhere about how to make great images. Click here for the schedule and additional info.