Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

This image of a Great White Pelican was created on the Lake Kerkini, Greece IPT with the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II lens , the Canon 2x EF Extender III (Teleconverter), and the now discontinued EOS-1D Mark IV (now replaced by the Canon EOS-1D X). ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/1250 sec. at f/8 in Manual Mode. Central sensor/AI Servo/Rear Focus on the very front of the bird’s breast active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.

It’s All Greek to Me

From Wikipedia here.

That’s Greek to me or It’s (all) Greek to me is an idiom/dead metaphor in English, expressing that something is not understandable. (A dead metaphor is a metaphor which has lost the original imagery of its meaning owing to extensive, repetitive popular usage.)

Origin

It may have been a direct translation of a similar phrase in Latin: “Graecum est; non legitur” (“it is Greek, [therefore] it cannot be read”). This phrase was increasingly used by monk scribes in the Middle Ages, as knowledge of the Greek alphabet and language was dwindling among those who were copying manuscripts in monastic libraries.

The 70-200 II and the 2X III TC

There is no shortage of internet experts who will tell you that it is stupid to pair the 2X III TC with any 70-200 f/2.8 lens. “Focus is too slow. The images cannot be sharp.” I beg to differ. This combo is razor sharp in the right hands. And I have used this rig with success for flight photography. With pro-sumer camera bodies initial focus acquisition will be a bit slower than with pro bodies; pre-focusing manually will alleviate this problem.

Thanks as always to buddy Patrick Sparkman for opening my eyes to this great combo.

The “Artie to Do” File

While deleting about 150gb of image files from my laptop in preparation for the upcoming sold out Galapagos Photo Cruise I added a few images to the very large “Artie to Do” file. That’s when I came upon the two very fine but previously overlooked images here.

This image of a Dalmatian was created with the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II lens , the Canon 1.4x EF Extender III (Teleconverter) (hand held at 150mm), and the now discontinued EOS-1D Mark IV (now replaced by the Canon EOS-1D X). ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/2500 sec. at f/5.6 in Av Mode. Central sensor/AI Servo/Rear Focus on the bird’s upper back just to the left of the bird’s head active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.

Lake Kerkini

In March 2011 I visited Lake Kerkini, Greece. It was a phenomenal trip. The Dalmatian Pelicans with their shaggy tops were the main target species. We only saw a single Great White Pelican on our last morning; it was in spectacular breeding plumage. I need to do that IPT again one of these years…. Thanks to good friend Yannis Arvanitis for his help with that trip, especially his choice of restaurant! Please e-mail me if you would be seriously interested in joining us for the IPT.

Your Favorite?

Let us know which of the two images here is your favorite. And why.

Photographic Society of Chattanooga Seminar

Scroll down here for details on the Saturday seminar that Denise Ippolito and yours truly are doing in Chattanooga on October 12, 2013 and the follow-up Old Car City In-the-Field Workshop. Blog folks who sign up for both are invited to join us at a secret Urbex location in Atlanta on Friday morning October 11. Feel free to e-mail me for details after you are registered for both.

Snow Goose composite, Bosque del Apache NWR, San Antonio, NM. Click on the image for 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.

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.

A $500 non-refundable deposit is required to hold your slot for this IPT. Your balance is due 4 months before the date of the IPT and is also non-refundable. 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.

Images copyright 2012: Denise Ippoltio & Arthur Morris. Card design by Denise Ippolito. Click on the image to enjoy a spectacular larger version.

Holland 2014 7 1/2-Day/8-Night: A Creative Adventure/BIRDS AS ART/Tulips & A Touch of Holland IPT. April 17-April 24, 2014 :$4995 Limit: 12 photographers/Openings 9

This trip needs 8 registrants to run so please do not purchase your plane tickets until you hear from us; right now we need 5 more folks.

Join Denise Ippolito, Flower Queen and the author of “Bloomin’ Ideas,” BPN Photo Gear Moderator, former Nikon shooter, and technical expert Peter Kes, and Arthur Morris, Canon Explorer of Light and one of the planet’s premier photographic educators for a great trip to Holland in mid-April 2014. Day 1 of the IPT will be April 17, 2014. We will have a short afternoon get-together and then our first photographic session at the justly-famed Keukenhof. Peter who is originally from Holland, will be our local guide/interpreter/driver. Most days we will return to the hotel for lunch, image sharing and a break. On Day 8, April 24, we will enjoy both morning and afternoon photography sessions.

The primary subjects will be tulips and orchids at Keukenhof and the spectacularly amazing tulip, hyacinth, and daffodil bulb fields around Lisse. In addition we will spend one full day in Amsterdam. There will be optional visits the Van Gogh Museum in the morning and the Anne Frank House in the afternoon; there will be plenty of time for street photography as well. And some great food. On another day we will have a wonderful early dinner at Kinderdijk and then head out with our gear to photograph the windmills and possibly some birds for those who bring their longs lenses. We will spend an afternoon in the lovely Dutch town of Edam where we will do some street photography and enjoy a superb dinner. All lodging, ground transportation, entry fees, and meals (from dinner on Day 1 through dinner on Day 8) are included.

For those who will be bringing a big lens we will likely have an optional bird photography afternoon or two or possibly three. The big attraction should be gorgeous Purple Herons in flight at a breeding marsh. We would be photographing them from the roadside. And we might be able to find a few Great-crested Grebes at a location near Keukenhof.

Click here for complete details and some previously unpublished images. And/or click here and see item one for lots more tulip photos and complete trip details.

Images courtesy of and copyright 2012: Bill Mueller. Card design by Denise Ippolito.

Old Car City Creative Photography In-the-Field HDR Workshop: Sunday, October 13, 2013/ 9am till 1pm.

White, Georgia: $250 plus a $15 entrance fee donation (cash only on the day of the event) that will go to charity. Limit: 16 photographers.

On October 13, 2013, Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART and Denise Ippolito/A Creative Adventure will be conducting an In-the-Field HDR Workshop at Old Car City in White, Georgia. Old Car City is about an hour north of Atlanta, GA and an hour south of Chattanooga, TN where they will, as noted above, be doing a full day seminar for the Photographic Society of Chattanooga on Saturday, October 12th. Click here for complete details.

Typos

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

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!

If you are considering an item for purchase or comparison shopping be sure to place an item in your cart to see the too-low-to show the actual price. In many cases the prices are so low that B&H is forbidden from publicizing them!

If you are considering an item for purchase or comparison shopping be sure to place an item in your cart to see the too-low-to show the actual price. In many cases the prices are so low that B&H is forbidden from publicizing them!

Support the Blog

Amazon

Everyone buys something from Amazon, be it a big lens or deodorant. Support the blog by starting your search by typing in the little white box 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.

And from the BAA On-line Store:

LensCoats. I have a LensCoat on each of my big lenses to protect them from nicks and thus increase their re-sales value. All my big lens LensCoat stuff is in Hardwood Snow pattern.
LegCoat Tripod Leg Covers. I have four tripods active and each has a Hardwood Snow LegCoat on it to help prevent further damage to my tender shoulders 🙂 And you will love them in mega-cold weather….
Gitzo GT3532 LS CF Tripod. This one replaces the GT3530LS Tripod and will last you a lifetime. Learn more about this great tripod here.
Mongoose M3.6 Tripod Head. Right now this is the best tripod head around for use with lenses that weigh less than 9 pounds. For heavier lenses, check out the Wimberley V2 head.
Double Bubble Level. You will find one in my camera’s hot shoe whenever I am not using flash.
The Lens Align Mark II. I use the Lens Align Mark II pretty much religiously to micro-adjust all of my gear an average of once a month and always before a major trip. Enjoy our free comprehensive tutorial here.
BreezeBrowser. I do not see how any digital photographer can exist without this program.
Delkin Flash Cards. I use and depend on Delkin compact Flash Cards and card readers most every day. Learn more about their great 700X and 1000X cards here or about my favorite Delkin card here.

This Roseate Tern was photographed on Great Gull Island with the hand held Canon 300mm f/2.8 L IS II lens, the 1.4X III TC, and the Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/2500 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode. Central Sensor/AI Servo Surround/Rear Focus active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to enjoy a larger, more spectacular version. Image #1.

Which One?

In the June 18th blog post, Which One?, I asked which of the two images had undergone major reconstructive Photoshop surgery. I was glad that nobody saw anything obvious. In this blog post I share the two original images with you.

This is original for Image #1.

Image #1 Original

As you can see by comparing the original and the optimized images, I eliminated a second tern that was just behind the subject. Then a decent crop. As the original was so sharp and 1D X image quality is so good, the image quality of the optimized (cropped version) held up just fine. I like this image a lot. I used the Clone Stamp Tool to remove the extra bird. As it the result was somewhat lacking texture I grabbed the repaired area with the Patch Tool to smooth out the edges and add texture. That worked perfectly. I often use a combination of the Clone Stamp Tool, the Patch Tool, and a Quick Mask or two (often with a Layer Mask added) for image clean-up and repairs.

All of the above of course 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, and Quick Masking, Layer Masking and NIK Color Efex Pro basics.

This Roseate Tern was also photographed on Great Gull Island with the hand held Canon 300mm f/2.8 L IS II lens, the 1.4X III TC, and the Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1 2/3 stops off the grey sky: 1/2500 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual mode. Central Sensor/AI Servo Surround/Rear Focus active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to enjoy a larger, more spectacular version. Image #2.

Your favorite?

Next I asked which was your favorite image. Most folks liked both Roseate Tern flight shots but preferred Image #2. Image #2 was my favorite also. The folks who left comments gave lots of good reasons. I liked #2 because of the soft light and the beautiful look at the fanned tail. I am OK with the head angle but wish that the bird were looking back at the viewer just a bit more.

This is the original capture for Image #2.

Image #2 Original

Obviously this is the image that underwent major Photoshop reconstructive surgery. Smoothing out the background behind the subject was relatively straightforward. I used the Clone Stamp Tool at 60% opacity. I used techniques from APTATS II to re-position the bird in the frame. That too was straightforward. I used advanced Quick Masking techniques from APTATS I to replace second primary. I tried but failed to do the same thing by using the tip of the first primary of the far wing to add the missing primary tip of the near wing. So I wound up building it with the Clone Stamp Tool. The surrounding sky was blotchy so I covered that with a Quick Mask of the sky and then fine-tuned that by adding a Layer Mask. All in all I struggled for more than an hour with the repair.

I guess that I did OK as nobody saw nothin’. Again, had I noted in advance that I repaired the clipped near wingtip folks would have have been on my like flies on honey with their “evidence.”

Again, pretty much all of the techniques that I used are detailed 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, and Quick Masking, Layer Masking and NIK Color Efex Pro basics.

Images copyright 2012: Denise Ippoltio & Arthur Morris. Card design by Denise Ippolito. Click on the image to enjoy a spectacular larger version.

Holland 2014 7 1/2-Day/8-Night: A Creative Adventure/BIRDS AS ART/Tulips & A Touch of Holland IPT. April 17-April 24, 2014 :$4995 Limit: 12 photographers/Openings 9

This trip needs 8 registrants to run so please do not purchase your plane tickets until you hear from us; right now we need 5 more folks.

Join Denise Ippolito, Flower Queen and the author of “Bloomin’ Ideas,” BPN Photo Gear Moderator, former Nikon shooter, and technical expert Peter Kes, and Arthur Morris, Canon Explorer of Light and one of the planet’s premier photographic educators for a great trip to Holland in mid-April 2014. Day 1 of the IPT will be April 17, 2014. We will have a short afternoon get-together and then our first photographic session at the justly-famed Keukenhof. Peter who is originally from Holland, will be our local guide/interpreter/driver. Most days we will return to the hotel for lunch, image sharing and a break. On Day 8, April 24, we will enjoy both morning and afternoon photography sessions.

The primary subjects will be tulips and orchids at Keukenhof and the spectacularly amazing tulip, hyacinth, and daffodil bulb fields around Lisse. In addition we will spend one full day in Amsterdam. There will be optional visits the Van Gogh Museum in the morning and the Anne Frank House in the afternoon; there will be plenty of time for street photography as well. And some great food. On another day we will have a wonderful early dinner at Kinderdijk and then head out with our gear to photograph the windmills and possibly some birds for those who bring their longs lenses. We will spend an afternoon in the lovely Dutch town of Edam where we will do some street photography and enjoy a superb dinner. All lodging, ground transportation, entry fees, and meals (from dinner on Day 1 through dinner on Day 8) are included.

For those who will be bringing a big lens we will likely have an optional bird photography afternoon or two or possibly three. The big attraction should be gorgeous Purple Herons in flight at a breeding marsh. We would be photographing them from the roadside. And we might be able to find a few Great-crested Grebes at a location near Keukenhof.

Click here for complete details and some previously unpublished images. And/or click here and see item one for lots more tulip photos and complete trip details.

Images courtesy of and copyright 2012: Bill Mueller. Card design by Denise Ippolito.

Old Car City Creative Photography In-the-Field HDR Workshop: Sunday, October 13, 2013/ 9am till 1pm.

White, Georgia: $250 plus a $15 entrance fee donation (cash only on the day of the event) that will go to charity. Limit: 16 photographers.

On October 13, 2013, Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART and Denise Ippolito/A Creative Adventure will be conducting an In-the-Field HDR Workshop at Old Car City in White, Georgia. Old Car City is about an hour north of Atlanta, GA and an hour south of Chattanooga, TN where they will, as noted above, be doing a full day seminar for the Photographic Society of Chattanooga on Saturday, October 12th. Click here for complete details.

Typos

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

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!

If you are considering an item for purchase or comparison shopping be sure to place an item in your cart to see the too-low-to show the actual price. In many cases the prices are so low that B&H is forbidden from publicizing them!

If you are considering an item for purchase or comparison shopping be sure to place an item in your cart to see the too-low-to show the actual price. In many cases the prices are so low that B&H is forbidden from publicizing them!

Support the Blog

Amazon

Everyone buys something from Amazon, be it a big lens or deodorant. Support the blog by starting your search by typing in the little white box 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.

And from the BAA On-line Store:

LensCoats. I have a LensCoat on each of my big lenses to protect them from nicks and thus increase their re-sales value. All my big lens LensCoat stuff is in Hardwood Snow pattern.
LegCoat Tripod Leg Covers. I have four tripods active and each has a Hardwood Snow LegCoat on it to help prevent further damage to my tender shoulders 🙂 And you will love them in mega-cold weather….
Gitzo GT3532 LS CF Tripod. This one replaces the GT3530LS Tripod and will last you a lifetime. Learn more about this great tripod here.
Mongoose M3.6 Tripod Head. Right now this is the best tripod head around for use with lenses that weigh less than 9 pounds. For heavier lenses, check out the Wimberley V2 head.
Double Bubble Level. You will find one in my camera’s hot shoe whenever I am not using flash.
The Lens Align Mark II. I use the Lens Align Mark II pretty much religiously to micro-adjust all of my gear an average of once a month and always before a major trip. Enjoy our free comprehensive tutorial here.
BreezeBrowser. I do not see how any digital photographer can exist without this program.
Delkin Flash Cards. I use and depend on Delkin compact Flash Cards and card readers most every day. Learn more about their great 700X and 1000X cards here or about my favorite Delkin card here.

This Roseate Tern was photographed on Great Gull Island with the hand held Canon 300mm f/2.8 L IS II lens, the 1.4X III TC, and the Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/2500 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode. Central Sensor/AI Servo Surround/Rear Focus active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to enjoy a larger, more spectacular version. Image #1.

Which One?

One of the Roseate Tern flight images here underwent some major reconstructive Photoshop surgery. Was it image #1 or image #2? If you are sure, what is your evidence? In an upcoming blog post I will share both original captures.

This Roseate Tern was also photographed on Great Gull Island with the hand held Canon 300mm f/2.8 L IS II lens, the 1.4X III TC, and the Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1 2/3 stops off the grey sky: 1/2500 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual mode. Central Sensor/AI Servo Surround/Rear Focus active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to enjoy a larger, more spectacular version. Image #2.

Your favorite?

Which of the two images above do you like best? Be sure to let us know why. While I like both of them, I do have a clear favorite.

Images copyright 2012: Denise Ippoltio & Arthur Morris. Card design by Denise Ippolito. Click on the image to enjoy a spectacular larger version.

Holland 2014 7 1/2-Day/8-Night: A Creative Adventure/BIRDS AS ART/Tulips & A Touch of Holland IPT. April 17-April 24, 2014 :$4995 Limit: 12 photographers/Openings 9

This trip needs 8 registrants to run so please do not purchase your plane tickets until you hear from us; right now we need 5 more folks.

Join Denise Ippolito, Flower Queen and the author of “Bloomin’ Ideas,” BPN Photo Gear Moderator, former Nikon shooter, and technical expert Peter Kes, and Arthur Morris, Canon Explorer of Light and one of the planet’s premier photographic educators for a great trip to Holland in mid-April 2014. Day 1 of the IPT will be April 17, 2014. We will have a short afternoon get-together and then our first photographic session at the justly-famed Keukenhof. Peter who is originally from Holland, will be our local guide/interpreter/driver. Most days we will return to the hotel for lunch, image sharing and a break. On Day 8, April 24, we will enjoy both morning and afternoon photography sessions.

The primary subjects will be tulips and orchids at Keukenhof and the spectacularly amazing tulip, hyacinth, and daffodil bulb fields around Lisse. In addition we will spend one full day in Amsterdam. There will be optional visits the Van Gogh Museum in the morning and the Anne Frank House in the afternoon; there will be plenty of time for street photography as well. And some great food. On another day we will have a wonderful early dinner at Kinderdijk and then head out with our gear to photograph the windmills and possibly some birds for those who bring their longs lenses. We will spend an afternoon in the lovely Dutch town of Edam where we will do some street photography and enjoy a superb dinner. All lodging, ground transportation, entry fees, and meals (from dinner on Day 1 through dinner on Day 8) are included.

For those who will be bringing a big lens we will likely have an optional bird photography afternoon or two or possibly three. The big attraction should be gorgeous Purple Herons in flight at a breeding marsh. We would be photographing them from the roadside. And we might be able to find a few Great-crested Grebes at a location near Keukenhof.

Click here for complete details and some previously unpublished images. And/or click here and see item one for lots more tulip photos and complete trip details.

Images courtesy of and copyright 2012: Bill Mueller. Card design by Denise Ippolito.

Old Car City Creative Photography In-the-Field HDR Workshop: Sunday, October 13, 2013/ 9am till 1pm.

White, Georgia: $250 plus a $15 entrance fee donation (cash only on the day of the event) that will go to charity. Limit: 16 photographers.

On October 13, 2013, Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART and Denise Ippolito/A Creative Adventure will be conducting an In-the-Field HDR Workshop at Old Car City in White, Georgia. Old Car City is about an hour north of Atlanta, GA and an hour south of Chattanooga, TN where they will, as noted above, be doing a full day seminar for the Photographic Society of Chattanooga on Saturday, October 12th. Click here for complete details.

Typos

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

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!

If you are considering an item for purchase or comparison shopping be sure to place an item in your cart to see the too-low-to show the actual price. In many cases the prices are so low that B&H is forbidden from publicizing them!

If you are considering an item for purchase or comparison shopping be sure to place an item in your cart to see the too-low-to show the actual price. In many cases the prices are so low that B&H is forbidden from publicizing them!

Support the Blog

Amazon

Everyone buys something from Amazon, be it a big lens or deodorant. Support the blog by starting your search by typing in the little white box 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.

And from the BAA On-line Store:

LensCoats. I have a LensCoat on each of my big lenses to protect them from nicks and thus increase their re-sales value. All my big lens LensCoat stuff is in Hardwood Snow pattern.
LegCoat Tripod Leg Covers. I have four tripods active and each has a Hardwood Snow LegCoat on it to help prevent further damage to my tender shoulders 🙂 And you will love them in mega-cold weather….
Gitzo GT3532 LS CF Tripod. This one replaces the GT3530LS Tripod and will last you a lifetime. Learn more about this great tripod here.
Mongoose M3.6 Tripod Head. Right now this is the best tripod head around for use with lenses that weigh less than 9 pounds. For heavier lenses, check out the Wimberley V2 head.
Double Bubble Level. You will find one in my camera’s hot shoe whenever I am not using flash.
The Lens Align Mark II. I use the Lens Align Mark II pretty much religiously to micro-adjust all of my gear an average of once a month and always before a major trip. Enjoy our free comprehensive tutorial here.
BreezeBrowser. I do not see how any digital photographer can exist without this program.
Delkin Flash Cards. I use and depend on Delkin compact Flash Cards and card readers most every day. Learn more about their great 700X and 1000X cards here or about my favorite Delkin card here.

no images were found

This image of a Sandhill Crane was created on Thursday morning with the hand held Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM lens with Internal 1.4x Extender (with the 1.4X TC in place) at 560mm and the Canon EOS-1D X Digital SLR camera. ISO 400. Evaluative metering at zero: 1/1000 sec. at f/8 in Manual mode. Two sensors to the right of the central sensor/AI Servo-Surround/Rear Focus just in front of and below the bird’s eye active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see the new even larger version.

Down By the Lake With the EF200-400mm f/4L IS/Internal 1.4 Extender

I couldn’t resist trying out my new lens on the morning of June 14, which just happened to me my 67th birthday. As there are almost always a few Sandhill Cranes around and the big fields were too wet to drive on safely, the cranes were my primary and only target. The image above was created with the internal 1.4X TC in place. I was delighted to see that the internal TC moves smoothly in and out of place with a fairly large, conveniently located lever on the left side of the barrel about only 1 1/2 inches from the camera end of the lens. Though I doubt that I will use the locking feature much, the internal 1.4X can be conveniently locked in place.

The Huge Surprise

The Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens weighs 8.65 pounds. I have a really hard time hand holding it. I am OK for a flight image or two but even then I struggle with framing. Working with static subjects is much more difficult as you feel the build-up of lactic acid within a few moments. The Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM lens with Internal 1.4x Extender weighs 7.98 pounds, exactly .67 pounds less than the 600 II. With the 2-4 being only 2/3 pound lighter than the big gun, I assumed that it would be a difficult lens for me to hand hold. )You can find complete specs for all Canon telephoto lenses here.)

The very big surprise was that I found the new 200-400 to be eminently hand holdable. Even when creating static images like the two above. I was easily able to hold the lens up and frame the subject for periods of from 20 to 30 seconds. Whenever possible I will of course sit on the ground and use my left knee as a support; I plan to be doing that a great deal in the Galapagos. And I am positive that the 200-400 with the built-in TC will prove to be the perfect lens for our panga (zodiac) photography cruises. It will, with the 1D X, serve as my primary lens for penguins and pelicans and flight photography. The 70-200 will be on the floor of the panga with another 1D X mounted ready for a Blue-footed Booby feeding spree. The 200-400 with the built in TC will prove to be even more valuable in Africa.

(Editor’s note: surprisingly, there is only one “m” in eminent.”)

Why?

With the weight of the two lenses being so close, it would seem that the size–especially the length–and the compactness of the 200-400 as compared to the 600 II are the main reasons that I found it relatively easy to hand hold. With the lens hoods in place, the 600 II is 24 and 3/4″ long. At more than 2 feet, that is one long lever arm. The 2-4 is a relatively manageable 19″, just a it more than 1 1/2 feet long. Other than that I am clueless: but I do know that I am confident that I will be able to hand hold the new Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM lens with Internal 1.4x Extender in a great variety of bird and wildlife photography situations. And I am looking forward to doing just that.

no images were found

Sharpness?

Above is a 100% crop of the crane’s head from the opening image in today’s blog post. As expected, and as you can see, the 200-400 is razor sharp with the internal 1.4X TC in place. I made a few similar images with the lens alone and an external 1.4X III TC; they were equally sharp.

no images were found

This image of a Sandhill Crane was also created on Thursday morning past, this one with the hand held Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Lens with Internal 1.4x Extender (at 200mm) and the Canon EOS-1D X Digital SLR camera. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/800 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode. Three sensors to the left of and one row down from the central sensor/AI Servo-Surround/Rear Focus on the crane’s upper back just behind the neck active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see the new even larger version.

Versatility

The Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM lens with Internal 1.4x Extender is of course an extremely versatile zoom lens with a focal length range of from 200-560mm which yields a very nice zoom range of 1 to 2.8. That with superb sharpness, the incredible four-stop IS, and excellent close-focus. In the image above I went with the lens alone at 200mm in order to include the pier at Indian Lake Estates in the frame to give the viewers a sense of place. The wide end of the 2-4 without the internal TC engaged will be useful for creating bird-scapes and habitat images.

Images copyright 2012: Denise Ippoltio & Arthur Morris. Card design by Denise Ippolito. Click on the image to enjoy a spectacular larger version.

Holland 2014 7 1/2-Day/8-Night: A Creative Adventure/BIRDS AS ART/Tulips & A Touch of Holland IPT. April 17-April 24, 2014 :$4995 Limit: 12 photographers/Openings 9

This trip needs 8 registrants to run so please do not purchase your plane tickets until you hear from us; right now we need 5 more folks.

Join Denise Ippolito, Flower Queen and the author of “Bloomin’ Ideas,” BPN Photo Gear Moderator, former Nikon shooter, and technical expert Peter Kes, and Arthur Morris, Canon Explorer of Light and one of the planet’s premier photographic educators for a great trip to Holland in mid-April 2014. Day 1 of the IPT will be April 17, 2014. We will have a short afternoon get-together and then our first photographic session at the justly-famed Keukenhof. Peter who is originally from Holland, will be our local guide/interpreter/driver. Most days we will return to the hotel for lunch, image sharing and a break. On Day 8, April 24, we will enjoy both morning and afternoon photography sessions.

The primary subjects will be tulips and orchids at Keukenhof and the spectacularly amazing tulip, hyacinth, and daffodil bulb fields around Lisse. In addition we will spend one full day in Amsterdam. There will be optional visits the Van Gogh Museum in the morning and the Anne Frank House in the afternoon; there will be plenty of time for street photography as well. And some great food. On another day we will have a wonderful early dinner at Kinderdijk and then head out with our gear to photograph the windmills and possibly some birds for those who bring their longs lenses. We will spend an afternoon in the lovely Dutch town of Edam where we will do some street photography and enjoy a superb dinner. All lodging, ground transportation, entry fees, and meals (from dinner on Day 1 through dinner on Day 8) are included.

For those who will be bringing a big lens we will likely have an optional bird photography afternoon or two or possibly three. The big attraction should be gorgeous Purple Herons in flight at a breeding marsh. We would be photographing them from the roadside. And we might be able to find a few Great-crested Grebes at a location near Keukenhof.

Click here for complete details and some previously unpublished tulip images. Click here and see item one for lots more tulip photos.

Images courtesy of and copyright 2012: Bill Mueller. Card design by Denise Ippolito.

Old Car City Creative Photography In-the-Field HDR Workshop: Sunday, October 13, 2013/ 9am till 1pm.

White, Georgia: $250 plus a $15 entrance fee donation (cash only on the day of the event) that will go to charity. Limit: 16 photographers.

On October 13, 2013, Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART and Denise Ippolito/A Creative Adventure will be conducting an In-the-Field HDR Workshop at Old Car City in White, Georgia. Old Car City is about an hour north of Atlanta, GA and an hour south of Chattanooga, TN where they will, as noted above, be doing a full day seminar for the Photographic Society of Chattanooga on Saturday, October 12th. Click here for complete details.

Typos

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

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!

If you are considering an item for purchase or comparison shopping be sure to place an item in your cart to see the too-low-to show the actual price. In many cases the prices are so low that B&H is forbidden from publicizing them!

If you are considering an item for purchase or comparison shopping be sure to place an item in your cart to see the too-low-to show the actual price. In many cases the prices are so low that B&H is forbidden from publicizing them!

Support the Blog

Amazon

Everyone buys something from Amazon, be it a big lens or deodorant. Support the blog by starting your search by typing in the little white box 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.

And from the BAA On-line Store:

LensCoats. I have a LensCoat on each of my big lenses to protect them from nicks and thus increase their re-sales value. All my big lens LensCoat stuff is in Hardwood Snow pattern.
LegCoat Tripod Leg Covers. I have four tripods active and each has a Hardwood Snow LegCoat on it to help prevent further damage to my tender shoulders 🙂 And you will love them in mega-cold weather….
Gitzo GT3532 LS CF Tripod. This one replaces the GT3530LS Tripod and will last you a lifetime. Learn more about this great tripod here.
Mongoose M3.6 Tripod Head. Right now this is the best tripod head around for use with lenses that weigh less than 9 pounds. For heavier lenses, check out the Wimberley V2 head.
Double Bubble Level. You will find one in my camera’s hot shoe whenever I am not using flash.
The Lens Align Mark II. I use the Lens Align Mark II pretty much religiously to micro-adjust all of my gear an average of once a month and always before a major trip. Enjoy our free comprehensive tutorial here.
BreezeBrowser. I do not see how any digital photographer can exist without this program.
Delkin Flash Cards. I use and depend on Delkin compact Flash Cards and card readers most every day. Learn more about their great 700X and 1000X cards here or about my favorite Delkin card here.

This image was created in-camera at Keukehof Gardens in Lisse Holland on the first Tulip IPT with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens and the Canon EOS 5D Mark III. ISO 100. Evaluative metering +1 stop at f/22 in Tv mode. What do you think was the shutter speed? Central sensor Surround/AI Servo Rear Focus on the first row of pink tulips. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.

How’d He Do Dat?

First off, do you like it? Do you hate it? Why? Be forewarned: I love it in part because of the outline effect on the pink tulips.

Do let us know how you think this image was created in-camera? What technique or techniques were used? Please be as specific as you can. What was the shutter speed?

Here is a clue: the original was rendered as a JPEG.

Sometimes you can come up with something new and creative just by screwing around and having some fun.

Speaking of Good Flower Images

If you like flower photography, you need to check out Denise’s most recent blog post, “Bloomin’ Canadians.” There she shares 14 images created by folks who attended her recent workshop in Ontario, Canada. Here is the comment I left: Oh my God. I have never seen such a strong group of images from a 3 hour workshop. There are many fantastic images. Congrats to everyone. And here is the best part, the stamp of your teaching is all over every single image. Way to go girl!

Images copyright 2012: Denise Ippoltio & Arthur Morris. Card design by Denise Ippolito. Click on the image to enjoy a spectacular larger version.

Holland 2014 7 1/2-Day/8-Night: A Creative Adventure/BIRDS AS ART/Tulips & A Touch of Holland IPT. April 17-April 24, 2014 :$4995 Limit: 12 photographers/Openings 9

This trip needs 8 registrants to run so please do not purchase your plane tickets until you hear from us; right now we need 5 more folks.

Join Denise Ippolito, Flower Queen and the author of “Bloomin’ Ideas,” BPN Photo Gear Moderator, former Nikon shooter, and technical expert Peter Kes, and Arthur Morris, Canon Explorer of Light and one of the planet’s premier photographic educators for a great trip to Holland in mid-April 2014. Day 1 of the IPT will be April 17, 2014. We will have a short afternoon get-together and then our first photographic session at the justly-famed Keukenhof. Peter who is originally from Holland, will be our local guide/interpreter/driver. Most days we will return to the hotel for lunch, image sharing and a break. On Day 8, April 24, we will enjoy both morning and afternoon photography sessions.

The primary subjects will be tulips and orchids at Keukenhof and the spectacularly amazing tulip, hyacinth, and daffodil bulb fields around Lisse. In addition we will spend one full day in Amsterdam. There will be optional visits the Van Gogh Museum in the morning and the Anne Frank House in the afternoon; there will be plenty of time for street photography as well. And some great food. On another day we will have a wonderful early dinner at Kinderdijk and then head out with our gear to photograph the windmills and possibly some birds for those who bring their longs lenses. We will spend an afternoon in the lovely Dutch town of Edam where we will do some street photography and enjoy a superb dinner. All lodging, ground transportation, entry fees, and meals (from dinner on Day 1 through dinner on Day 8) are included.

For those who will be bringing a big lens we will likely have an optional bird photography afternoon or two or possibly three. The big attraction should be gorgeous Purple Herons in flight at a breeding marsh. We would be photographing them from the roadside. And we might be able to find a few Great-crested Grebes at a location near Keukenhof.

Click here and see item one for lots more tulip photos and complete trip details.

Images courtesy of and copyright 2012: Bill Mueller. Card design by Denise Ippolito.

Old Car City Creative Photography In-the-Field HDR Workshop: Sunday, October 13, 2013/ 9am till 1pm.

White, Georgia: $250 plus a $15 entrance fee donation (cash only on the day of the event) that will go to charity. Limit: 16 photographers.

On October 13, 2013, Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART and Denise Ippolito/A Creative Adventure will be conducting an In-the-Field HDR Workshop at Old Car City in White, Georgia. Old Car City is about an hour north of Atlanta, GA and an hour south of Chattanooga, TN where they will, as noted above, be doing a full day seminar for the Photographic Society of Chattanooga on Saturday, October 12th. Click here for complete details.

Typos

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

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!

If you are considering an item for purchase or comparison shopping be sure to place an item in your cart to see the too-low-to show the actual price. In many cases the prices are so low that B&H is forbidden from publicizing them!

If you are considering an item for purchase or comparison shopping be sure to place an item in your cart to see the too-low-to show the actual price. In many cases the prices are so low that B&H is forbidden from publicizing them!

Support the Blog

Amazon

Everyone buys something from Amazon, be it a big lens or deodorant. Support the blog by starting your search by typing in the little white box 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.

And from the BAA On-line Store:

LensCoats. I have a LensCoat on each of my big lenses to protect them from nicks and thus increase their re-sales value. All my big lens LensCoat stuff is in Hardwood Snow pattern.
LegCoat Tripod Leg Covers. I have four tripods active and each has a Hardwood Snow LegCoat on it to help prevent further damage to my tender shoulders 🙂 And you will love them in mega-cold weather….
Gitzo GT3532 LS CF Tripod. This one replaces the GT3530LS Tripod and will last you a lifetime. Learn more about this great tripod here.
Mongoose M3.6 Tripod Head. Right now this is the best tripod head around for use with lenses that weigh less than 9 pounds. For heavier lenses, check out the Wimberley V2 head.
Double Bubble Level. You will find one in my camera’s hot shoe whenever I am not using flash.
The Lens Align Mark II. I use the Lens Align Mark II pretty much religiously to micro-adjust all of my gear an average of once a month and always before a major trip. Enjoy our free comprehensive tutorial here.
BreezeBrowser. I do not see how any digital photographer can exist without this program.
Delkin Flash Cards. I use and depend on Delkin compact Flash Cards and card readers most every day. Learn more about their great 700X and 1000X cards here or about my favorite Delkin card here.

Big Lens News I

I bit the bullet and purchased a Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Lens with Internal 1.4x Extender through the Explorers of Light program. I was blessed to have been selected as one of the original Canon Explorers of Light about 18 years ago and continue in that role today. I will be bringing the lens on my Galapagos trip in early July, my Africa trip in early August, and, as my big lens, on my bear boat trip in early September. The lens will be here on Thursday afternoon. I hope to get out with it this weekend and to be sharing some images with you here. The best news is that I will be doing a Focus On feature on the 200-400 for the Canon Digital Learning Center.

Big Lens News II: Canon 500mm f/4L IS II Lens for Sale

Sold

Save $2,000. I am offering my Canon 500mm f/4L EF IS II lens for sale for for $8,399.00 (buyer pays insured shipping). The lens is in like-new condition with one tiny nick on the tripod collar. Glass perfect. Having fallen in love with the 600II I used the 500 II less than a dozen times. I was protected from the get-go by a LensCoat. I am including the LensCoat less the rear section and the tripod collar section. This is the lens that was dropped in South Georgia; note: it was the camera that took the fall. The lens elements were intact; only the lens mount was replaced. Priced only $3K more than some well-used 500mm f/4L IS lenses (the old version), this item is priced to ship tomorrow so do not tarry if you are seriously interested. If you are dissatisfied you may return the lens within two weeks for a full refund–you pay only the insured return shipping. Please call me at 863-692-0906 (7am till 10pm) if you would like to purchase this beauty. Leave a message if no answer. As my word is my bond I do not send pictures.

This image was created at 6:44 am on the early morning of June 5, 2013 on Great Gull Island with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens and the Canon EOS 5D Mark III. ISO 400. Evaluative metering -2/3 stop: 1/2500 sec. at f/7.1 in Manual Mode. One sensor below and two to the right of the central sensor/AI Servo Surround/Rear just below and behind the tern’s eye active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.

Photoshop Hanky Panky?

The image presented in the Photoshop Hany Panky? post here and above was right out of the camera. I converted the image in DPP, selected the BKGR, added Refine Edge, and executed Filter/Blur/Surface Blur at 4/2 to smooth the dark blue background.

This image was created on Great Gull Island at 5:11 pm on June 3, 2013 with the hand held Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens, the Canon 1.4x EF Extender III (Teleconverter), and the Canon EOS-1D X Digital SLR camera. ISO 800. Evaluative metering off the grey sky +2 stops: 1/2000 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual mode. Central sensor Surround/AI Servo/Rear Focus on the forward part of the near wing near the body active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.

Try This One

The optimized image present in the Try This One blog post is a completely different story. As you can see by taking a look at the original image below, the second bird was removed. I used the Protective Cloning on Layer technique taught to me by Denise Ippolito. Removing the out-of-focus rock was actually much more difficult than removing the bird as getting the edge of the rock to look natural was a challenge that required some extra care. I did some background smoothing as well with a 60% opacity Clone Stamp Tool. All of course 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, and Layer Masking and NIK Color Efex Pro basics.

5D Mark III, 1D X AF, & DPP e-Guides

To learn everything that I know about the the great EOS-5D Mark III, check out our 5D MIII User’s Guide. To learn everything that I know about the great 1D X AF system check out our 1D X AF Guide here. To learn how I convert all of my images in DPP check out the DPP Raw Conversion Guide here.

This is the original image from which the optimized image was created in Photoshop.

Why?

I had two reasons for presenting these two images on consecutive days. First and foremost is to show that it is easy to find flaws with optimized images after you see the original, but much more difficult in cases where you only see the final image and when the Photoshop work was well done. I am glad that not too many folks invented stuff on the “Hanky Panky” image and that nobody even hinted that a bird and a rock had been removed from the “Try This One” image. Second was to show that if you know what you are doing in Photoshop and work carefully that even when you make extensive changes to an image they can be undetectable to most folks. Or to all folks. 🙂

Help Keep Great Gull Island Open For Terns!

This spring crews are continuing to fight vegetation and to rebuild most of the blinds to be ready for the terns when they arrive. 31 of 34 blinds, many already in dire need of repair, were finished off by Hurricane Sandy. Crews are ready to help with both of these projects, but the GGI Project needs funds to purchase lumber and equipment. Contributions of all sizes are both welcome and appreciated AND are tax deductible! Please make checks payable to: AMNH, and send them to:

Great Gull Island Project/AMNH, Department of Ornithology, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West and 79th Street, New York, NY 10024

GGI’s best-ever dock, completed in 2010, was totaled by Sandy. The project is looking to FEMA for help but as above, any and all donations would be greatly appreciated. You can learn more about Great Gull Island here and visit the GGI Blog here.

Typos

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

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!

If you are considering an item for purchase or comparison shopping be sure to place an item in your cart to see the too-low-to show the actual price. In many cases the prices are so low that B&H is forbidden from publicizing them!

If you are considering an item for purchase or comparison shopping be sure to place an item in your cart to see the too-low-to show the actual price. In many cases the prices are so low that B&H is forbidden from publicizing them!

Support the Blog

Amazon

Everyone buys something from Amazon, be it a big lens or deodorant. Support the blog by starting your search by typing in the little white box 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.

And from the BAA On-line Store:

LensCoats. I have a LensCoat on each of my big lenses to protect them from nicks and thus increase their re-sales value. All my big lens LensCoat stuff is in Hardwood Snow pattern.
LegCoat Tripod Leg Covers. I have four tripods active and each has a Hardwood Snow LegCoat on it to help prevent further damage to my tender shoulders 🙂 And you will love them in mega-cold weather….
Gitzo GT3532 LS CF Tripod. This one replaces the GT3530LS Tripod and will last you a lifetime. Learn more about this great tripod here.
Mongoose M3.6 Tripod Head. Right now this is the best tripod head around for use with lenses that weigh less than 9 pounds. For heavier lenses, check out the Wimberley V2 head.
Double Bubble Level. You will find one in my camera’s hot shoe whenever I am not using flash.
The Lens Align Mark II. I use the Lens Align Mark II pretty much religiously to micro-adjust all of my gear an average of once a month and always before a major trip. Enjoy our free comprehensive tutorial here.
BreezeBrowser. I do not see how any digital photographer can exist without this program.
Delkin Flash Cards. I use and depend on Delkin compact Flash Cards and card readers most every day. Learn more about their great 700X and 1000X cards here or about my favorite Delkin card here.

This image was created on Great Gull Island at 5:11 pm on June 3, 2013 with the hand held Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens, the Canon 1.4x EF Extender III (Teleconverter), and the Canon EOS-1D X Digital SLR camera. ISO 800. Evaluative metering off the grey sky +2 stops: 1/2000 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual mode. Central sensor Surround/AI Servo/Rear Focus on the forward part of the near wing near the body active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.

Try This One…

In the last blog post, Photoshop Hanky Panky, I asked if folks saw anything that indicated that I had done any extensive image optimization in Photoshop. Aside from two comments about possible halos by the legs (see image next), the general consensus was that there were no indications of any monkeying around.

So let’s try it again. If you can detect any evidence of Photoshop chicanery, please leave a comment and state your case. Let us know if you think that I have removed a bird or birds or a rock or rocks from the background. How about a rope or a wooden structure? Might I have replaced the bird’s eye or even worse, its whole head? Do you see any funky looking pixels or evidence of sloppy Clone Stamp Tool work? Be sure to click on the image to see the larger version as you gather evidence of manipulation.

In any case, please let us know by leaving a comment. I will tell all and share the original capture for both of these Roseate Tern images in two days.

This 141% crop was made from an image that was created with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens and the Canon EOS 5D Mark III. ISO 400. Evaluative metering -2/3 stop: 1/2500 sec. at f/7.1 in Manual Mode.

Leg Halos?

In yesterday’s aforementioned blog post, two folks left comments stating that the area around the bird’s left looked a bit funky. That area looks fine to me. Is anyone seeing anything problematic there?

Typos

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

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!

If you are considering an item for purchase or comparison shopping be sure to place an item in your cart to see the too-low-to show the actual price. In many cases the prices are so low that B&H is forbidden from publicizing them!

If you are considering an item for purchase or comparison shopping be sure to place an item in your cart to see the too-low-to show the actual price. In many cases the prices are so low that B&H is forbidden from publicizing them!

Support the Blog

Amazon

Everyone buys something from Amazon, be it a big lens or deodorant. Support the blog by starting your search by typing in the little white box 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.

And from the BAA On-line Store:

LensCoats. I have a LensCoat on each of my big lenses to protect them from nicks and thus increase their re-sales value. All my big lens LensCoat stuff is in Hardwood Snow pattern.
LegCoat Tripod Leg Covers. I have four tripods active and each has a Hardwood Snow LegCoat on it to help prevent further damage to my tender shoulders 🙂 And you will love them in mega-cold weather….
Gitzo GT3532 LS CF Tripod. This one replaces the GT3530LS Tripod and will last you a lifetime. Learn more about this great tripod here.
Mongoose M3.6 Tripod Head. Right now this is the best tripod head around for use with lenses that weigh less than 9 pounds. For heavier lenses, check out the Wimberley V2 head.
Double Bubble Level. You will find one in my camera’s hot shoe whenever I am not using flash.
The Lens Align Mark II. I use the Lens Align Mark II pretty much religiously to micro-adjust all of my gear an average of once a month and always before a major trip. Enjoy our free comprehensive tutorial here.
BreezeBrowser. I do not see how any digital photographer can exist without this program.
Delkin Flash Cards. I use and depend on Delkin compact Flash Cards and card readers most every day. Learn more about their great 700X and 1000X cards here or about my favorite Delkin card here.

More Thoughts on the Canon 200-400 f/4L IS and the Series II Super-telephoto Lenses

In the blog post that noted the announcement of the long awaited Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Lens with Internal 1.4x Extender, I wrote, “It promises to be a great lens for wildlife and for trips to places like Africa, the Southern Ocean, and the Galapagos. At $11,799, it is quite pricey. I will surely try to borrow one before I buy one.”

So here I am at my Mom’s in Holbrook, Long Island, NY, getting ready to fly back to Florida on Monday morning. I will be leaving for my two-week Galapagos Photo-Cruise on June 30, and then heading to Africa departing on August 1. I currently own the 300mm f/2.8L IS II, the 500mm f/4L IS II, and the 600mm f/4L IS II. Along with the 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II and two set of Series III teleconverters (2 @ 1.4x EF Extender III and 2x EF Extender III).

I used the 500mm f/4L IS II only a bit before I received my 600mm f/4L IS II. Since that time I have rarely used it and never traveled with it always opting for the greater reach of the 600 with my three full frame bodies–2 EOS-1D X bodies and my 5D Mark III.

I had always assumed that I would be bringing the 500 II to the Galapagos and still might go that route. But, there are at least three others on the trip who will be bringing their 600 IIs. And I just hate to be short man on the totem pole. In any case, the 300 II will be invaluable on the cruise for flight photography and for our panga (zodiac) cruises. And the 70-200 II is a necessity. So here is the problem: even if I could borrow a 200-400 for the trip to the archipelago there is simply no way that I could get it all there along with the three camera bodies, the 24-105, and the 15mm fish eye lens.

One must consider the option of making the trip with a 200-400 and without the 500 or 600mm. The 200-400 with the internal 1.4X TC in place and a second 1.4X TC added externally would yield an equivalent focal length of 784mm. This would be well on the short side as compared to either the 500 II or the 600 II with the 2X TC. Those work out to 1000 and 1200mm equivalent focal lengths respectively.

Another possibility would be to travel with the 200-400 and either the 500 or 600 II while leaving the 300 II at home. I have one very big problem with that. The 300 II is a superb flight lens, one that I can easily hand hold. The 200-400 does of course offer greater flexibility than the 300 II but, and this is a very big but: the 300 II weighs only 5.19 pounds while the 200-400 comes in at a relatively whopping 7.98 pounds, almost three pounds heavier than the new 300. The 200-400 weighs more than the 500 II at 7.04 pounds but less than the 600 II that weighs 8.65 pounds. Call me a wimp if you will, but I can hand hold the 500 II for short periods of time for both flight and routine bird photography. I can hand hold the 600 II only for a few seconds at most for flight photography and barely at all for routine photography. So ix-nay on that idea at least for me.

After getting my thoughts down here in writing I am thinking of taking the 500 II as my big lens to the Galapagos along with the 300 II and the other lenses mentioned above. But I still might go with the 600 as my big lens for the cruise. I am pretty sure that Denise Ippolito is going with the 300 II as her big lens for the trip.

That brings us to Africa. I know that Todd Gustafson travels routinely to Africa with his Nikon 600, a Nikon 200-400, a Nikon 28-300, a 10.5mm fish eye, and only two Nikon D4 camera bodies. But Todd is much younger and stronger than I am and can easily hand hold his Nikon 200-400 for flight. He absolutely loves, kills with, and swears by his 200-400 in Africa. I just got off the phone with him and have pretty much decided to sell my 500 II–heck, I rarely use it anymore, and purchase the 200-400. I am pretty sure that I can make it to Africa with the 600 II and the 200-400 while leaving the 300 at home. Or not. Yikes!

A final thought on a Southern Ocean trip (aka The Falklands, South Georgia, and possibly Antarctica): the Canon 200-400mm with the internal TC is pretty much perfect for that trip as the birds are both tame and curious. Though I would leave the 600 II at home I would surely have the 300 II along for flight photography and, with the 2X II TC, as a back-up big lens.

As soon as I order my 200-400 I will likely be offering my 500 II for sale….

You can find complete Canon telephoto lens specs here; be sure to bookmark this page for quick reference. The chart now includes data for the new Canon 200-400.

Questions?

If you have a question or a suggestion on anything above please leave a comment; I will reply asap.

BIRDS AS ART Bulletin #442

BIRDS AS ART Bulletin #442 is online and can be accessed here.

• Great Gull Island Visit
• Image Optimization Lessons
• The Blog is the Bomb!
• Japan in Winter
• Alan Murphy’s Photography e-Guides
• Affiliate Links
• Used Camera Gear
• IPT Info

Typos

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

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!

If you are considering an item for purchase or comparison shopping be sure to place an item in your cart to see the too-low-to show the actual price. In many cases the prices are so low that B&H is forbidden from publicizing them!

If you are considering an item for purchase or comparison shopping be sure to place an item in your cart to see the too-low-to show the actual price. In many cases the prices are so low that B&H is forbidden from publicizing them!

Support the Blog

Amazon

Everyone buys something from Amazon, be it a big lens or deodorant. Support the blog by starting your search by typing in the little white box 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.

And from the BAA On-line Store:

LensCoats. I have a LensCoat on each of my big lenses to protect them from nicks and thus increase their re-sales value. All my big lens LensCoat stuff is in Hardwood Snow pattern.
LegCoat Tripod Leg Covers. I have four tripods active and each has a Hardwood Snow LegCoat on it to help prevent further damage to my tender shoulders 🙂 And you will love them in mega-cold weather….
Gitzo GT3532 LS CF Tripod. This one replaces the GT3530LS Tripod and will last you a lifetime. Learn more about this great tripod here.
Mongoose M3.6 Tripod Head. Right now this is the best tripod head around for use with lenses that weigh less than 9 pounds. For heavier lenses, check out the Wimberley V2 head.
Double Bubble Level. You will find one in my camera’s hot shoe whenever I am not using flash.
The Lens Align Mark II. I use the Lens Align Mark II pretty much religiously to micro-adjust all of my gear an average of once a month and always before a major trip. Enjoy our free comprehensive tutorial here.
BreezeBrowser. I do not see how any digital photographer can exist without this program.
Delkin Flash Cards. I use and depend on Delkin compact Flash Cards and card readers most every day. Learn more about their great 700X and 1000X cards here or about my favorite Delkin card here.

This image was created just before 7pm on June 5, 2013 on Great Gull Island with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens and the Canon EOS 5D Mark III. ISO 400. Evaluative metering at zero: 1/4000 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual Mode. One sensor below the central sensor Surround/AI Servo/Rear Focus AF on the flock active at the moment of exposure. I was amazed at how well this AF Area Selection Mode acquired and held focus with the fairly proximal background. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.

Dynamic Flock Flight

The tern colony at GGI is always a noisy place even when there are no researchers around and you are completely covered up with a Summer Weight Kwik Camo Throwover Blind. But every so often all the birds on a given end of the island take silent flight; it can be very eerie. One second screaming, shrieking, deafening bedlam; the next second, a loud whoosh followed by silence. The phenomenon is known as a dread flight and nobody knows why they occur.

Yesterday afternoon the wind was just right and the AF system of the 5D III performed admirably. I made about 25 images in the series; the one above was my very favorite. As you can see by looking at the original image below, it needed to be leveled. In addition, I cleaned up the edges quite a bit. See more on that below.

If you click on the image to see the larger size most will be able to pick out the lighter mantled Roseate Tern from among the more common Common Terns.

This is the original capture.

The Image Optimization

The image was leveled using my Keyboard Shortcuts: R for the Ruler Tool and Control + / for Image/Rotate/ Arbitrary. Using the shortcuts saves a ton of time as compared to using the most annoying drop-down menu. I cleaned up the birds on the edges using both the Clone Stamp Tool and the Patch Tool. I eliminated several merges uses Quick Masks with Layer Masks added. The unwanted single birds in the sky were removed with the Clone Stamp Tool; those against the blue water were eliminated with Quick Masks and fine-tuned with Layer Masks.

All of the above of course 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, and Layer Masking and NIK Color Efex Pro basics.

This is a screen capture of the BreezeBrowser Main View. Note that the selected AF point is illuminated in red. With Surround the 8 surrounding AF points are active.

BreezeBrowser Main View Screen Capture

Above is the BreezeBrowser Main View screen capture for the image. The illuminated red square shows that I moved the active sensor one down from the central sensor. Note that since I was working with Surround as my AF Area Selection Mode that were 8 additional active AF sensors. 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.

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.

To learn everything that I know about the great 1D X AF system check out our 1D X AF Guide here. To learn how I convert all of my images in DPP check out the DPP Raw Conversion Guide here.

Pissed Off Pano Questions

Do check out the comments on yesterday’s blog post, “Pissed Off Pano Questions,” I am thinking that everyone is way off base. My views coming soon.

Last 2013 Short Notice, Dirt Cheap, In-the-Field Nickerson Beach Photographic Instruction with Arthur Morris

June 8 (pm) and June 9 (am & pm). Afternoons with west winds can be great. Morning sessions run from 5am sharp-9:30 am. Afternoon sessions from 4pm til whenever. These are priced so low that you need to e-mail for the rates. Limit 5/session.

If you e-mail, please include all phone numbers. Payment in full due immediately via credit card after calling the office on a weekday: 863-221-2372. If you would like to join me, please get in touch via e-mail. Breeding American Oystercatcher (chicks likely) and Piping Plover (chicks possible). Common Tern and Black Skimmer/courtship behaviors. Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls. Lots of flight photography when the wind is right. Learn digital exposure and creative image design. Learn to create pleasing blurs at 5am. As I will be living and photographing on Great Gull Island for a week from the afternoon of May 30 until the late afternoon of June 6 and may not have internet access, do sign up and be patient. You will hear from me via e-mail early on June 7th if not the previous evening.

5D Mark III User’s Guide

Learn everything that I know about the EOS-5D Mark III including how I set up my camera for in-camera HDRs in the 5D Mark III User’s Guide. This guide also includes info on the following: 5D III exposure fine points, handling the WHITEs, the top LCD and all camera control buttons, all 5D Mark III drive modes, how to manually select an AF sensor, choosing an AF Area Selection Mode/how and why (includes extensive detail), and Menu Item Access. Coverage of almost all Menu Items and Custom Functions including the following: Image Quality, Auto Lighting Optimizer, Highlight Tone Priority, AF Configuration Tool (includes details on the custom setting that I use), Acceleration/deceleration tracking, Tracking sensitivity, Lens drive when AF impossible, Orientation linked AF point (I love this feature on the 5D III!), Highlight alert, Histogram display, Auto rotate, Custom Shooting Mode set-up, Safety shift, using the Q button, and setting up rear focus. The guide is–of course–written in my informal, easy-to-follow style.

Help Keep Great Gull Island Open For Terns!

This spring crews are continuing to fight vegetation and to rebuild most of the blinds to be ready for the terns when they arrive. 31 of 34 blinds, many already in dire need of repair, were finished off by Hurricane Sandy. Crews are ready to help with both of these projects, but the GGI Project needs funds to purchase lumber and equipment. Contributions of all sizes are both welcome and appreciated AND are tax deductible! Please make checks payable to: AMNH, and send them to:

Great Gull Island Project/AMNH, Department of Ornithology, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West and 79th Street, New York, NY 10024

GGI’s best-ever dock, completed in 2010, was totaled by Sandy. The project is looking to FEMA for help but as above, any and all donations would be greatly appreciated. You can learn more about Great Gull Island here and visit the GGI Blog here.

Typos

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

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!

If you are considering an item for purchase or comparison shopping be sure to place an item in your cart to see the too-low-to show the actual price. In many cases the prices are so low that B&H is forbidden from publicizing them!

If you are considering an item for purchase or comparison shopping be sure to place an item in your cart to see the too-low-to show the actual price. In many cases the prices are so low that B&H is forbidden from publicizing them!

Support the Blog

Amazon

Everyone buys something from Amazon, be it a big lens or deodorant. Support the blog by starting your search by typing in the little white box 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.

And from the BAA On-line Store:

LensCoats. I have a LensCoat on each of my big lenses to protect them from nicks and thus increase their re-sales value. All my big lens LensCoat stuff is in Hardwood Snow pattern.
LegCoat Tripod Leg Covers. I have four tripods active and each has a Hardwood Snow LegCoat on it to help prevent further damage to my tender shoulders 🙂 And you will love them in mega-cold weather….
Gitzo GT3532 LS CF Tripod. This one replaces the GT3530LS Tripod and will last you a lifetime. Learn more about this great tripod here.
Mongoose M3.6 Tripod Head. Right now this is the best tripod head around for use with lenses that weigh less than 9 pounds. For heavier lenses, check out the Wimberley V2 head.
Double Bubble Level. You will find one in my camera’s hot shoe whenever I am not using flash.
The Lens Align Mark II. I use the Lens Align Mark II pretty much religiously to micro-adjust all of my gear an average of once a month and always before a major trip. Enjoy our free comprehensive tutorial here.
BreezeBrowser. I do not see how any digital photographer can exist without this program.
Delkin Flash Cards. I use and depend on Delkin compact Flash Cards and card readers most every day. Learn more about their great 700X and 1000X cards here or about my favorite Delkin card here.

This image was created on Great Gull Island on June 3, 2013 with the hand held Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens, the Canon 2x EF Extender III (Teleconverter), and the Canon EOS-1D X Digital SLR camera. ISO 800. Evaluative metering off the grey sky +2 stops: 1/500 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual mode. Two sensors down and two to the right of the central sensor Surround/AI Servo/Rear Focus on right hand bird’s upper back active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.

Passing Fancy

In the image above, the male, the bird on our left, has just passed a baitfish to its mate. I believe that the prey item is an Atlantic Silversides, the “spearing” of my youth. I used them as for bait for snappers, baby bluefish about 6-8 inches long. Ten inches was a lunker. Helen is excited (assuming that I am correct) as this is the first year in 45 that the terns of GGI have been feeding on this species of baitfish.

I was hand holding the 300 II/2X III/1D X combo while sitting low in the rocks covered up with a Summer Weight Kwik Camo Throwover Blind. I was facing southeast on a somewhat chilly, hazy afternoon. Hand holding gave me a lot more freedom that had I been using the tripod-mounted 600 II. Why was I lucky not to be using the 600 II with the 2X III TC?

If you missed yesterday’s blog post and would like to learn more about Great Gull Island and the most amazing Helen Hays, click here.

This is a screen capture of the BreezeBrowser Main View.

BreezeBrowser Main View Screen Capture

Above is the BreezeBrowser Main View screen capture for the image. The illuminated red square shows that I moved the active sensor 2 down and two to the right of the central sensor. Why did I do that?

Note that since I normally work with Surround as my AF Area Selection Mode that were six rather than the usual eight active AF sensors. 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.

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.

To learn everything that I know about the great 1D X AF system check out our 1D X AF Guide here. To learn how I convert all of my images in DPP check out the DPP Raw Conversion Guide here.

Help Keep Great Gull Island Open For Terns!

This spring crews are continuing to fight vegetation and to rebuild most of the blinds to be ready for the terns when they arrive. 31 of 34 blinds, many already in dire need of repair, were finished off by Hurricane Sandy. Crews are ready to help with both of these projects, but the GGI Project needs funds to purchase lumber and equipment. Contributions of all sizes are both welcome and appreciated AND are tax deductible! Please make checks payable to: AMNH, and send them to:

Great Gull Island Project/AMNH, Department of Ornithology, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West and 79th Street, New York, NY 10024

Kudos to Julianna Barrett (UCONN) and Suzanne Peyton (USFWS) who obtained grants to expand the Roseate Tern terraces and rebuild the observation blinds but more help is always needed. Not to mention that the GGI’s best-ever dock that was completed in 2010 was totaled by Sandy. The project is looking to FEMA for help but as above, any and all donations would be greatly appreciated.

You can learn more about Great Gull Island here and visit the GGI Blog here.

Typos

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

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!

If you are considering an item for purchase or comparison shopping be sure to place an item in your cart to see the too-low-to show the actual price. In many cases the prices are so low that B&H is forbidden from publicizing them!

If you are considering an item for purchase or comparison shopping be sure to place an item in your cart to see the too-low-to show the actual price. In many cases the prices are so low that B&H is forbidden from publicizing them!

Support the Blog

Amazon

Everyone buys something from Amazon, be it a big lens or deodorant. Support the blog by starting your search by typing in the little white box 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.

And from the BAA On-line Store:

LensCoats. I have a LensCoat on each of my big lenses to protect them from nicks and thus increase their re-sales value. All my big lens LensCoat stuff is in Hardwood Snow pattern.
LegCoat Tripod Leg Covers. I have four tripods active and each has a Hardwood Snow LegCoat on it to help prevent further damage to my tender shoulders 🙂 And you will love them in mega-cold weather….
Gitzo GT3532 LS CF Tripod. This one replaces the GT3530LS Tripod and will last you a lifetime. Learn more about this great tripod here.
Mongoose M3.6 Tripod Head. Right now this is the best tripod head around for use with lenses that weigh less than 9 pounds. For heavier lenses, check out the Wimberley V2 head.
Double Bubble Level. You will find one in my camera’s hot shoe whenever I am not using flash.
The Lens Align Mark II. I use the Lens Align Mark II pretty much religiously to micro-adjust all of my gear an average of once a month and always before a major trip. Enjoy our free comprehensive tutorial here.
BreezeBrowser. I do not see how any digital photographer can exist without this program.
Delkin Flash Cards. I use and depend on Delkin compact Flash Cards and card readers most every day. Learn more about their great 700X and 1000X cards here or about my favorite Delkin card here.