Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

This Coastal Brown Bear image was created in Katmai National Park on a 2009 Bear Boat IPT with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Autofocus lens, the Canon 1.4x EF Extender III (teleconverter), and the discontinued EOS-1D Mark IV that has been replaced by the Canon EOS-1D X digital SLR . ISO 640. Evaluative metering -1/3 stop: 1/200 sec. at f/9. Central sensor (by necessity)/AI Servo/Rear Focus AF on the rim light and re-compose. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version. Let’s call this one “The Original.”

Can You Bear It?

I posted the image above (along with a black and white version) to the blog on December 31, 2012 in “Blacklight & Creativity.” About half the folks who commented liked the color version and about half liked the black and white version. Denise Ippolito commented, “I do think that the B&W one could be as dynamic if you added a little more light to the grasses at the bottom.” So I did.

This is the version suggested by Denise Ippolito. Let’s call this one Black & White II.

To create the version above I started with the original and applied the High Contrast Orange filter in NIK Silver Efex Pro.

NIK 15% Discount

As regular readers know, Color Efex Pro has drastically changed my digital workflow and little by little I have begun using Viveza to solve sticky image optimization problems and Silver Efex Pro fo fast, dramatic B&W conversions. You can save 15% on all NIK products (including Color Efex Pro, Silver Efex Pro, and Viveza) by clicking here and entering BAA in the Promo Code box at check-out. Then hit Apply to see your savings. You can download a trial copy that will work for 15 days and allow you to create full sized images.

Let’s call this version Ocean Ripple.

I started to mess around and began with Filter/Distort/Ocean Ripple (in Photoshop). I love what the filter did to the lower front half of the animal including and especially the fur around the head and the front legs.

John Van de Graaff

Multiple Galapagos Photo-Cruise veteran John Van de Graaff (who will be joining us again on the rapidly filling Nickerson Beach Baby Birds IPT next July) raised some interesting points with his comment:

In today’s blog, blacklight is clearly used as a variant of backlit. When I tried my hand as a art dealer (disastrously) for a few years in the early 1980s I learned about ultraviolet light, aka blacklight, which was used to expose recent restorations on old paintings. So for me the term blacklight as Artie and presumably others use it, is confusing. You all have adopted it, which is fine. But I’d be curious to hear if anyone else has raised the subject.

Here is my response: Hey John, It’s great to see you here. Actually I used Blacklight in the title of the blog post and used “blackit” as a variant of backlit in the text when I wrote, The first time I saw the words blacklight and blacklit they were used in Andy Rouse’s fine book, “Concepts in Nature”. When I grabbed a copy of Andy’s book off my huge photography bookcase I learned that my mind had been playing tricks on me. One pages 98-101 Andy used the “Black light” to refer to black(but not necessarily backlit) backgrounds; two of the three images that he uses to illustrate the concept are frontlit. I thought that elsewhere in the book he had coined the word “blacklit.” But it turns out that I was wrong and will gladly take credit for coining the term. What I am calling “blacklit” as in the original image here, Andy calls “The atmospheric ‘ring of fire.’ The images that he uses to illustrate the concept are on pages 88 & 89. One is a bear, the other a Langur Monkey. He speaks of a similar style on pages 56-57: The Red5 ring of fire.

Funny how the human brain works….

Since you mentioned it, the term black light to many (including me now that I thought about it) refers to the use of long-wave UltraViolet (UV) light to identify and illuminate a variety of fluorescent minerals. Surely the blacklight that you mentioned is closely linked to the term black light. As far as anyone else being confused by my turning a new phrase, the answer would be “Not really.” Joel Eade did write “….shouldn’t it be backlight instead of blacklight? He was not confused, he just did not catch my clever intent :).

At one time we carried Concepts in Nature in the BAA On-line store but if you would like to get inspired you will need to get your copy by clicking on the link below.

Let’s call this version Fractalius Glow 100.

I created the version above by bringing a layer into Fractalius, starting with the Glow 100 pre-set (my favorite), and doing some major tweaking of the sliders. Then I saved my tweaks as “Brown Bear Glow 100 tweaked.”

Let’s call this version Pinch.

To create the version above I used Filter/Distort/Pinch in Photoshop.

Let’s call this version Radial Blur.

Soon I was really rolling. This one was created with Filter/Blur/Radial Blur in Photoshop

Let’s call this version The Wave.

Finally, I went nuts; this image above was created with Filter/Distort/Twirl in Photoshop.

You Guessed It

Take a moment to leave a comment and let us know which one is your fave, which ones you hate, and what you might have done differently.

Weekend Creative Nature Photography Seminar, Tampa, FL: February 23 & 24, 2013: $149 Limit: 50/Openings: 16

Join Denise Ippolito and me on the weekend of February 23-24 on the outskirts of Tampa, FL for a great weekend of fun and learning. Learn to improve your photography skills, your skill at designing images in the field, your creative vision, and your image optimization skills. Sunday critiquing session. Click here for additional details and the complete schedule.

Best to register soon as the seminar is filling up nicely.

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….
Gizo 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 Coastal Brown Bear image was created in Katmai National Park on a 2009 Bear Boat IPT with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Autofocus lens, the Canon 1.4x EF Extender III (teleconverter), and the discontinued EOS-1D Mark IV that has been replaced by the Canon EOS-1D X digital SLR . ISO 640. Evaluative metering -1/3 stop: 1/200 sec. at f/9. Central sensor (by necessity)/AI Servo/Rear Focus AF on the rim light and re-compose. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.

Blacklight

I came across the image above while reviewing some old image files. I never thought much of it before yesterday but today I am really liking it. I’d love to hear your thoughts. Do you like it? Why? Do you hate it? Why? Somewhere in between? Why? Anything you would have done differently? Why?

Do let me know which version you prefer, the original above or the black and white version below. The B&W version was created in NIK Silver Efex Pro with the Soft Skin pre-set. I gotta be honest, it took me about 15 minutes in Silver Efex Pro trying to decide which preset looked best. I tried several of my faves, Neutral, High Structure, several of the High Contrast Color Filters, and Wet Rocks. All but the latter looked great. Then I tried some of the funkier pre-sets including Darken Contrast Vignette, Soft Skin, Holga, Overexpose EV +1, Infrared Film Soft, and several others. Each of those looked great and each was slightly different. I wound going with the Soft Skin look below.

This is the version that I created using the Soft Skin preset in NIK Silver Efex Pro.

Creativity

For years I have been saying that one of the very best ways to improve your creativity is to look at as many great images as you can in books, on line at websites like BPN, and at slide programs and seminars. I practice what I preach. The first time I saw the words blacklight and blacklit they were used in Andy Rouse’s fine book, Concepts in Nature. My Sally Lightfoot/breaking wave/black lava rock image that was honored in a recent Nature’s Best contest and made the finals of a BBC contest was inspired by a film image from that book. And Andy’s blacklit lion image planted the seed for the bear image presented here.

At one time we carried Concepts in Nature in the BAA On-line store but if you would like to get inspired you will need to get your copy by clicking on the link below.

NIK 15% Discount

As regular readers know, Color Efex Pro has drastically changed my digital workflow and little by little I have begun using Viveza to solve sticky image optimization problems and Silver Efex Pro fo fast, dramatic B&W conversions. You can save 15% on all NIK products (including Color Efex Pro, Silver Efex Pro, and Viveza) by clicking here and entering BAA in the Promo Code box at check-out. Then hit Apply to see your savings. You can download a trial copy that will work for 15 days and allow you to create full sized images.

Bear Boat/Bears Catching Salmon IPT: September 2-9, 2013 from Kodiak, AK: $6699. Happy campers only! Maximum 6 + two leaders: Arthur Morris and Denise Ippolito.

Limit: 6. Openings: 1

I have room for just one male photographer who likes bears and/or an interested female photographer who likes bears and who might consider limited lodging options on the boat, i.e., learn about the rabbit hole. If either of the above describes you, please e-mail. The rabbit hole is not that bad. I have stayed in it myself. There are already two women on this trip, plus Denise.

It is mandatory that you be in Kodiak no later than the late afternoon of September 1 to avoid missing the float plane(s) to the boat on the morning of September 2. With air travel in AK being what it is, with the chance of fog or other bad weather–being on Kodiak on August 31 is an even better plan). I will take the group out to dinner in Kodiak on the evening of September 1. Denise and I will plan on being on Kodiak on August 31 to avoid any potential disaster. We will take one or more float planes to the boat mid-morning on September 2. We will photograph bears that afternoon and every day for the next six days (weather permitting of course). We should have bears catching salmon every day. In addition, we will get some nice stuff on Mew Gull and Glaucous-winged Gulls dining on roe and the remains of predated salmon. we may–depending on where the concentrations of bears are–get to photograph Harbor seals and some hauled out Steller’s Sea Lions (an endangered species). Halibut fishing (license required) is optional. On September 9, our last morning on the boat, we will photograph in the early morning and then return to Kodiak via float plane. The eight days will consist of six full days (Sept 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, & 8) of photography featuring lots of Coastal Brown Bears catching salmon as above plus a variety of other natural history subjects plus some nice scenic photography that I forgot to mention above. Plus the first afternoon and the last morning.

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

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

Is this an expensive trip? Yes, of course. But with 6 full and two half days, a wealth of great subjects, and the fact that you will be walking with the bears it will be one of the great experiences of your life. (See the comments below.) Most folks who take part in a Bear Boat IPT wind up coming back for more. A $2,000 per person non-refundable deposit by check only made out to “Arthur Morris” is required to hold your spot. Please click here and then scroll down and read our cancellation policies. Then please print, read, and sign the necessary paperwork here and send it to us with your deposit check. Deposit due immediately. That leaves a balance of $4499. The first payment of $2499 is due January 15, 2013. The final payment of $2000 is due on April 15, 2013. This trip is a go. Note: most similar but cheaper trips are only 7 DAYS/6 NIGHTS. Please e-mail for photos.

Arctic Pro Muck Boots

On my first trip to the Southern Oceans in 2007, I ordered a pair of Arctic Pro Muck Boots on the advice of many. I returned them and went with too-large and too-heavy neoprene waders. For my two 2012 trips I ordered a pair of Arctic Pro Muck Boots. I got them large enough to wear with one pair of heavy socks and one pair of regular socks. Wow! My feet were always dry and always warm. They were tall enough for all the wet landings, even those in heavy surf. This year I wore them at Bosque. My always cold feet were never cold. Last week I wore them on the Barnegat Jetty. Never cold at all. They enabled me to stand in the saltwater pools next to the jetty on the crazy wind-driven high tides that we encountered. And on the jetty, they provided firm footing at all times. (Warning: unless you have ice creepers, never walk on black, dark green, slimy jetty rocks….)

Weekend Creative Nature Photography Seminar, Tampa, FL: February 23 & 24, 2013: $149 Limit: 50/Openings: 20

Join Denise Ippolito and me on the weekend of February 23-24 on the outskirts of Tampa, FL for a great weekend of fun and learning. Learn to improve your photography skills, your skill at designing images in the field, your creative vision, and your image optimization skills. Sunday critiquing session. Click here for additional details and the complete schedule.

Best to register soon as the seminar is filling up nicely.

You can find other types of Muck Boots by simply typing “muck boots” in the little white box below and hitting Go. Thanks!

This Chestnut-mandibled Toucan image was created by BPN member Vikram Potdar with the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4G ED VR AF lens and the Nikon D-700 replaced by the Nikon D800 Digital SLR camera body (w/FREE Bonus Item – $191.60 Value! [expires soon]!). ISO 200. Ev -.3: 1/250 sec. at f/4. White balance: Fine Weather. Image courtesy of and copyright 2012: Vikram Potdar.

Chestnut-mandibled Toucan Magic

Having been home only six days since October 16 and having been swamped with travel, teaching, photography, image optimization, and writing (as in the blog and the Bulletins) it has been great to have had a bit more time to be active on BPN (Bird Photographer’s.Net) lately. I came across the image above here in the Avian forum on the evening of December 24th.

It was created by BPN member Vikram Potdar of Pune, Maharashtra, India. It is published here with his permission.

The following is adapted from my comments:

Welcome Vikram, This is actually a fine image that needed better processing and some tender loving care. I love the pose and the bird and perch and the background. There seems to have been some foliage between you and the bird’s tail and the face could have been a tad sharper–you may have focused on the toucan’s back. Subtracting light in this situation seems to be an error; zero or even some plus compensation would have pushed the histogram to the right where it should have been. In addition, a minimum of ISO 400 or even ISO 800 would have given you some valuable depth of field.

This is my repost. You can see it in Pane #5 here.

For the repost I corrected the huge green cast with (about) a 75% average blur color balance, ran NIK Color Efex Pro Detail Extractor (at about 40% with a Quick Selection Tool selection) and Tonal Contrast (at about 33% via a Hide All Mask) on the bird only, did a bit of bill clean-up, lightened the face with a Tim Grey Dodge and Burn, and sharpened the face with a Quick Mask and a 15/65/0 Contrast Mask.

All of the above as described in detail in Digital Basics which includes my complete digital workflow, dozens of great Photoshop tips, all of my keyboard shortcuts, “Layer Masking for Dummies,” and NIK Color Efex Pro basics. This PDF which is sent via e-mail will be the best $25 that you ever spent on photography.

After the color balance was corrected, the judicious use of Detail Extractor on the toucan image here was the key to improving the photograph. As regular readers know, Color Efex Pro has drastically changed my digital workflow and lately I have begun using Viveza to solve sticky image optimization problems. You can save 15% on all NIK products (including Color Efex Pro, Silver Efex Pro, and Viveza) by clicking here and entering BAA in the Promo Code box at check-out. Then hit Apply to see your savings. You can download a trial copy that will work for 15 days and allow you to create full sized images.

The animated GIF above clearly shows the improvements that were made in the repost. Note especially the detail on the back that was there the whole time and revealed with the judicious use of Detail Extractor.

Arctic Pro Muck Boots

On my first trip to the Southern Oceans in 2007, I ordered a pair of Arctic Pro Muck Boots on the advice of many. I returned them and went with too-large and too-heavy neoprene waders. For my two 2012 trips I ordered a pair of Arctic Pro Muck Boots. I got them large enough to wear with one pair of heavy socks and one pair of regular socks. Wow! My feet were always dry and always warm. They were tall enough for all the wet landings, even those in heavy surf. This year I wore them at Bosque. My always cold feet were never cold. Last week I wore them on the Barnegat Jetty. Never cold at all. They enabled me to stand in the saltwater pools next to the jetty on the crazy wind-driven high tides that we encountered. And on the jetty, they provided firm footing at all times. (Warning: unless you have ice creepers, never walk on black, dark green, slimy jetty rocks….)

Weekend Creative Nature Photography Seminar, Tampa, FL: February 23 & 24, 2013: $149 Limit: 50/Openings: 21

Join Denise Ippolito and Arthur Morris on the weekend of February 23-24 on the outskirts of Tampa, FL for two days of fun and learning. Learn to improve your photographic skills, your skill at designing images in the field, your creative vision, and your image optimization skills. Sunday critiquing session. Click here for additional details and the complete schedule. Best to register soon as the seminar is filling up nicely.

You can find other types of Muck Boots by simply typing “muck boots” in the little white box below and hitting Go. Thanks!

This Ipswich race Savannah Sparrow was photographed on the recently concluded Barnegat Jetty IPT with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Autofocus lens, the Canon 1.4x EF Extender III (teleconverter), and the Canon EOS-1D X digital SLR . ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/400 sec. at f/10 in Manual mode. Central sensor (by necessity)/AI Servo Expand/Rear Focus AF on the center of the bird’s breast active at the moment of exposure. (Cropped from a horizontal original.) Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version. Eager to get a frame of this hard to find, hard to photograph race of Savannah Sparrow, I stopped down 2/3 stop to f/10 and was happy to get the AF sensor anywhere on this fidgety subject. The bird posed spraddle-legged for about two one-hundredth of a second. I made three images, all sharp, and all with a less-than-ideal head angle. Seeing just a sliver of the bird’s right eye really bugs me. Staring either right or left of right down the lens barrel would have been great but it is what is way. 🙂 The head angle above is neither here nor there…. Even 45 degrees would have been a huge improvement. Note that this bird was on the jetty and I was off the jetty. A big lens with a teleconverter brought the relatively small subject within range even though I was using a full frame camera body.

Why the Biggest Gun?

While commenting on the Barnegat Miracle blog post, Quazi Ahmed Hussain asked, “Artie, most of the time u r using ur biggest gun, the 800mm, and sometimes with extenders. Are the birds you photograph always far away from u? So far as we know, in your region getting close to the birds is not very difficult. So, do u mind letting us know the reason? Thanks in advance. Quazi

My Reply

That is a good question Quazi. Thanks for asking it and inspiring this blog post.

First off, while the birds in Florida are often very tame, the birds in New Jersey are–like the sparrow in the image above–typically quite skittish. Now on to the question, “Why am I almost always using my longest lens?” There are many, many good answers to that question so here goes.

1-Most recently I have gone to full frame camera bodies, two EOS-1D X bodies and one EOS-5D Mark III. With a full frame body and the 800 lens my effective focal length is 800mm. Someone with a 500mm lens, a 1.4X TC, and a Mark IV (with its 1.3X crop factor) actually has me out-gunned 910mm to 800mm.

This head portrait of a flapping Brant was created on the recently concluded Barnegat Jetty IPT with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Autofocus lens, the Canon 1.4x EF Extender III (teleconverter), and the Canon EOS-1D X digital SLR . ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1 1/3 stops: 1/320 sec. at f/11 in Manual mode. Central sensor (by necessity)/AI Servo Expand/Rear Focus AF on the center of the bird’s face active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version. I was a bit lucky here on two counts: 1-I was able to keep the sensor on the bird’s face and maintain accurate focus even though the bird was flapping. 2-the resulting image was sharp at 1/320 sec., a relatively slow shutter speed for a moving subject. I did employ some excellent stalking techniques to get close to this usually shy species.

2-Long focal lengths fit my style–tight and graphic with clean backgrounds. With tame birds, a long lens gives me the ability to to create head portraits (see the Brant image immediately above_ and tight body parts close-ups. In addition, with their narrow angles of view, long lenses do a great job of eliminating background clutter and using them at wide apertures softens those clean backgrounds up rather nicely.

This Common Loon with a crab was also photographed on the just-concluded Barnegat Jetty IPT. I used the tripod-mounted Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Autofocus lens and the Canon EOS-1D X digital SLR . ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/640 sec. at f/7.1 in Manual mode. Central sensor/AI Servo Surround/Rear Focus AF active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.

3-As above, long focal length lenses allow you to photograph interesting behaviors while minimizing or eliminating the risk of disturbing the bird and possibly causing it to lose a meal.

This swimming drake Harlequin Duck image was created at the Barnegat Jetty with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Autofocus lens and the Canon EOS-1D X digital SLR . ISO 1600. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/500 sec. at f/9 in Manual mode. One row down and two to the right of the central sensor/AI Servo Surround/Rear Focus AF active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.

4-Working with long lenses reduces the angle of declination when photographing birds below your position and reduces the angle of inclination when photographing birds that are above you enabling you to create more intimate images than if you had been using a shorter effective focal length. Adding a TC to a long telephoto lens when appropriate–you will need to move back–heightens these effects. I was sitting on the jetty behind my lowered tripod for the image above but because I was using a long lens it looks as if I were just above the water level.

Small doses of NIK Color Efex Pro’s Tonal Contrast and Detail Extractor on the bird only using a Hide-All mask brought enhanced the plumage of the male duck immediately above. For my complete digital workflow, dozens of great Photoshop tips, all of my keyboard shortcuts, “Layer Masking for Dummies,” and NIK Color Efex Pro basics, get yourself a copy of our Digital Basics File, a PDF that is sent via e-mail. It will be the best $25 that you ever spent on photography.

This resting first winter Purple Sandpiper was photographed at the Barnegat Jetty IPT with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Autofocus lens, the Canon 1.4x EF Extender III (teleconverter), and the Canon EOS-1D X digital SLR . ISO 1600. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/40 sec. at f/10 in Manual mode. Central sensor (by necessity)/AI Servo Expand/Rear Focus AF on the bird’s eye and recompose. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version. The 800 f/5.6L IS has 4-stop IS. This, plus excellent sharpness technique on my part, enabled me to create a sharp image practically in the dark at a shutter speed of 1/40 sec. To learn advanced sharpness techniques get yourself a copy of “The Art of Bird Photography II,” the all-new 916 page e-Book (on CD) that is the digital follow-up/continuation of the classic “The Art of Bird Photography.”

Summing Up

The image above reinforces many of the principles outlined above: long lenses provide great magnification even with full frame camera bodies, they can be used with teleconverters to bring small shy subjects into range without disturbing them, and they offer low angles of inclination even when you are standing at full height as I was when I created the image above.

Thanks again Quazi for your excellent question. Do note that I am often afield with either the 300 f/2.8L IS lens or the 70-200 f/2.8L IS zoom lens either on my shoulder via a Black Rapid RS-7 Strap or in the large rear pocket of my Xtrahand vest. And most days I have the 24-105 in my vest as well. Very often, the 800 is not the best tool for the job at hand.

Your Favorite?

Which of the above images is your favorite? Be sure to let us know why you like your pick.

It is interesting to note that all of the images above were created on a single day, December 20, 2012.

Barnegat Miracle…

Despite high winds on Friday and Saturday, gusts of more than 50mph, water washing over the jetty, and waves of 40 feet in the inlet, a great time was had by all on the Barnegat Jetty IPT. All four of us: Denise and I and Bill Wingfield from South Carolina and David Policansky from the Washington, D.C. area. As David had left after lunch the leaders had the participant out-numbered two to one that afternoon. We said goodbye to Bill at about 4:30pm on Saturday.

As is my custom I removed my Delkin 700X 64gb PRO CF card from my 1D X and placed it in my left hand front pocket with the key card to the motel room. When Denise and I got back to the hotel in Weehawkin I stuck my hand into the same left hand front pocket and came up empty. I searched the room. I went down to the car and searched around and behind it. It was cold and still very windy. I searched in the parking lot and the motel lobby. And in the hallway leading to the room. All without success. As we had had a rather productive afternoon despite the fierce winds I was having some problem loving what is. But then I realized that there are a lot worse things that could happen than losing a compact flash card.

I decided to head back to the state park and look for the card on the ground. Denise volunteered to make the ride with me. Twenty-five minutes later I made a u-turn at the end of the road buoyed by the fact that two street lights illuminated the parking area outside the gates. (Note: never park in the lot in the afternoon as they lock folks in promptly at 4pm.)

I swung the Sequoia around and pointed my headlights in the vicinity of what I thought was my parking spot. As I stopped the car I spotted something on the ground. “That could be it.” I exited quickly, bent down, picked up my precious flash card, held it over my head and let out a whoop of joy as I leaped about as high into the air as I have in recent decades. It was then that I realized that the card had been soaked in salt spray by the vicious west wind.

But back in the room the card downloaded perfectly. Sometimes you just gotta love being lucky.

ps: I did the exact same thing at Bosque last year. With help from Jim Heupel I found the then missing card in the pitch dark at 5:15am in the parking lot at Harry’s Crane Pool.

Moral: it is a lot harder to lose a card that has been safely placed in a Delkin CF Memory Card Tote. Only $9.99 here.

Four Reasons to be Happy

This first-winter Purple Sandpiper was photographed on the just-concluded Barnegat Jetty IPT with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Autofocus lens and the Canon EOS-1D X digital SLR . ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/400 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual mode. Central sensor/AI Servo Surround/Rear Focus AF and re-compose. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.

For unknown reasons, the young bird above perched atop the rock and posed for more than two minutes despite the high wind. When the sun came out I went to a darker exposure but failed to check the histogram. The result? About 20 toasted frames of this lovely shorebird.

This first winter Sanderling image was created with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Autofocus lens, the Canon 1.4x EF Extender III (teleconverter), and the Canon EOS-1D X digital SLR . ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/250 sec. at f/10 in Manual mode. Central sensor (by necessity)/AI Servo Expand/Rear Focus AF active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.

Those of you who are mystified by the term “first winter plumage” should get themselves a copy of my “Shorebirds: Beautiful Beachcombers.” You will learn that ageing shorebirds is often easier than identifying them as to species.

This Black-bellied Plover–I think that it is a first-winter but I am not 100% sure, was photographed with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Autofocus lens, the Canon 1.4x EF Extender III (teleconverter), and the Canon EOS-1D X digital SLR . ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/640 sec. at f/10 in Manual mode. Central sensor (by necessity)/AI Servo Expand/Rear Focus AF on the bird’s eye and recompose. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.

How’s that for sweet light and a killer background. Lesson for beginners: the farther the background from the subject the softer it will appear. Here the inlet lit be gorgeous late afternoon light was at least 100 yards past the shorebird.

This yawning first-winter Herring Gull image was created with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Autofocus lens, the Canon 1.4x EF Extender III (teleconverter), and the Canon EOS-1D X digital SLR . ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/250 sec. at f/9 in Manual mode. Central sensor (by necessity)/AI Servo Expand/Rear Focus AF on the bird’s eye and recompose. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.

Image optimization tip: with the light so warm I went to Hue/Saturation and decreased the saturation of the REDs and the YELLOWs about 20 points.

Easy Quiz Question

Why were all the birds facing to the left?

Which is Your Favorite, and Why?

Take a moment to let us know which of the above images is your favorite. And be sure to let us know why.

Weekend Creative Nature Photography Seminar, Tampa, FL: February 23 & 24, 2013: $149 Limit: 50/Openings: 45

Join Denise Ippolito and me on the weekend of February 23-24 on the outskirts of Tampa, FL for a great weekend of fun and learning. Learn to improve your photography skills, your skill at designing images in the field, your creative vision, and your image optimization skills. Sunday critiquing session. Click here for additional details and the complete schedule.

Shopper’s Guide

Thanks a stack to all who have used our B&H affiliate links to purchase their gear as a thank you for all the free information that we bring you on the Blog and in the Bulletins. Before you purchase anything be sure to check out the advice in our Shopper’s Guide.

Shop B&H

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….
Gizo 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 with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Autofocus lens and the Canon EOS-1D X digital SLR . ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 stop off the low sky: 1/1250 sec. at f/7.1 in Manual mode. Central sensor/AI Servo Surround/Rear Focus AF active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version. The image created at 3:51pm was my very favorite.

Catching Up/Working in reverse order

Is the Lethal Canon EOS-1D X Unfair to Flying Cranes?

With regards to “Is the Lethal Canon EOS-1D X Unfair to Flying Cranes?”: My favorites Sandhill Crane flight images, with my top pick first, were the dramatic 3:51, the small against the mountains 7:40, the landing pano-crop 4:01, and the moody 7:34am. Thanks to all who commented. As of 7:20pm eastern time on Tuesday I have responded to all of the comments.

This image was also created with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Autofocus lens and the Canon EOS-1D X digital SLR . ISO 800: 1/2000 sec. at f/8 in Manual mode. 4:12pm. Image copyright 2012 and courtesy of Gaurav Mittal.

Thanks Gaurav for sharing the very fine image above with us. I like it as much as any of mine. Gaurav is a serious student who travels regularly from India to join IPTs and study with me. He was quite skilled when he showed up for the Morro Bay IPT but he has worked hard, is very determined, and keeps on getting better and better. All that after a big name pro saw one of his images and told him to give up bird photograph! He took that and used it as motivation.

Image Transformation Questions

With regards to “Image Transformation Questions:”

1- I liked the sliver of tree that I left on left frame edge; I felt that it balanced the dark area of bushes on the right nicely.
2- In my humble opinion, the large dark area of mud on the lower right was ugly. That is why I eliminated it. Several folks referred to it as “dreck.” I agree.
From the Free Dictionary: dreck: Slang chiefly US for rubbish, trash. [From the Yiddish: drek = filth, dregs]
3-As far as the chevron pattern in the right corner, I am not sure if anyone would have commented had they not seen the original. Note, however, that there are some similar patterns on the right side of the image in the original….
4-A far as the “over-punched colors” I gotta say that in both the original and the optimized version that the colors look pretty accurate to me. It was a spectacular sunrise.
5-Yes to leveling the image and cleaning up birds that intersected with the frame edge.
6-Yes to a small crop and to a small increase in contrast (via NIK Tonal Contrast at about 33%).
7-As for the two birds top center that I removed, for me, they wrecked the compositional balance by being in the middle.
8: Good on Julian for realizing that I blackened the blacks–with a simple Levels adjustment.
9-You are all welcome and yes, good on me for getting you all to think.

Dressed to Kill

In “Dressed to Kill,” thanks to Doug Schurman for suggesting with regards to the who has more hair question that “Rick has more coverage but Artie has more volume.” I am of course bald up front like my late Dad was but there is a lot of hair in that big pony tail. I was 66 last June.

Same old same old; the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM Telephoto Zoom Lens, the Canon 2x EF Extender III (Teleconverter) (hand held at 245mm), and the Canon EOS 5D Mark III Digital Camera (Body Only) w/FREE Bonus Item – $145.83 Value! [expires soon]! ISO 50. Evaluative metering -2/3 stops as framed: 1/13 sec. at f/22 in Manual mode. Central sensor Surround/AI Servo/Rear Focus AF and re-compose. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see the spectacular larger version. I achieved the slow shutter speed by having the Hoya 77mm Warming Circular Polarizer Glass Filter set to dark and screwed onto the front of my 70-200 II. See the original post for details on “set to dark.” With correct exposure for the WHITEs set manually I did not need to worry about changing the compensation when the birds flew in front of the dark distant mountain.

Lucky Thirteen: Finally Blasting at 1/13 Sec.

In the “Lucky Thirteen: Finally Blasting at 1/13 Sec.” post, my favorite image was #4, above because of the swirling look of the flock.

Holiday Shopping Suggestions & Options

With many of the B&H items below the prices are so low that they cannot be advertised; you need to add the item to your shopping cart in order to see the super-low holiday sale price.

Suggested Stocking Stuffers

Weekend Creative Nature Photography Seminar, Tampa, FL: February 23 & 24, 2013: $149

Limit: 50/Openings: 2

Join Denise Ippolito and me on the weekend of February 23-24 on the outskirts of Tampa, FL for a great weekend of fun and learning. Learn to improve your photography skills, your skill at designing images in the field, your creative vision, and your image optimization skills. Sunday critiquing session–see below for details. Limited to the first 50 registrants.

To Register

To register for the seminar you can call Jim or Jennifer between 9am and 3pm weekdays at 863-692-0906 with your credit card in hand. You can send a PayPal to us at birdsasart@verizon.net or to birdsasart@att.net. Or you can send a check made out to “Arthur Morris” for the full amount in US dollars to us here: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART, PO Box 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855; be sure to include a note with your clearly written e-mail address and phone number on it and print the words “Tampa Seminar” on your check. You will receive a confirmation letter approximately 3 weeks before the seminar.

Terms

Payment in full is due upon registration. Limit 50. We will keep a waiting list. Cancel before January 23 and receive a complete refund less a $20 processing fee. Cancel less than one month before the seminar and forfeit your registration fee unless the event sells out in which case you will receive a full refund less a $20 processing fee.

Seminar Schedule

Based on our experience at the highly successful NYC seminar we have fine-tuned the schedule to maximize teaching and learning opportunities.

Saturday: 9:00am-5:00pm (Doors open at 8:00am)

9:00am: artie/slides: Tools of the Trade/Choosing and using lenses for bird and wildlife photography
10:30 am: break
10:45am: denise/slides: Blooming Ideas/Creating new and different images of flowers and trees
noon-1:30pm: lunch
1:30pm: artie: Basic Image Design
2:15pm: artie and denise: Pro Gear Handling Tips: Live demos: tripod, lens handling, flight photography, stalking, & packing tips. Vest info & lots more.
3:00pm: break
3:15: artie: Photoshop Tips, Tricks, and Techniques
5:00pm: the end

Sunday: 8:30am-5:00pm (Doors open at 8:00am)

8:30am: It’s easier than you think: How to clean your sensor without fear or trepidation/Live Demo
9:00am: denise & artie/slides: Creating Pleasing Blurs/Using slow shutter speeds, panning, camera movement, & more. Prestigious contests are now awarding prizes to creatively blurred images.
10:30am: break
10:45: artie and denise: Refining your photographic vision.
noon-1:30pm: lunch
1:30pm: denise/Creative Filters and Effects includes live Photoshop demo
2:45pm: break
3:00pm: Image Critiques. Submit no more than three 1400 X 1050 sharpened JPEGs via e-mail
before February 9. A selection of the submitted images will be chosen for critiquing.
4:00: artie: Getting the Right Exposure with Digital: It’s as easy as pie. If you have ten seconds with the subject there is no excuse for not getting the right exposure every time with digital.
4:30: Door Prizes
5:00pm: the end

NYC Seminar Kudos

By e-mail from Sharon Hallowell:

I just wanted to take a minute to say “Thank you very much for last weekend!” I had a great time, and I learned an awful lot. It was a nice way to spend my birthday weekend, and you topped it off nicely by picking my number for the Think Tank Airstream rolling bag door prize; it’s something I’ve been wanting badly! I just finished transcribing my notes from the seminar days and can’t believe how much new info I garnered. I am anxious to put it to use. The day spent in the field, despite the foggy and wet conditions, were a big help to me. I really appreciated the individual attention you both provided. You are both masters in the field and it was a privilege to be able to spend time with you. Thanks also for the great lunch on Monday! Wishing you both a wonderful holiday. I hope that our paths cross again in the future. Thanks again for Everything! Sharon

By e-mail from Debbie Zilli:

Thank you both so much, Artie and Denise, for a wonderful weekend! It was great to meet you and I learned so much. Now I need to find the time to put all I learned to use; that is easier said than done!

By e-mail from BPN member Rachel Hollander:

Denise & Artie- I just wanted to drop you a note and say how much I enjoyed meeting you both and getting a glimpse into your extremely creative minds, your thought processes, and your workflows. I signed up for the B&H workshops in hopes that I’ll be able to sneak away from the office for a couple of hours. I hope to see you then. Thanks again for all the tips, tricks and wisdom.

By e-mail from Gerry Matteo:

Dear Art & Denise, I attended your Staten Island seminar and really learned tons. Thank you both for sharing your knowledge. I also purchased Denise’s book and can’t wait to use some of the filters. I feel that I am well on my way to making better pictures. Thanks again!

By e-mail from Jeff Friedhoffer

Artie & Denise, I wanted to thank you for a great weekend. I got a lot out of the two days of classes and the morning of shooting in Howard Beach was great despite the fog and rain. In just a weekend I learned so much that I would never have thought of by myself. It reinforced what I have read in Artie’s two books. Once again, thank you! I hope to see you both again soon.

Adapted from a Mark Hendricks e-mail:

I wanted to sincerely thank you again for the excellent seminar that you and Denise put on in Staten Island. It was very inspiring, educational, and informative and I received so much from the experience. I also wanted to thank you for the evening of friendship you showed to Carolina and me on Saturday after the seminar. I never dreamed in my lifetime that I would have dinner with a personal hero of mine and that that time would be filled with laughter and great conversation. What you have contributed to nature photography is nothing short of legendary as you are one of the best to ever pick up a camera. You’re an excellent photographer but what is more important is that you are a hell of a dude and a great man. I hope one day to convince you to have an IPT at Assateague Island and Blackwater! Either way you gotta come hang one day and have some of Carolina’s paella! I plan to make some images to make you proud. Again, my sincerest thanks to you brother. Mark

By e-mail from Sherb Naulty:

Hi Denise and Artie, Wow! I am still trying to process all that we went over in those two days at the NY Seminar and feel incredibly lucky to have been able to attend! You both bring such positive energy, amazing insights, and a world of experience to share with those who participate in your workshops. I am just in awe at the amount of information that we covered and have already begun to review my notes while they are still fresh. Artie said on the first day that thankfully he hadn’t built a business solely on stock photography world but on education; we are the lucky ones! Attending your workshops is a must a for anyone who is inspired by photography ….Your passion for the art/craft is contagious and evident each minute of the time we were there You both complement each others’ strengths and are downright superstars. I just loved these weekend and can’t wait to put some of the new info and techniques to use. I am especially eager to play with some of the software. And yes, CS6 is downloaded already.

In addition, I am tickled too that I won a tripod!! Thank you and thanks to your generous sponsors. Denise, I have already put on the head that I won at the Sunflower shoot. It will be my go-to set-up for macro work! I will let you know within a day or two about your Longwood Gardens workshop; I just have to see about a couple of things. Thank you very much. My very best, Sherb

This adult Ross’s Goose image was created at Bosque del Apache NWR, San Antonio, NM with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Autofocus lens, the Canon 1.4x EF Extender III (teleconverter), and the Canon EOS-1D X digital SLR . ISO 200: 1/320 sec. at f/18 in Manual mode (brilliant white in full sun exposure with histogram check). Central sensor (by necessity)/AI Servo Expand/Rear Focus AF active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version. As regular readers know I purchased a second 1D X after wrecking my first in South Georgia (along with my new 500 f/4L IS II). I was aghast at first when the new 1D X would not AF with the 1.4X TC…. See “1D X Detective” below for the whole story.

West Nyack, NY Event/Triple Header: Art Morris, Robert O’Toole & Denise Ippolito

Each of the three talented photographers above will each present a unique program on Saturday, December 15, 2012 (10:00 am to 5:00 pm) at the Palisades Center Mall, 1000 Palisades Center Dr, West Nyack, NY.

Arthur Morris (Canon Explorer of Light/sponsored by Canon USA):

Arthur Morris is a free-lance nature photographer, teacher and writer specializing in birds. He is widely recognized as one of the world’s premier bird photographers and photographic educators. His images, published the world over, are noted for both their artistic design and their technical excellence. His fitting credit line: BIRDS AS ART. His book, “The Art of Bird Photography” is the classic How-to work on the subject. The all new follow-up, The Art of Bird Photography II (916 pages of CD only) was released in 2006 to rave reviews. Artie, one of the original “Explorers of Light,” has been a Canon contract photographer for the past fifteen years and continues in that role today. He is a co-founding publisher of BirdPhotographers.net A popular speaker, he has conducted more than 500 slide programs and seminars over the past two decades. He currently travels, photographs, teaches and speaks his way across North America and the world while leading BIRDS AS ART/Instructional Photo-tours and Photo-Cruises each year. Art will talk about and show you “What Makes a Good Nature Photograph.

Robert O’Toole:

Robert, a professional photographer for more than a decade, now specializes in wildlife and nature. He is an accomplished photographic instructor; he got his start co-leading BIRDS AS ART/Instructional Photo-Tours with Art Morris. He has written two Photoshop tutorials and a Nikon camera User’s Guide for BIRDS AS ART Books. In his presentation, Robert will share the inspiration, the passion and the creative vision that drives his photography. Robert will share some of his favorite images,equipment,and techniques and the stories behind them.

Denise Ippolito

Denise Ippolito is a freelance photographer, artist and writer living in NJ. She is a moderator in the Out of the Box Forum at BirdPhotographers.net. Denise has co-led several BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tours with Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART. Denise offers her own workshops featuring avian, flower and HDR photography. As a former award winning floral designer and garden center owner, Denise has worked extensively with flowers; her most recent eBook “Bloomin Ideas” reflects her love for flowers and art.

Denise Ippolito and Arthur Morris co-authored the hugely popular eBook, “A Guide to Pleasing Blurs.” Her program will cover the great variety of techniques that can be used to create pleasingly blurred images in the field, and at times, during post-processing. Topics that will be discussed and illustrated include pan blurs, zoom blurs, camera movement blurs including flame- and jiggle-blurs, subject movement blurs including moving water blurs, long exposure blurs, the need for accurate focusing, managing your ISO settings, in-camera multiple exposures, subject to film plane orientation, choice of shutter speeds, and how subject to sensor distance affects the degree of blurring.

With the advent of digital photography and the popularity of intentionally blurred images in prestigious nature photography competitions, more and more people are enjoying the challenges and rewards of creating pleasing blurs. Whether you photograph wildlife, flowers, people, street scenes or landscapes, this is one program that you will not want to miss if you would like to learn to unleash your creativity.

A Great Opportunity

Triple Header represents a great opportunity for all levels of photographers to learn and enjoy. The programs will run from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. with several breaks including a lunch break. Thee vent will be be held in the Adler Room, 4th floor, on the Macy’s side of the mall (by the Ice Rink). There is plenty of available parking at the mall which is conveniently located right off a major highway. Join us to learn from three outstanding photographers and lecturers in a relaxed atmosphere.

Approximate schedule:

10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Robert O’Toole, A Passion for Photography
11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Denise Ippolito, How to Create Pleasing Blurs
1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Lunch
2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Art Morris, What Makes a Good Nature Photograph

The mall has a large food court or you can bring your own. Price: $10.00/per person. For more info or to sign-up, click here. The event is a Ridgewood Camera Club Meetup Group program.

This Snow Geese sunrise silhouette image was created at Bosque del Apache NWR, San Antonio, NM with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Autofocus lens, the Canon 1.4x EF Extender III (teleconverter), and the Canon EOS-1D X digital SLR . ISO 200. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/6400 sec. at f/8 in Tv mode. Central sensor (by necessity)/AI Servo Expand/Rear Focus AF active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version. Having AF at f/8 with the 800mm f/5.6/1D X is hugely important to me….

1D X Detective

As regular readers know I purchased a second 1D X after wrecking my first in South Georgia (along with my new 500 f/4L IS II–see “Wrecked and Loving It!“). I was aghast at first when the new 1D X would not AF with the 1.4X TC. I checked the new camera to see that the firmware was indeed 1.1.1. It was. I e-mailed and called Chuck Westfall at Canon for his thoughts. At some point that morning as he was investigating I remembered that I had a copy of the 1.1.1. firmware on my desktop. What the heck? It couldn’t hurt to load it onto the camera. Voila! After re-installing the firmware the camera autofocused at f/8 with the 1.4X III TC on the 800 f/5.6L IS. Hooray! I called Chuck back and let him know of my findings. He asked for a few days to check things out.

As it turns out, I was right. See the Canon USA Product Advisory here.

I was pleased to be able to help and pleased to get the e-mail below from Chuck:

Hi Artie,

Chuck Westfall
Advisor, Technical Information
Canon U.S.A., Inc.

Shopper’s Guide

Thanks a stack to all who have used our B&H affiliate links to purchase their gear as a thank you for all the free information that we bring you on the Blog and in the Bulletins. Before you purchase anything be sure to check out the advice in our Shopper’s Guide.

Shop B&H

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….
Gizo 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 by Juan Pons with the Canon 24-105mm f/4L IS EF USM AF Lens (hand held at 40mm) and the Canon EOS 5D Mark III Digital Camera (Body Only) $200 instant savings + 2% Reward [expires 5 JAN] ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/640 sec. at f/7.1 in Av mode. Click on the image to see a larger version.

Dressed in Red. To Kill?

I ran into fellow Canon Explorer of Light Rick Sammon at the EdKranePool on my last morning at Bosque: Sunday, December 2. We posed for a fun image that was kindly created by Juan Pons who often works closely with Rick. Denise and I and Rick and Juan had fun connecting that night during happy hour at the Socorro Springs Brewing Company. I did not have any margaritas but I did steal a few chips and some salsa from Rick and Juan.

Rick wrote, “Here’s a shot (taken by Juan Pons) of fellow Canon Explorer of Light Arthur Morris and me on location at Bosque Del Apache, New Mexico. It looks like we are having fun, but we were actually having “The Battle of My lens is Bigger Than Your Lens.” About the red jackets: they are our sunrise and sunset camouflage jackets; we like to blend in with the nice light!”

You can check out Rick’s work here. Be sure to visit his Apps page. Thanks to Juan Pons for the image. You can learn more about Juan here or check out his educational blog.

Quiz Questions:
#1: Who has more hair, Rick or artie?
#2: Who’s older by how much? Guess both ages please.
#3: Whose lens was bigger? Identify each lens.

This image was created with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Autofocus lens and the Canon EOS-1D X digital SLR . ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1 stop off the sky above the mountains in early morning light: 1/2500 sec. at f/7.1 in Manual mode. Well right of Central sensor/AI Servo Surround/Rear Focus AF active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version. Once it gets to be 7:45 am I switch the exposure to only +2/3 stop off the sky as the meter gets smarter as the sun gets brighter on clear days. But the meter is never as smart as a competent photographer who understands exposure. See the section on Exposure Theory in the original The Art of Bird Photography and Exposure Simplified in ABP II. Save $10 by purchasing the two book bundle. Learn more about each book and about Digital Basics in “98.6 Per Cent” here. Click on the image to see an impressive larger version.

800/1D X and a Great New Photoshop Technique

As I have said before, the Canon 800 f/5.6L IS with the Canon EOS-1D X is deadly on cranes in flight. Stay tuned for a post with tons of such images, all razor sharp. For the image above, I cropped to a pano. On both the IPT and the CDLC workshops I advised all to acquire focus while the crane was set against the uglier brushy, splotchier hillside background and to begin making images when the bird was just below or just above the Chupadera Mountains. Surround AF Expand AF Area Selection mode makes that easier to do than with any previous Canon body.

John Haedo, on his first IPT, taught the group a great trick for filling in expanded canvas after leveling an image. After I receive his permission to share it–it is killer good, I will do so here and add it to the next free update of Digital Basics.

1D X AF Guide

Not getting the sharp flight shots that you expected? In the EOS-1D X Guide I share everything that I know about the great new 1D X AF system and share my custom Case for flight photography. Learn more or purchase (only $25) here. If you own a 5D Mark III you will surely want to learn how to use it like a pro by studying our 5D Mark III User’s Guide.

Coming Soon

Stay tuned for a 5D Mark III blog post on the in-camera multiple exposure and HDR features.

5D III/24-105 Combo

As you have been seeing here lately the 5D Mark III/24-105 combo is a deadly one in many situations ranging from bird-scapes to overhead flock shots to quasi-macro to B-roll stuff. (B-roll stuff is folks birding, locations, restaurant shots; in short, any type of miscellaneous general interest material.)

NYC Seminar & Door Prize Info

Do consider joining Denise Ippolito and me in Staten Island in December for a great weekend filled with learning, fun, and great door prizes.

Harlequin Duck, drake, Barnegat Jetty, NJ. Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS with the 1.4X II TC and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 800: 1/250 sec. at f/8. Image copyright 2012 Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART. This is one of the target species on the Barnegat Jetty IPT. Just one sign-up so far so consider joining denise and me for practically private instruction.

BIRDS AS ART/A Creative Adventure Barnegat Jetty IPT, Barnegat Light, NJ: 2 1/2 DAYS. DEC 20 (1:30pm), 21, and 22, 2012: $999. Limit 6/Openings 4. Includes 5 photo-sessions, both lunches, introductory slide program (DEC 20), Photoshop session (DEC 21), and image sharing at lunch DEC 22.

Join Arthur Morris and Denise Ippolito for a 2 1/2 Day Instructional Photo-Tour at the infamous Barnegat Jetty in Barnegat Light, New Jersey. Artie and Denise will teach you how to get close to the ducks and shorebirds that frequent this famed winter birding and photography hotspot, how to get the right exposure every time, and how to see, understand, and tackle a variety of photographic situations. Each will conduct a killer Photoshop session. We should have some excellent chances with Harlequin Duck and Purple Sandpiper, the two headliner species. With any luck we should get to photograph most of these species: Long-tailed Duck (formerly Oldsquaw), Common Loon, Red-throated Loon, Red-breasted Merganser, Surf Scoter, Black Scoter, Common Eider, Brant, Dunlin, Ruddy Turnstone, Black-bellied Plover, and Sanderling . Great Black-backed, Herring, and Ring-billed Gulls are also likely. Sunning Harbor Seals are possible. With the right winds we may have some good flight photography also.

Having at least a 500mm f/4 lens with a 1.4X teleconverter is recommended. Participants should be in good physical condition with a good sense of balance. Payment in full is due now.

Shopper’s Guide

Thanks a stack to all who have used our B&H affiliate links to purchase their gear as a thank you for all the free information that we bring you on the Blog and in the Bulletins. Before you purchase anything be sure to check out the advice in our Shopper’s Guide.

Shop B&H

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….
Gizo 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.

“Hair Wash,” male African Lion: Highly Honored in African Wildlife. Canon EOS 1D Mark IV, Canon EF 600mm f4 L USM IS +1.4x TC, 1/125 sec, f.5.6, ISO 4,000, bean bag. Image copyright and courtesy of Paul Mckenzie. ISO 4,000 is not a typo.

Nature’s Best Honored Photographers on the CES Southern Oceans Expedition

Amazingly, with about 70 folks on the Cheesemans’ Southern Ocean Expedition, there were four photographers (including yours truly) with a total of five images honored in the 2012 Nature’s Best Windland Smith Rice International Awards Contest. The winning and honored images were selected from nearly 20,000 images submitted by photographers in 46 countries.

Enjoy the images and feel free to leave a comment.

Black-Footed Albatrosses interacting, Highly Honored in Endangered Species category. Canon EOS-1D Mark IV, Canon EF 300mm f2.8 L IS USM + 1.4x TC, ISO 2,000. 1/640sec, f9, Canon 550 EX speedlight fill flash at -2ev, hand held, lying on the ground. Image copyright and courtesy of Paul Mckenzie.

Good friend and mutliple IPT particpant Paul Mckenzie led the way with the two honored images above. You can see more of his amazing work here.

Coastal Brown Bear family: Highly Honored in Wildlife. Canon EOS 5D, Canon EF 600mm f4 L USM IS +1.4x TC, 1/500 sec, f.8 in Program mode. Image copyright and courtesy of Hank Perry.

It was nice meeting new friends Hank and Karen Perry on the South Georgia/Falklands trip; they were always smiling. You can see more of Hank’s fine work here.

Coastal Brown Bear relaxing: Highly Honored in Animal Antics. Canon EOS-1D MkIV, EF 800mm f5.6, Gitzo L3541xls, Mongoose 3.6 head: 1/500 sec at f5.6, ISO 1250. Kukak Bay, Katmai National Park, Alaska. Image courtesy of and copyright 2012: Clemens van der Werf.

Regular readers are familiar with Clemens’ wonderful imagery. Photographing nature only for about two years, Clemens has attended most IPTs during that time. You can see more of his excellent work here.

Red-crowned Cranes courtship squabbling. Highly Honored in Endangered Species. Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS with the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400: 1/1600 sec. at f/5.6. Tsurui Itoh Sanctuary, Hokkaido, Japan. Image copyright 2012 Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART.

If you are interested in photographing Japan in winter in February 2012, please shoot me an e-mail.

Harlequin Duck, drake, Barnegat Jetty, NJ. Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS with the 1.4X II TC and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 800: 1/250 sec. at f/8. Image copyright 2012 Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART. This is one of the target species on the Barnegat Jetty IPT. Just two sign-upz so far so consider joining denise and me for practically private instruction.

BIRDS AS ART/A Creative Adventure Barnegat Jetty IPT, Barnegat Light, NJ: 2 1/2 DAYS. DEC 20 (1:30pm), 21, and 22, 2012: $999. Limit 6/Openings 5. Includes 5 photo-sessions, both lunches, introductory slide program (DEC 20), Photoshop session (DEC 21), and image sharing at lunch DEC 22.

Join Arthur Morris and Denise Ippolito for a 2 1/2 Day Instructional Photo-Tour at the infamous Barnegat Jetty in Barnegat Light, New Jersey. Artie and Denise will teach you how to get close to the ducks and shorebirds that frequent this famed winter birding and photography hotspot, how to get the right exposure every time, and how to see, understand, and tackle a variety of photographic situations. Each will conduct a killer Photoshop session. We should have some excellent chances with Harlequin Duck and Purple Sandpiper, the two headliner species. With any luck we should get to photograph most of these species: Long-tailed Duck (formerly Oldsquaw), Common Loon, Red-throated Loon, Red-breasted Merganser, Surf Scoter, Black Scoter, Common Eider, Brant, Dunlin, Ruddy Turnstone, Black-bellied Plover, and Sanderling . Great Black-backed, Herring, and Ring-billed Gulls are also likely. Sunning Harbor Seals are possible. With the right winds we may have some good flight photography also.

Having at least a 500mm f/4 lens with a 1.4X teleconverter is recommended. Participants should be in good physical condition with a good sense of balance. Payment in full is due now.

NYC Seminar & Door Prize Info

Do consider joining Denise Ippolito and me in Staten Island in December for a great weekend filled with learning, fun, and great door prizes.

NYC Seminar Door Prize Info

Wow! We have put together a killer collection of door prizes for the NYC Seminar. If you live in the northeast and are not yet registered click here to join us and have a chance at winning some of the great and valuable loot below.

From ThinkTank: an Airport AirStream™ Rolling Camera Bag; meets all International carry- on regulations. A $324.75 value.
From LensCoat: a Standard LensCoat® RainCoat. A $79.99 value.
Manfrotto/Gitzo will be contributing one or more items.
From Delkin: a 32 gb 700X Compact Flash Card plus give-aways. The card is a $134.99 value.
NIK has sent a gift certificate for one copy of NIK Color Efex Pro, the Photoshop filter plug-in that has changed my digital workflow. Enter the code BAA at checkout to save 15%.
Topaz is sending a gift certificate for their black and white effects filter program.
Micheal Tapes at RAW Workflow has chipped in with a Lens Align Mark II. A $79.95 value.
You might also win a copy of The Art of Bird Photography II by Arthur Morris or a copy of A Guide to Pleasing Blurs by Arthur Morris and Denise Ipplito.

Thanks a stack to all of our generous sponsors.

Join denise (images above) and artie (below) in Staten Island to learn get inspired, give your creativity a big boost, and improve both your in-the-field techniques and your image optimization skills.

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