Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

Congratulations to Stan Hoyt. His image of a Toco Toucan is the frst prize winner in the Captive category of the BIRDS AS ART 1st International Bird Photography Competition.

Toco Toucan: Stan Hoyt

Stan’s toucan image was voted first by the contest judges in the Captive category receiving 23 out of a possible 25 points. It just edged out Alain Pascua’s fine Great Philippine Eagle image below that scored 21 out of the possible 25 points. Interestingly enough it was also the first choice in the public voting receiving a total of 444 points, just beating out Alain’s Philippine Eagle below which garnered 429 points. As just one of the five finals contest judges I can say that I like the bold colors, the sharpness, the black background, the unusual perspective, the image design, and that wicked eye highlight.

Here is the e-mail that we received from Stan:

Dear Artie, Peter, and Denise.

Wow! This is one email I never expected to receive. I am deeply honored that one of my photos is being considered. I have already uploaded the raw and the optimized images. Here is the information you requested.

Bird Species: Toco Toucan
Location: Alligator Farm, St. Augustine, FL
When: June 23, 2006 at 3:31 PM
Details: Canon 20D, 300mm f4 @f7.1, 1/640 sec., ISO 200, -1 1/3 exp. comp., evaluative metering, AI Servo AF, handheld

Having already enjoyed a morning of photography at the Alligator Farm in St. Augustine, Florida, I returned in mid-afternoon, intending to go straight to the rookery. I took only a few steps past the entrance when my attention was captured by a toco toucan in a large screened enclosure. This beautiful bird was quite active, taking an interest in its surroundings, including the people passing by. Stopping to admire, I began to experiment by taking hand-held images from different locations and angles. The jungle foliage in the enclosure softened the afternoon sun, but also created a lot of dapplied sunlight and shadow. My camera kept wanting to focus on the fine dark mesh of the screen rather than the bird, and I wondered whether any of the images I took would be usable. It wasn’t until I got home and reviewed them on my computer that I saw that not only were several images acceptably sharp but noted that the mesh had created a peculiar cross-hatched catchlight that set off the toucan’s bold eye.

Congratulations to Alain Pascua. His Great Philippine Eagle image was awarded second prize in the Captive category of the BIRDS AS ART 1st International Bird Photography Competition.

Great Philippine Eagle, Alain Pascua.

Alain’s eagle was voted second by the contest judges in the Captive category. It received 21 out of a possible 25 points. It placed second in the public vote as well scoring 429 points. As one of five Finals judges I can say that this majestic and regal species along with its raised crest caught my attention from the moment that I saw it. If you have any suggestions on how this image could have been improved within the rules of the contest please leave a comment.

Here is what we heard from Alain:

English Name: Great Philippine Eagle
Common Name: Haring Ibon (Filipino, meaning King Bird), Monkey-eating Eagle (former English name)
Scientific Name: Pithecophaga jefferyi
Conservation Status: Critically Endangered
Range: Endemic to the Philippines, restricted in Eastern Luzon, Samar, Leyte and Mindanao
Location: Philippine Eagle Center, Davao City, Mindanao, Philippines
Date Photographed: June 11, 2010
Equipment: Canon EOS 50D, Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM, Benro GH-1 Gimbal Head and Tripod
Settings: 1/160 sec, f/5.6, ISO 800, Evaluative Metering, Manual Exposure in Available Light

I photograph birds in the wild, in their natural habitat, but with the difficulty of finding the Great Philippine Eagle in the wild brought about by its dwindling population and the difficult terrains in a few areas where it could be sighted, I contented myself in photographing it in captivity. I have to overcome the obstructions of cages, iron bars and wires though, so I timed my visit to the Philippine Eagle Center in Davao City in Mindanao during the celebration of Philippine Eagle Week when one of the Great Philippine Eagles is usually brought out of the cage and displayed at a public area. My focus was to capture the image of a majestic, royal, kingly and proud Great Philippine Eagle lording over the depressions of captivity, and fittingly portraying its stature as national bird of the Philippines and the largest eagle in the world. I spent the whole day at the breeding center, patiently waited for visitors to come and for feeding time during which periods the eagle was most active with its lion mane-like head crest standing up for seconds. I clicked more than a thousand shots and packed up only when I was contented enough that one of my images have truly captured and given justice to this great bird. That was on June 11, 2010, the eve of the celebration of the Philippine’s 112th National Independence Day, a very fitting day to pay homage to Haring Ibon – the Lord of the Forest and the King of Birds.

Congrats to Eric A. Rosen. His Great Horned Owl on curved branch was awarded third place in the Captive category of the BIRDS AS ART 1st International Bird Photography Competition.

Eric A. Rosen, Great Horned Owl on curved branch

Eric’s owl image was voted third by the contest judges in the Captive category. In somewhat of a surprise to me it finished 8th in the public voting (but only 19 points out of fifth place). I love the curved branch, the puffy white clouds, the great look at those huge talons, Eric’s choice of perspective, and the use of flash to even out the exposure. Selectively lightening the subject would have yielded an even stronger image.

From Eric via e-mail:

I created this image of a captive, non-releasable Great Horned Owl using a handheld Nikon D300 with the Nikkor 18-200mm telephoto lens (hand held at 42mm) and some fill flash. I volunteer my services as a photographer for a non-profit organization that rehabilitates birds that have been hurt; some of the birds are injured so badly that they can never be released back into the wilderness. This photo was taken in February 2010 at a private ranch in Ojai, CA.

Congrats!

Congrats to all who placed images in the top ten in the Captive category. You can see all ten honored images here. 210 images made the next to last cut. Only ten went to the judges. Getting to the final round is quite an accomplishment. The seven photographers who survived to the final round of judging are invited to leave a comment and let us know about their honored image. Note that each of the top three images was created with a focal length of less than 400mm. And all were made locally, near the photographers home.

Prizes (see below) will be shipped once all the winners are announced as several folks had more than one top three images. Be sure to patronize our sponsors; without them, this contest would not exist. More educational stuff from the Contest coming soon.

B&H Double Rebates Include the 5D Mark III

Click here. Select one of four current Canon camera bodies–both the EOS-5D Mark III and the EOS-7D are in the group. Add a lens–there are 30 in the group, a Series III teleconverter, or a Speedlite, and enjoy large double rebates. The lenses include lots of my favorites: the 70-200mm f/4 L IS, the 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II, the circle lens, the 180 macro, and the 300mm f/4L IS. You can check the specs on all Canon telephoto lenses here. This double rebate offer expires on April 2, 2012.

Nikon Dslr + Lens Bundle Rebates

Click here for details. Offer includes the brand new D3200 and the D7000.

You Be the Judge: Captive

The judging for the BIRDS AS ART 1st International Bird Photography Competition is complete. All of the judges including me were stunned by the quality of the images. We will be posting all of the images that were sent to the judges. Each of you will have a chance to judge the images. Please read the directions below carefully. Your votes will not determine the winning images but it will be fun to see how everyone’s votes compare to the votes of the judges.

Below are the ten images in the Captive category that were sent to the five judges: Darrell Gulin, Chris Van Rooyen, Julie Zickefoose, Tim Laman (who filled in for a honey-mooning Andy Rouse), and yours truly. Here is a big time thank you to Darrell, Chris, Julie, and Tim. And a big time thanks also to Peter Kes and Denise Ippolito for helping me choose the images that were sent to the judges. We worked very hard for nearly three full days to get from more than 5500 images down to the final 163.

The Captive category is for photographs of captive, zoo, pet, or rehab birds. Before you vote, please click on each image to view it at full size. Then pick your five favorites and vote them 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1 with 5 being your very favorite. Like this:

Bald Eagle calling: 5
Flamingo head and neck: 4
Philippine Eagle: 3
Toucan: 2
Flamingo legs with shadow: 1

The “Sample Vote” values above are for illustrative purposes only. Please put each of your five favorites on its own line by hitting “enter” after each one. You can make your life easier by cut and pasting the name of each image that you wish to vote for. No ties; please assign a single digit, 5, 4, 3, 2 or 1 to each of your five favorites.

If you wish to comment on any or all of the images that you voted for, please do so below your five voting lines; this will make tallying the votes easier. Votes cast by those who fail to follow the formatting directions will be relegated to the Trash Bin.

A tally of the public vote along with the actual winning images for each category will be announced approximately 48 hours after each posting.

Sleeping waterfowl

Great Horned Owl on curved branch

Bald Eagle calling

Flamingo head and neck,Flamingo Gardens, Davie FL. Image copyright 2012: Patty Corapi. Canon 7D and the 100-400mm at 285mm. Settings were ISO 400, 1/1250 at f/5.6 with some fill flash. Thanks for the wonderful honor. And Artie – I thank you for all you have taught me over the years. Congrats to the other winners as well. Everyone did a wonderful job.

Philippine Eagle

Toucan

Flamingo legs with shadow

Great Horned Owl vertical

Red-tailed Hawk

Barred Owl sleeping

This Japanese Red-crowned Crane image was created at Tsurui Itoh Sanctuary, Hokkaido, Japan with the tripod-mounted Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/1250 sec. at f/5.6. Central sensor (expand left and right) AI Servo/Rear Focus AF and re-compose. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image for a larger version.

Nature’s Best Image Quiz Revelations

The image above was very well received by many of the folks who commented and in fact, I did enter this image in the 2012 Nature’s Best Contest. Not sure if I entered it in Art in Nature or Birds. Good luck to me.

After seeing an Andy Rouse image of a Sally Lightfoot crab on black lava rock surrounded by a blurred wave (in his book, Concepts of Nature, I was determined to try something similar (and perhaps better) on my next Galapagos visit. This image was created with the tripod-mounted Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 50. Evaluative metering -2 stops off the crab on the black rock alone: 1/30 sec. at f/9. (I knew that I would need to underexpose quite a bit to avoid losing detail in the white water of the breaking waves; I needed to check the histogram a few times to get it right.) For a greater appreciation of the image, click on the photo. Then click on the enlarged version to close it.

I could not enter the Sally Lightfoot image above in the 2012 Nature’s Best Contest because it was honored in the Art in Nature category of the 2011 contest. Those who suggested that I not enter it might wish to reconsider. 🙂

This Snow Goose/White-fronted Goose blur was created at Lower Klamath NWR, CA with the tripod-mounted Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 100. Evaluative metering +2 stops: 1/15 sec. at f/18. Click on the image to see a larger version.

Few folks cared for the image above. I did in fact enter it in this years Nature’s Best Contest in the Art in Nature category. I hope that it does well. I love it. Many contest judges love blurs and so do I. For some they are an acquired taste.

This image–of a flock of Sanderlings with a single Dunlin and a single peep–was created at Cupsogue Beach, Long Island, NY with the tripod-mounted Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 2/3 stops: 1/1250 sec. at f/9. 45-point AI Servo AF. For a greater appreciation of the image, click on the photo. Can you spot the two odd-ball species?

I could not enter the image above in the 2012 Nature’s Best Contest because it was also honored in the Art in Nature category of the 2011 category. Those who suggested that I not enter it might wish to reconsider. 🙂 I like that they named the Art in Nature category after me….

My Main Point

My main point is that if you are going to enter a contest it is a good plan to take a close look at the winning and honored images from prior contests and try to figure out what the judges are looking for. Tastes change over the years. The BBC contest used to honor what I call straight bird and wildlife portraits. Those days are over; they are now looking for spectacular action and out of the box stuff–blurs, unusual perspectives, insane weather, and they like. Coming soon here: “You Be the Judge.” Each of you will have a chance to vote on the images in each category that went to the judges in the BIRDS AS ART 1st International Bird Photography Competition. I can tell you that the winning images are spectacular, right on a par with the best of BBC and Nature’s Best. I could not be prouder.

B&H Double Rebates Include the 5D Mark III

Click here. Select one of four current Canon camera bodies–both the EOS-5D Mark III and the EOS-7D are in the group. Add a lens–there are 30 in the group, a Series III teleconverter, or a Speedlite, and enjoy large double rebates. The lenses include lots of my favorites: the 70-200mm f/4 L IS, the 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II, the circle lens, the 180 macro, and the 300mm f/4L IS. You can check the specs on all Canon telephoto lenses here. This double rebate offer expires on April 2, 2012.

Nikon Dslr + Lens Bundle Rebates

Click here for details. Offer includes the brand new D3200 and the D7000.

Shopper’s Guide.

Support both the Bulletins and the Blog by making all your B & H purchases here.

Below is a list of the gear talked about in this blog post. Thanks a stack to all who have used the Shopper’s Guide 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.

Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens. Right now this is my all time favorite super-telephoto lens.
Canon EOS-1D Mark IV professional digital camera body. The very best professional digital camera body that I have ever used.

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….
GT3532 LS. This one replaces the GT3530LS Tripod and will last you a lifetime. I’ll be commenting on this new model soon. In short, I like it.
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.
CR-80 Replacement Foot for Canon 800. When using the 800 on a Mongoose as I do, replacing the lens foot with this accessory lets the lens sit like a dog whether pointed up or down and prevents wind-blown spinning of your lens on breezy days by centering the lens directly over the tripod.
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.

This breeding plumage Cattle Egret image was created with the the tripod-mounted Canon 800mm f/5.L IS lens, the 2XIII teleconverter, and the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering at -1/3 stop: 1/800 sec. at f/11 in Manual mode. Fill flash at -1 stop with my brand new Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT and a Better Beamer. Good news there: the FX-3 fits the Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT perfectly. Manual focus; gasp! For maximum reach with distant subjects I will continue to go to my EOS-1D Mark IV bodies. When preparing this blog post I had thought that this image was made with the 1.4X III TC….

EOS-1DX, EOS-5D Mark III, & EOS-1D Mark IV Thoughts

This post was prompted by a recent e-mail from IPT-veteran Mike Cristina who asked, “Do the quality of the files of the 5D Mark III at 22MP compensate for the extra magnification of the 1DM4 at 16MP? Same question for the 1DX. And what about the fact that neither the 5D Mark III or the 1D Mark IV will autofocus at f/8.

The short answer is that pixel-wise, the math is close with the edge to the 1D Mark IV and that pixel-wise the 1D Mark IV is the clear winner over the long anticipated 1DX. I love the files from my Mark IV bodies and I love the files from my 5D Mark III bodies. I have never created an image with the EOS-1DX. Have never even held one in my hands. The issue of no practical autofocus at f/8 is a fact of life that each of us will have to consider. And once the 500 f/4L IS II and the 600 f/4L IS II are on the scene, the ability of the Mark IV to AF with the 2X III teleconverters will become an even more important issue especially for those who photograph in areas where it is difficult to get close to the birds. That said, there is no way that I can decide if a 5D III or a 1DX is a good camera for you. I can share my thoughts and my strategies and the images that I create but in the end you must do your homework and make the decision for yourself.

These Wood Stork chicks were photographed with the tripod-mounted Canon 800mm f/5.L IS lens and the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering at +1/3 stop: 1/250 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode. Central sensor AI Servo/Rear Focus AF and re-compose. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image for a larger version. Here I went to the 800/Mark IV to fill the frame with the subjects with the prime lens alone thanks to the Mark IV’s 1.3 crop factor.

After the rather simple analysis above things become far more complex. For example, the Canon EOS-7D wins the pixels-on-the-subject contest by miles, but most serious photographers far prefer image files from the 1D MIII or MIV bodies or from any of the 5D bodies by a large margin. There is a lot more to a quality file than pixels on the subject. In general larger pixels equal less noise. Some image sensors simply provide cleaner more detailed image files than others no matter the pixel count. The 1DX (18 mp), the clear loser in the pixel count wars to both the 5D III and the 1D IV, has a brand new sensor that offers 16-channel, dual line readout as compared to 8-channel, single line designs in the previous generation of chips. This offers improved low-light capability with a faster capture speeds of 12 fps. And surely improved image quality as well. For a comprehensive overview/preview of the Canon EOS-1DX see the dpreview.com feature here.

So if the pixel advantage goes to the 1D Mark IV that can autofocus down to f/8 what the heck am I doing with a 5D Mark III? As regular readers know I feel that the new autofocus system in the 5D III is the best ever in any Canon camera body. I make a higher percentage of sharp flight images than ever before and I love the various AF Area Selections modes. I appreciate the light weight of the 5D III when it is hanging on my shoulder with the 70-200 f/2.8L IS IS. In addition, in situations where getting close to the birds is not a concern, the full frame 5D III will give me considerably more pixels on the subject by a factor of 22 to 16.

So where does the EOS-1DX fit into the picture? With the new improved sensor and image files, with the same basic AF system as the 5D III, with a blazing 12 frames per second frame rate, and with pro body heft and feel, the new body will surely be a superb flight photography camera. I will be ordering one through the Canon Explorer of Light program as soon as I am able to do so.

Right now I will continue to use my EOS-1D Mark IV when I need the reach, usually with the 800mm f/5.6L IS and often with the 1.4X III TC and I will use the EOS-5D MIII for flight and action photography and when working with easily approachable birds and animals. And I will be eagerly awaiting the release of the EOS-1DX. You can find additional info on my current gear strategy here. If you would like to try to understand the pixels on the subject math see the BPN thread here.

This Cattle Egret flight image was created with the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II lens, the 2XIII teleconverter (hand held at 335mm), and the Canon EOS-5D Mark III. ISO 400. Evaluative metering -1/3 stop: 1/3200 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual mode. Central Sensor Surround/AI Servo Rear Focus AF active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Be sure to click on the image to see a larger version.

If you are a doubter be sure to check out “Is the EOS-5D Mark III–2X III Teleconverter–70-200f/2.8L IS II a Viable Combination?” here.

Question and Questions

Which of the three images above do you like best? Be sure to let us know why. And feel free to post any questions that you might have on any Canon camera bodies.

B&H Double Rebates Include the 5D Mark III

Click here. Select one of four current Canon camera bodies–both the EOS-5D Mark III and the EOS-7D are in the group. Add a lens–there are 30 in the group, a Series III teleconverter, or a Speedlite, and enjoy large double rebates. The lenses include lots of my favorites: the 70-200mm f/4 L IS, the 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II, the circle lens, the 180 macro, and the 300mm f/4L IS. You can check the specs on all Canon telephoto lenses here. This double rebate offer expires on April 2, 2012.

Shopper’s Guide.

Support both the Bulletins and the Blog by making all your B & H purchases here.

Below is a list of the gear talked about in this blog post. Thanks a stack to all who have used the Shopper’s Guide 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.

Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens. Right now this is my all time favorite super-telephoto lens.
Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II lens. Man, I am loving this lens on my shoulder with the 2XIII teleconverter. I also use it a lot–depending on the situation–with the 1.4X III TC.
Canon EF 1.4X III TC. This new TC is designed to work best with the new Series II super-telephoto lenses.
Canon EOS-5D Mark III. Man, I am in love with this camera body. Both the files and the AF system are superb.
Canon EOS-1D Mark IV professional digital camera body. The very best professional digital camera body that I have ever used.
Speedlite 600EX-RT. Canon’s latest greatest professional flash has more features than I will ever use or need. Learn more about the new flash by scrolling down here.

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….
GT3532 LS. This one replaces the GT3530LS Tripod and will last you a lifetime. I’ll be commenting on this new model soon. In short, I like it.
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.
CR-80 Replacement Foot for Canon 800. When using the 800 on a Mongoose as I do, replacing the lens foot with this accessory lets the lens sit like a dog whether pointed up or down and prevents wind-blown spinning of your lens on breezy days by centering the lens directly over the tripod.
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.

This Pied-billed Grebe with a small fish was photographed with the tripod-mounted Canon 800mm f/5.L IS lens, the 1.4X III TC, and the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering at +2 stops: 1/400 sec. at f/8 in Manual mode. Central sensor (by necessity) AI Servo/Rear Focus AF active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image for a larger version.

The Wake Shot

When this small-in-the-frame pied-billed swam by parallel to our position on the Morro Bay IPT I called out to the group, “Focus on the wake and put the bird in the far right side of the frame.” Until after the fact when I had time to show them the resulting image on the LCD on the back of the camera pretty much nobody understood exactly what I was talking about. Thus, “The Wake Shot” blog post. And lots of lessons.

Wake shot opportunities are few and far between. You need still water and a bird swimming parallel to your position. The fish here was a big extra.

This is the BreezeBrowser main view page screen capture for the RAW image. To be able to see the active sensor click on “Show Focus Points” in the “View” drop-down menu or hit Shift+Control+F. That’s one shortcut that I do not use as one I click on Show Focus Points is sticks. Coming soon: How to Run Breezebrowser on a Mac. Note as usual 🙂 the perfect histogram with the data well to the right as is proper for an overall light-toned image. In The Art of Bird Photography II (ABP II: 916 pages on CD only) I teach you to get the right exposure using digital capture every time. And best of all, it is simple.

The BreezeBrowser main view page screen capture above shows exactly where I placed the central sensor in order to create the composition that I wanted. If you think about it there was not better place in the frame to put the bird in the original capture. The central sensor is the only sensor available when using the 800/1.4X III/Mark IV combination.

This JPEG represents the original RAW capture for the featured image that opens this blog post. All the extra space above and below made the pano crop an obvious one. With some detail in the water in the upper left I opted to go with 2/3 above, 1/3 below.

The large BLUE cast was removed with an Average Blur Color Balance adjustment. The image was leveled (my Bubble Level was in my pocket!) by drawing a line with the Ruler Tool from the back of the head to the reflection of the back of the head and hitting my “Image/Rotate/Arbitrary” keyboard shortcut: Control + ? and then hitting OK. Both of these killer techniques are detailed in Digital Basics that includes my complete Digital Workflow and dozens of other great Photoshop tips. Digital Basics actually includes several techniques for eliminating color casts and several techniques for leveling an image. Choices are good and with color casts one method often works well where others fail. Digital Basics also teaches you how to create your very own keyboard shortcuts and includes a list of all of them that I use.

This B&W version was created with NIK Silver Efex Pro using the Neutral pre-set (for the first time ever). Once you load the image in Silver Efex Pro it is easy to click on the various pre-sets to determine which looks best with a given iamge. My usual favorites are High Structure, High Contrast Red Filter, and Wet Rocks.

NIK 15% Discount

As regular readers here know, NIK Color Efex Pro has drastically changed my digital workflow. Remember that you can save 15% on all NIK products 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.

Shopper’s Guide.

Support both the Bulletins and the Blog by making all your B & H purchases here.

Below is a list of the gear used to create the images in this blog post. Thanks a stack to all who have used the Shopper’s Guide 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.

Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens. Right now this is my all time favorite super-telephoto lens.
Canon EF 1.4X III TC. This new TC is designed to work best with the new Series II super-telephoto lenses.
Canon EOS-1D Mark IV professional digital camera body. The very best professional digital camera body that I have ever used.

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 GT3530LS Tripod. This one will last you a lifetime.
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.
CR-80 Replacement Foot for Canon 800. When using the 800 on a Mongoose as I do, replacing the lens foot with this accessory lets the lens sit like a dog whether pointed up or down and prevents wind-blown spinning of your lens on breezy days by centering the lens directly over the tripod.
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.

Black Vulture and Turkey Vulture, Indian Lake Estates, FL. With the Canon 800mm f/5.L IS lens and the Canon EOS-5D Mark III supported by a BLUBB on the door frame with the window lowered. ISO 400. Evaluative metering -1/3 stop: 1/800 sec. at f/8 in Av mode: 8:04 am. Lens micro-adjustment: +4. Read the Lens Align Mark II Micro-adjusting tutorial. Coming soon: non-tethered micro-adjustments. Central Sensor/AI Servo Rear Focus AF and re-compose. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click here to learn to set up Rear Focus on your 5D Mark II. Click on the image for a larger version.

Juxtapositions in Black…

jux·ta·po·si·tion   [juhk-stuh-puh-zish-uhn] noun
1. an act or instance of placing close together or side by side, especially for comparison or contrast.

When I first began photographing birds I strove to make images with only a single bird in the frame. It was years before I realized the power of including a second out of focus bird or animal in a pleasing position in the frame. Today I look for potential juxtapositions any time there are two subjects anywhere near each other. You need to think and act fast as juxtapositions often last only a second or two.

There are four nice juxtaposition images in The Art of Bird Photography II on pages 216, 228, 249, and 913. And here is a relevant excerpt from ABP II:

In many instances, an out-of-focus bird in the background is distracting. If the photographer, however, takes great care in the placement of the second bird in the frame and considers its posture as well as its position, then the second bird may serve as somewhat of a mirrored (though pleasingly out-of-focus) repetition of the subject. When attempting this, strive for compositional balance as well. The results can be most pleasing. Imagine two Caspian Terns on a sandy beach. It is a cloudy day, so light angle is not of paramount importance. Working in vertical format, you notice that the bird to the rear appears above and slightly to your right of the closer bird. You need to put some separation between the two birds so you take a large, slow step to your right. You
re-frame the image and notice that the closer bird is in the lower left part of the frame, while the bird in the back now appears in the upper right. The juxtaposition of the two birds is perfect: you have achieved compositional balance. You have created a pleasing image by changing your position, and thus your perspective.

The above is just one of hundreds of lessons that can help you improve your bird and nature photography. ABP II on CD only: 916 pages with more than 900 color photographs; everything that I learned about bird photography from 1998 through 2006 :).

Black Vulture and Turkey Vulture, Indian Lake Estates, FL. With the Canon 800mm f/5.L IS lens and the Canon EOS-5D Mark III supported by a BLUBB on the door frame with the window lowered. ISO 400. Evaluative metering -1/3 stop: 1/800 sec. at f/8 in Av mode: 8:04 am. Lens micro-adjustment: +4. Read the Lens Align Mark II Micro-adjusting tutorial. Coming soon: non-tethered micro-adjustments. Central Sensor/AI Servo Rear Focus AF and re-compose. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click here to learn to set up Rear Focus on your 5D Mark II. Click on the image for a larger version.

Questions and More

Why -1/3 stop exposure compensation?
Would f/22 have sharpened up the Turkey Vulture?
What do you like or dislike in each image?
What would you have done differently?
Which of the two images do you like best? And why?

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Shopper’s Guide

Below is a list of the gear used to create the image above. Thanks a stack to all who have used the Shopper’s Guide 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.

Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens. Right now this is my all time favorite super-telephoto lens.
1.4X III TC. The new Series III 1.4X was designed to work best with the new Series II super-telephoto lenses.
Canon EOS-5D Mark III. Man, I am in love with this camera body. Both the files and the AF system are superb.

And from the BAA On-line Store:

BLUBB. I personally designed the Big Lens Ultimate BeanBag and have it made in the good old US of A. This large beanbag is ideal when working with super-telephoto lenses from your vehicle. Beware of cheaper and much inferior copycat rip-offs; you get what you pay for just like your Daddy said.
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.
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.

Canon Telephoto Lens Specifications, Info, and Links; Bookmark This Page!

With so many great Canon telephoto lenses to choose from, so many just introduced, and a few more tantalizingly on the horizon, it can be difficult to find the data that you need to make informed choices. I have often spent more than an hour looking for the weight of this or that lens, searching for the minimum focusing distances of the various 300s, or converting grams to pounds and ounces or meters to feet. I spent the last two days, superbly assisted by Peter Kes, creating the table below. Be sure to bookmark the page as a favorite and visit it whenever you need some info on Canon telephoto lenses. In the past, I might have needed to do several online searches and visit two or three sites to come up with the info that is now at your fingertips in one neat package.

Notes: the active links take you to the B&H listing for the product. Purchase there to thank us for our efforts here and elsewhere. The inactive links are for discontinued lenses. The old 600, the 600mm f/4L IS, is actually discontinued but some remain in stock. We offer the weights in pounds and kilograms for the convenience of our many international visitors. MFD is the minimum focusing distance of the lens. We offer that in feet and meters, again for the convenience of our many international visitors. Magnif is of course the magnification of the lens at the closest focusing distance, the mfd. All of the lenses take one of three filters, a 67mm, a 77mm, or the 52mm drop-in filters (that go in the filter slots of the big lenses). Year indicates the year that the lens was first offered for sale.

Note: I strongly recommend against the use of skylight or other “protective” filters on any intermediate telephoto lens. They degrade image quality and often hamper autofocus accuracy.

You can find some additional helpful links in the text below the chart. Enjoy.

For the complete Canon EF lens line-up click here.

For additional information on all Canon Super Telephoto lenses and teleconverters click here.

Questions

Lens questions are of course welcome. Please leave a comment if you wish to learn more.

Support both the Bulletins and the Blog by making all your B & H purchases here.

When photographing tall birds in horizontal format keep the bird well back in the frame. Here there is about four times more room in front of the bird than behind. Using the central sensor and placing the bird in the middle of the frame in situations like this is a criminal offense. You can choose a sensor off to one side of the frame, use One-Shot AF(S in Nikon) and recompose, or use central sensor AI Servo (C in Nikon)/Rear Focus and re-compose. Do not try to stuff a tall bird into a horizontal frame; be sure to leave a decent amount of room above and below the bird–usually a bit more above. Tricolored Heron, Little Estero Lagoon, Fort Myers Beach, FL Image created with Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II lens, the 1.4X III TC (hand held at 255mm), and the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 250. Evaluative metering at +2 stops: 1/300 sec. at f/4 in Tv mode.

Bird Photography Composition Basics

Five simple rules are presented here. Learn them and your work will improve immeasurably. Think about them every time that you point your lens at a bird. Or a bear. Or at anything else. The principles outlined here hold true even when you are photographing your kids or your grandchildren. Break them when you dare, but only when you have a good reason for doing so. If you do not own these principles, bookmark this page and keep coming back until you do.

When photographing a large in the frame bird in horizontal format, leave three to five times as much space from the bird’s bill to the frame-edge than from the end of the tail to the opposite frame-edge. In sort, nobody gives a rat’s ass what’s going on behind the bird. In general, leave at least a bit more room above the bird than below. Northern Cardinal, Elizabeth A. Morton NWR, Noyack, NY. This image was created with the tripod-mounted Canon 800mm f/5.L IS lens and the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +2 2/3 stops off the snow: 1/160 sec. at f/8 in Manual mode.

Motivation

My motivation for writing this piece arose from the frustration of seeing so many folks on Bird Photographers.Net and during BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo Tour critiquing sessions who simply do not understand the basics of image design. These principles are covered in detail in the original “The Art of Bird Photography.” Often when I suggest that folks purchase the book and study the basics of composition they say, “I have that book. It’s great.” That leaves me scratching my head…. Many folks think that buying the latest/greatest camera body and a $10,000 lens will transform them into a skilled bird photographer when what they really need to do is work harder by studying and practicing.

The rule of thirds has been guiding artists for centuries for good reason: it works. In nature photography it works especially well when your relatively small-in-the-frame subject is surrounded by beautiful habitat. Divide the frame in thirds horizontally and vertically and place the subject on or near one of the four intersecting points. Grizzly Bear, Denali National Park, AK. Image created with hand held Canon 300mm f/4L IS lens and the EOS-1D (this oldie now replaced by the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV). ISO 400. Evaluative metering -1/3 stop: 1/640 sec. at f/4 in Av mode. (Ah, I have learned a ton about digital exposure since I created this image in 2004….)

Study!

If you have already mastered the principles covered here then do consider purchasing “The Art of Bird Photography II,” copying it to the hard drive of your laptop, and studying Chapter II, Advanced Composition and Image Design (pages 163-254 including 97 images with our legendary educational captions). See the ABP II screen capture below.

Tall, relatively large–in-the-frame birds (even baby ones) need to be in vertical frames. If they are looking at you they usually work best dead center. If they are looking to one side, you can place them a bit back in the frame as I did here. Be sure to leave well more room above their heads than below their feet. Note here that there is twice as much room above the bird than below. And be sure not to clip the virtual feet, feet that are hidden by tall grass or shallow water. Sandhill Crane chick, Indian Lake Estates, FL, with the tripod-mounted Canon 800mm f/5.L IS lens, the 1.4X III TC, and the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering at +1 stop: 1/1250 sec. at f/8 in Av mode.

Staggering

The amount of information and instruction in the original ABP and the all-new continuation, ABP II is simply staggering. Oh how I wish that I had had these two books when I was struggling to learn bird photography in the ten years that followed August 1983. Today, you can save $10 by purchasing the two book bundle here.

Small-in-the-frame subjects must be placed in the corners of vertical frames. This type of image works best when you wish to show off a beautiful setting. Atlantic Puffin, Saltee Island, Ireland with the hand held Canon 400mm f.4L IS DO lens and the EOS-40D (now replaced with the Canon EOS-7D. ISO 400. Evaluative metering at +1/3 stop: 1/500 sec. at f/0 in Av mode.

Improve

By studying the material presented here, learning to use your camera’s AF system to it fullest capabilities, and looking at as many good and great photographs as possible, you too can begin producing images that feature pleasing, interesting, and dramatic compositions.

Pages 203/204 screen capture from ABP II’s Advanced Composition and Image Design Gallery. Most of the chapters in ABP II are followed by extensive galleries that review the material covered in the text. Click on the screen capture to see a larger version.

Important Contest News

Only Five Days Left to Enter the Competition!

Only Five Days Left to Make Your Qualifying B&H Purchases!

Only Twelve Days Left to Upload Your Photos!

While you may upload images until 11:59pm eastern time on April 30, 2012, the very last day for registering for the contest and for making eligible B&H purchases will be Monday, April 23, 2012. This will give us time to process your registrations and verify your B&H purchases and will give you time to upload your images successfully. Good luck to all.

The BIRDS AS ART 1st International Bird Photography Competition has been going great guns. Additional folks are getting in on the fun each day. And many folks who had previously finished their entries have been taking advantage of the extension by uploading even stronger images. Thanks to those who responded to my Hand of Man pleas; it is now one of our strongest categories. While each of the following categories has some very strong images there is still room for improvement: Small in the Frame/Environmental, Pleasing Blurs, Youth, and especially Captive (photographs of captive, zoo, pet, or rehab birds).

Those of you who have been in the dark can learn more about the BIRDS AS ART 1st International Bird Photography Competition here or by visiting the main contest page here.

Save Your B&H Receipts

Do save your e-mail receipts for eligible B&H purchases made after Monday, April 23 as you will be able to use them for entry into the BIRDS AS ART 2nd International Bird Photography Competition; details will be announced in several months. Please remember, only B&H purchases made using the product-specific BAA B&H affiliate links in the Bulletins or on the blog or the more general link here qualify. See additional details by scrolling down to item 2 here. If in doubt, simply start your B&H searches by clicking here:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/?BI=6633&KBID=7226

Earn Free Contest Entries and Support both the Bulletins and the Blog by making all your B & H purchases here.

More and more folks are earning multiple contest entries with their B & H purchases. See here for details on that. Eleven great categories, 34 winning and honored images, and prize pools valued in excess of $20,000. Click here to visit the competition home page.

Shopper’s Guide

Below is a list of the gear used to create the images in today’s post. Thanks a stack to all who have used the Shopper’s Guide 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.

Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens. Right now this is my all time favorite super-telephoto lens.
Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II lens. Man, I am loving this lens on my shoulder with the 2XIII teleconverter. I also use it a lot–depending on the situation–with the 1.4X III TC.
Canon EF 1.4X III TC. This new TC is designed to work best with the new Series II super-telephoto lenses.
Canon 300mm f/4L IS lens. This lightweight, close-focusing telephoto lens is still manufactured. With the 1.4X III TC it makes a great starter lens for beginning bird photographers, especially those with 1.6 crop factor bodies like the Canon EOS-7D.
Canon 400mm f.4L IS DO lens. A lightweight image stabilized telephoto lens that is easily hand held by most folks, great from any kind of boat, and super for flight photography. Works well with both Series III teleconverters.
Canon EOS-1D Mark IV professional digital camera body. The very best professional digital camera body that I have ever used.

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 GT3530LS Tripod. This one will last you a lifetime.
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.
CR-80 Replacement Foot for Canon 800. When using the 800 on a Mongoose as I do, replacing the lens foot with this accessory lets the lens sit like a dog whether pointed up or down and prevents wind-blown spinning of your lens on breezy days by centering the lens directly over the tripod.
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.