July 26th, 2010
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| 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 on my next Galapagos visit. This image was created with the tripod-mounted Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens and the EOS-1D MIV. 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.) |
Puerto Egas
After a wet landing on a black volcanic sand beach at James Bay, Peurto Egas, Santiago, we enjoyed a coast walk in cloudy bright conditions. The best photography was afforded by the numerous Sally Lightfoot crabs and the plentiful marine iguanas. In addition we got to photograph Small Ground Finches, Galapagos Flycatcher, Galapagos Mockingbird, and lots of Striated Heron (this species and Lava Heron have recently been lumped even though the two forms are somewhat distinct). At the underwater grotto at the end of the walk we encountered more than half a dozen Galapagos Fur Seal Lions. Though they were cooperative subjects they were quite difficult to photograph even in the ideal light.
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This image was originally a two-frame stitched pano but I was not happy with is so I cropped tighter on the face of the Marine Iguana that was resting its head on the back of the other one. Much better. The image was created with the
Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens and the EOS-1D MIV. ISO 800. Evaluative metering at zero: 1/60 sec. at f/10. |
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| I was intrigued by the dessicated carcass of a Marine Iguana so I grabbed the 70-200f/4L IS lens (handheld at 200mm) with the Mark IV attached and added a 25mm Extension tube for close focus. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/100 sec. at f/6.3. Better technique would have found the lens on a tripod so that I could gone to a smaller aperture for more depth-of-field. |
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| Setting the White Balance to shade rendered the color of this Galapagos Fur Sea Lion’s thick coat accurately. This tropical species is the world’s third most heavily insulated mammal. It is easily separated from Galapagos Sea Lion by its shorter snout. The photograph was created with the tripod-mounted Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens and the EOS-1D MIV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering + 1/3 stop: 1/80 sec. at f/5.6. |
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| This Small Ground Finch was photographed with the Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens, a 25mm Extension tube, and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 800. Evaluative metering + 2/3 stop: 1/200 sec. at f/6.3. With its 19 foot plus minimum focusing distance I keep a 25 tube on the lens whenever small landbirds are the expected subjects; this allows me to focus down to approximately 16 feet. The combination of having the birds on a rocky shelf at eye level and a distant background yielded a pleasing image in the BAA style. |
That afternoon we sailed around the northern tip of Isabella and stopped for our first snorkeling session at Cape Marshall, Isabella. Though the water was on the cold side–heck, it was way cold even with a wet suit–we enjoyed our swim with the sea lions, sea turtles, and a huge school of colorful Yellow-tailed Surgeon. With the Beagle peacefully anchored that night, we all slept long and well.
Shopper’s Guide
- I have been doing telephoto photography for almost three decades now. My knowledge in the area of equipment for long lens nature photography is quite specialized and I am opinionated. But I know what works and what does not and for more than 20 years I have been willing and eager to share. And have done just that.
- If you are looking to spend some money on photography gear and have checked the BAA Store, the Bulletin Archives and the Blog, chatted with friends, posted questions on line and are still confused, feel free to e-mail me at birdsasart@att.net for advice. I have helped thousands of folks over the past two plus decades and would be glad to help you. I will always—depending on my travel schedule—strive to get back to you in a timely fashion. And my first concern will always be to help you get the right gear in your hands. In my absence my right-hand man, Jim Litzenberg, will likely be able help.
- BIRDS AS ART has recently added B&H Photo as a sponsor joining Hunt’s whose Gary Farber has been a big supporter for years not only of BAA but of NANPA, the NANPA scholarship students, and many other worthy photographic causes. Eagle-eyed visitors will have noted that recent Bulletins and Blog posts have included active links to the B&H web site for most mentioned equipment. I have always urged folks ready to spend many thousands of dollars on a new lens or the latest camera body to comparison shop, to price an item at Hunt’s and to price it at B&H and to be sure to get a complete quote that includes the shipping charges and any tax. I urge you to do the same today.
- BIRDS AS ART does not sell cameras or lenses, but we do carry a wide range of photographic accessories and educational materials. We offer only the very best tripods and tripod heads. We will not sell you junk as pretty much every other specialized mail order operation will. We sell what I use every day and what I believe in. Everything that we sell is competitively priced; we try to sell all of our tripods and heads for “one cent less than B & H or Hunts. As a thank you for the information that we provide via e-mail, Bulletins, and the Blog, was do ask for your business. Know that it is greatly appreciated.
- Hunt’s does not offer a click-through program similar to that offered by B&H but you can always check their prices at on the website. Gary will continue running his great BAA Specials in selected Bulletins. In a recent Hunt’s Special he was selling Canon EOS-1D Mark IV bodies at a lower price than B&H. It always pays to compare. And best of all, you can contact Gary personally to ensure that you will be getting Hunt’s very best price: by calling his direct line at 1-617-462-2332 or by e-mail to digitalguygary@wbhunt.com. He will do his best to get you a low price and great customer service.
- We ask the following. Once you have comparison shopped:
- If you decide to order through Hunt’s, please let them know that you were referred by BIRDS AS ART.
- If you decide to purchase from B&H, please either click on a direct product link in a Bulletin, a Blog post, or in Gear Bag or on the general B&H shopping link immediately below. If you opt for B&H, do know that a small percentage of your purchase price helps to fund production of both the BAA Bulletins and blog posts and is a great way to thank us for 15 years of equipment advice. Your purchase price will be unchanged.
- Please don’t forget to e-mail me with your equipment questions. Spending a lot of money on the wrong gear gets old fast. I see it every day…. We are in a better position to answer your equipment questions than the folks at any camera store. As above, we do appreciate your continued patronage of the BAA On-Line Store for your tripod, tripod head, photographic accessory, and educational material needs.
July 24th, 2010
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| As often happens in the Galapagos in June and July, we walked past a nest with two eggs only to find out five minutes later that there was just one egg in the nest along with a chick. This newly-hatched Nazca Booby chick was photographed with the Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens and the EOS-1D MIV. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/80 sec. at f/5.6. The improved image stabilization on the 800 allows folks with poor sharpness techniques to produce images at relatively slow shutter speeds. Happily, that group of folks does not include me! |
July 7. Afternoon at Prince Phillip’s Steps
The dry landing–you step onto a wet rocky shelf rather than into the water–at Prince Phillip Steps on Tower Island entails a somewhat steep and precarious walk up approximately 45 steps roughly hewn out of the cliff side. The wooden handrails are a most welcome addition. At the top you are usually greeted by dozens of Nazca Boobies either setting up territories, on eggs, or with chicks. This year it was pretty much A & B. A walk across the island to the rocky shelf along the south coast brings you past some interesting geology in the form or a large volcanic fissure, several pairs of nesting Red-footed Boobies, more Nazca Boobies, and several species of Darwin’s Finches and Galapagos Doves. When you reach the rocky coast you are greeted by more nesting Nazca Boobies, a good helping of Galapagos (Wedge-rumped) Storm Petrels–about 200,000 pairs call the island home–and usually a Short-eared Owl or two; the storm petrels are manna from heaven for the owls. Juan found us a pair of owls but for the most part they were content to sleep the afternoon away. As it clouded up at about five pm we were back on the boat a bit on the early side.
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| In some years, there are dozens of Nazca Booby nests near the paths at Prince Phillip’s Steps. This was one of those years. This bird was displaying to its mate. The image was created with the Canon 70-200mm f/4 IS L lens (handheld at 176mm) with the and the EOS-1D MIV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/500 sec. at f/7.1. Here I had a choice of kneeling or making the image while standing…. It was a hard one: if I had gotten lower the background would have been a mess of bare bushes so I opted to stand. |
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| This preening adult Nazca Booby was photographed with the Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens and the EOS-1D MIV. ISO 500. Evaluative metering +1 1/3 stops: 1/1250 sec. at f/8. 7.1 set manually after checking the histogram. When photographing preening birds strive to make the image when the bird’s head is parallel to the back of the camera. The head angle here is pretty much perfect. |
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| Here, to increase my magnification while staying low, I added a 1.4X II TC with a 25mm Extension tube behind it to the Canon 70-200mm f/4 IS L lens and the EOS-1D MIV. The rig was handheld at 261mm. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/400 sec. at f/13. When working at very close range it pays to stop down so that you have enough depth-of-field to cover the subject. Knowing how and when to use various accessories as above allows you to increase the versatility of your telephoto and telephoto zoom lenses. |
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| The image was created with the Canon 70-200mm f/4 IS L lens (handheld at 89mm) with the and the EOS-1D MIV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/320 sec. at f/4. This nest was only yards from the nest of the bird immediately above. But with the loverly stand of flowers right behind the nest as my inspiration, I opted to work wide (with the same lens) rather than tight. Note both the careful framing and the careful choice of perspective. (I tried a few from a lower perspective but they were not nearly as pleasing.) Note the relative rule-of-thirds placement of the subject. |
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| This totally tame Short-eared Owl was was photographed with the Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens, the 1.4X II TC, and the EOS-1D MIV. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/80 sec. at f/8. We found one owl and were photographing it for about 15 minutes when Christine Doyle noticed a second bird standing right out in the open just a few feet from us. Because the birds were both in unattractive settings I opted to add the 1.4 teleconverter and work very tight. |
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| That is Juan on the lower step grabbing some equipment from the captain who helped with all of the landings. Getting up to the top was not as difficult as it looks in this photos as their are handrails all the way to the top. Prince Phillip actually visited this site in the 60s. |
After another great dinner, the overnight navigation to James Bay on Santiago was much smoother than Juan had expected and everyone slept well.
July 22nd, 2010
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| This Swallow-tailed Gull chick being fed regurgitated squid was photographed with the Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS Canon lens (handheld at 200mm) and the EOS-1D MIV. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/400 sec. at f/5.6 set manually. The lightweight 70-200 f/4L IS is one of my very favorite lenses for the Galapagos. |
Darwin Bay, on Tower Island (Genovesa) is one of the world’s great wildlife photography locations ranking right up there with most Antarctica landings sites and East Africa. After our second wet landing the group was overwhelmed by the huge variety of photographic opportunities; what to photograph first?
Several pairs of Swallow-tailed Gulls puked up squid caught the previous night to feed to their small chicks. Large fluffy white Red-footed Booby chicks sat in their nests with a single adult. Tower hosts the world’s largest breeding population of this species with the dark morphs outnumbering the gorgeous white morphs by about 10 to 1. Frigatebird nests with white chicks and a single adult were seemingly everywhere at knee level. Both species nest in the low bushes with the Magniificents outnumbering the Greats again by about 10-1. Handsome Nazca Boobies were setting up territories.
A few Lava Gulls, the world’s rarest gull species–only 400 pairs at present–foraged in tidal pools along with adult and young Yellow-crowned Night Herons. The latter species is much darker than the birds that breed in North America. Thousands of seabirds in flight above the sandy beach added to the mix. In addition to the water birds there are five species of Darwin’s Finches on Tower: Small Ground, Large Ground, Large Cactus, Warbler, and Sharp-beaked.
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| This Red-footed Booby chick was in the process of being fed in its waist level nest by a dark morph parent. The image was created with the Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS Canon lens (handheld at 200mm) and the EOS-1D MIV. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/500 sec. at f/5.6 set manually. The tameness of most Galapagos birds needs to be experienced to be believed. |
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| This foraging Lava Gull image was created with the Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS Canon lens (handheld at 200mm) and the EOS-1D MIV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 1/3 stops: 1/1000 sec. at f/8. When working with tame birds and short lenses it is most important to get low; this image was created while kneeling. |
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| This yawning Great Frigatebird chick image was created with the Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS lens (handheld at 121 mm) and the EOS-1D MIV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/500 sec. at f/13. Here with the large dark adult in the background added only 1/3 stop of light to the suggested exposure to avoid burning the white feathers. |
Many of the birds on Tower are so tame that I found myself needing to add either a 12 mm or a 25mm Extension tube to both the 70-200 and the 800 lenses to allow for closer focusing when creating tight images of a bird’s head or close-up pattern-type images of its plumage.
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| This close-up of the head and bill of an adult female Great Frigatebird sitting on its nest was created with the Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS lens (handheld at 121 mm) and the EOS-1D MIV. A 25mm Extension tube was mounted between the lens and the camera body to allow for close focusing. (Extension tubes make it easy to photography bugs and flowers with intermeditate telephoto lenses. ISO 800. Evaluative metering at zero: 1/200 sec. at f/9. It was cloudy dark when we landed. Then it brightened. Then the sun was out for a while. Then it was cloudy bright one second and cloudy dark the next. Only those with a good understanding of digital exposure and histograms were able to create consistently good exposures. You can learn about both of these vital topics in ABP II ((16 pages on CD only). |
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| This close-up of the mantle feathers of a male Great Frigatebird sitting on its nest was created with the Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS lens (handheld at 155 mm) and the EOS-1D MIV. A 25mm Extension tube was mounted between the lens and the camera body to allow for close focusing. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/100 sec. at f/4. Working at the wide open aperture due to the low light it was important to parallel the subject as closely as possible. |
The images above represent only a small fraction of the wonderful photographs that I created during our memorable morning landing at Darwin Bay. Though our overnight navigation to Tower Island in the far northwestern corner of the archipelago had been quite a rough one with the boat rolling pretty severely for more than seven hours, all agreed that our great morning at Darwin Bay had made the sleepless night well worth it. And amazingly, nobody had gotten seasick.
July 21st, 2010 Great News: Over the next few weeks I will be publishing my Galapagos journal here on the BAA Blog one day at a time 🙂
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| This image of a male Galapagos Yellow Warbler was created with the Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens, a 25mm Extension tube, and the EOS-1D MIV. ISO 1000. Evaluative metering +2 stops: 1/125 sec. at f/5.6 in Tv Mode. In the low light conditions on the Galapagos in June I often found myself working in Tv mode with ISO Saftey Shift enabled to ensure a minimum shutter speed. If using the 7D and some of the other pro-sumer bodies, you can do the same thing by setting Auto ISO. Learn about our Mark IV and 7D User’s Guides. |
The Galapagos Photo-Cruise of Lifetime actually began a bit early when Juan Salcedo, the world’s very best and most knowledgeable Galapagos tour guide, met us at the Quito airport and was flooded with questions from the eager participants. We had a great flight to Baltra and all were excited to board the beautiful Beagle, a motor sailing yacht. The boat was lovely and the crew pleasant and more than eager to help with our luggage and our gear and to ensure our safety.
Our first landing was a wet landing; you step off the panga into a foot or so of water. We were at Bachas on Santa Cruz Island. It was a great way for the group to get their feet wet if you will, an easy landing and a short beach walk. After getting my 800 and the 70-200 f/4 from the crew, I sat on rock, carefully Johnson baby-powdered my feet, and put on my socks and sneakers. Just then, Juan called out, “Striated Heron fishing on the lava rock”. A beautiful young heron, similar to our Green Heron, was stalking what we thought were small baitfish in a tidal pool. To ensure a proper sun angle I had no choice but to walk into the Pacific Ocean with my powdered feet and dry sneakers. Such is the life of a bird photographer. The bird was actually catching polychetes, small invertebrates known locally as fireworms. All of the group got some images of both the handsome immature heron and the Sally Lightfoot crabs that adorned the black rocks.
The rest of the walk went well. We photographed first summer Semipalmated Plovers and a colorful Greater Flamingo filter feeding in a pond set back just a bit from the ocean. We ended our walk photographing a male Yellow Warbler of the Galapagos race as is fed on the white sand beach posing only for an instant every now and then; my one keeper graces the opening of this series.
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| This image of a young Striated Heron with a polychete was created with the Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens and the EOS-1D MIV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/800 sec. at f/7.1. |
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| Juxtaposition images feature one subject in sharp focus and a second, usually softly focused subject pleasingly offset from the main subject. This image of juxtaposed Sally Lightfoot Crabs was created with the Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens and the EOS-1D MIV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/500 sec. at f/6.3. Processing this image was somewhat problematic as I simply added too much light with the full sun, the dark background, and subjects with bright highlights.. |
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| This filter-feeding Greater Flamingo was photographed with the Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens, the 1.4X II teleconverter, and the EOS-1D MIV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/500 sec. at f/11. Limited to only the central sensor with an f/5.6 lens and the 1.4X I focused on the spot where the bird’s front leg entered the water and then leveled the image and cropped a bit from behind the bird.. |
July 6th, 2010
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| This image was create with the Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens, a 25mm Extension tube, and the EOS-1D MIV. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/60 sec. at f/5.6 with fill flash at -2 stops and the Better Beamer. Working in AI Servo AF I have my MIV set up as recommended by Jim Neiger so that I can use the star button to lock focus and thus place the bird off-center for a pleasing composition. This is especially helpful when working with a 1.4TC with this set-up as you are limited to the central sensor only. Though that was not the case here and I could have selected an off-center AF sensor Jim’s method is becoming second nature. |
The eight of us who journeyed to Tandayapa Bird Lodge by bus yesterday had a grand time. It was sunny bright in the morning and thus difficult to create pleasing images in the harsh light but we were blessed by a cloudy afternoon. And unlike on my last visit, the food was excellent. The bus got stuck in the mud halfway up the entry road so we had to make the climb up to the lodge with all or our gear. We did get some help from the staff guys led by the always smiling Richard.
As the fog in the cloud forest thickened and light levels dropped I opted to create some pleasing flash blurs and those in the group were eager to follow.
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| This image was create with the Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens and the EOS-1D MIV. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/60 sec. at f/5.6 with flash at -1 stop and the Better Beamer. Here I opted to stay in Av mode and adjusted the ISO so that my shutter speed fell in a range of from 1/30 to 1/60 sec. so that I could make sharp images of the perched birds and intentionally blurred images of the birds hovering in front of the feeders. The feeder was removed from this image with a series of Quick Masks. |
It is 6:15am here in Quito as I type. At 8:00am we leave for the airport for our 10:00am flight to Baltra and the start of our killer two week Photo-Cruise of lifetime of the Galapagos Archipelago. I will not have internet access until the evening of July 21. Till then, breathe deeply and have fun. And great picture making. artie
ps: You will soon be able to learn more about creating flash blurs in “A Guide to Pleasing Blurs” by Arthur Morris and Denise Ippolito. We hope to have it completed some time in August.
July 4th, 2010
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| This was one of the very first images that I created in the Galapagos on my maiden cruise in 2005. Canon 70-200 f/2.8L IS lens handheld at 145mm with the EOS-1D MII. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/100 sec. at f/8. |
I am posting from the loverly Hilton Quito Colon awaiting the arrival of the rest of the group. Many, including my co-leader Denise Ippolito, are on a flight from Miami that is supposed to land at 7:40pm tonight. Fingers crossed. Tomorrow five of the group is taking a full day tour of Quito and seven of us are headed to Tandayapa Bird Lodge to photograph perched hummingbirds. Tuesday morning we fly to Baltra and board the yacht Beagle for two wonderful weeks cruising the archipelago, photographing, and snorkeling.
Alas, AA Flight 931 is delayed…. But only about one hour 🙂
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| This perched male Purple-throated Woodstar image was created with the Canon 500mm f/4L IS lens, 37mm of extension, and the EOS 1Ds Mark II. ISO 800. Evaluative metering -2/3 stop: 1/100 sec. at f/5.6. Fill flash at -1 2/3 stops with the Better Beamer. |
BIRDS AS ART Bulletin #330 is on-line and can be viewed here.
June 27th, 2010
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| This less than a week-old American Oystercatcher chick was photographed at Nickerson Beach Park in Lido Beach, Long Island, NY with the tripod-mounted Canon 800 f/5.6L IS lens, the 1.4X II TC, and the EOS-1D MIV. ISO 800. Evaluative Metering +1 1/3 stops: 1/200 sec. at f/10. |
I took a red-eye flight to Orlando on Sunday, June 20 on the way home from Barrow, AK and made it back to ILE just after lunch on Monday, the 21st. Then I cooked up a plan to fly to Long Island on Friday, hang out with Denise Ippolito for two days, photograph at Nickerson Beach for two afternoons and two mornings, visit my Mom, and head home on Sunday afternoon. Thus the crazy man title 🙂 I was hoping to get some great images of the Least Tern chicks and I did just that. And more.
The lead image in this blog post features the runt of a three-chick brood that fell far behind the adults and its two siblings as they traversed the 300 yards from the shore back to their nest site after a short feeding foray. I stayed ahead of the slow-poke but found him anything but slow as he made his way up and down the tire tracks and human footprints. I wound up making only two sharp frames. Several adult oystercatchers buzzed the little chick until one pounced on it and grabbed it in its bill. Knowing that a life-ending pounding would likely follow, I ran at the two birds and the attacker dropped the chick and flew off. I put my lens down and after a short chase grabbed the chick gently. Then I grabbed my gear and carried the tiny shorebird back to the roped off nesting area. He chirped loudly for the entire trip. Its parents were glad to see it safely back and within minutes the three chicks were being brooded by one of the adults.
I am normally fine letting nature take its course but–right or wrong–could not find it in my heart to do so in this case.
When working with tiny shy subjects like oystercatcher and tern chicks the 800–with its incredible magnification–is a huge plus. Folks think that moving up from the 500 to the 800 gives them an image that will be just a bit bigger in the frame but the math is frightening. Why? The size of the bird in the frame is not a function of the length of the lens but a function of the square of the focal length…. Since an 800 lens is 60% longer than a 500 it would seem at first glance that the birds in images created with the 800 would be 60% bigger in the frame than images created with the 500. But remember, the size of the subject in the frame is proportionate to the square of the focal length…. 5 squared is 25. 8 squared is 64. Images made with the 800 will actually be 256% larger in the frame than images made with the 500 alone. And the numbers work out identically when you add a 1.4X teleconverter to each lens.
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| This tiny Least Tern chick was also photographed with the tripod-mounted Canon 800 f/5.6L IS lens, the 1.4X II TC, and the EOS-1D MIV. ISO 400. Evaluative Metering at zero: 1/400 sec. at f/11. |
In my excitement I did not realize that I had set the exposure compensation back to zero…. The original was well underexposed but with this light-toned image I was able to make the needed corrections during conversion and optimization (all as described in Digital Basics) without introducing noise. Had there been some dark areas in the image avoiding serious noise would have been a big challenge. It is much better to get it right in the field.
I should be home before 9pm tonight, Sunday. I will be getting up bright and early to spend the day at Disney with my two daughters and my four grandchildren. It will be a fun day for all.
June 19th, 2010
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| This drake King Eider image was created with the tripod-mounted Canon 800 f/5.6L IS lens, the 1.4X II TC, and the EOS-1D MIV. ISO 400. Evaluative Metering +1 stop: 1/640 sec. at f/9. |
On Wednesday, two days after my 64th birthday, we met a nice Swedish couple at the end of the new dump road in Barrow. They shared tales of viewing and photographing three Sabine’s Gulls “at a stream that ran into the second large lake beyond the first large lake.” We couldn’t resist. The next morning, four of us–Brian Zweibel, E.J. Peiker, Chas McRae, and I set out across the tundra to search for the exquisitely beautiful gulls but fearing somewhat of a death march 🙂 It was a bit more than a mile over soft tundra to the end of the the first big lake. We were crossing a small snow field no more than 15 inches deep when my left leg broke through the firm crust. I fell forward gently but as I did so I pulled a muscle in my left hip. Ouch. I realized that it would not be smart to continue on for what would be about another 3/4 of a mile so I decided to stay in the area and find some birds to photograph. After about 45 minutes with no luck I began to head back very slowly only to find that my hip had stiffened up quite a bit. In the meantime Chas had gone only a bit farther but Brian and EJ had made there way far across the tundra. Alas, they never did find the gulls.
I decided to head back to the van in earnest–I had the keys in my vest pocket :). The next time that I glanced back I noticed that the long hikers had turned around and started back and so had Chas. At that moment I realized that hobbling as I was, I would likely be the last one to make it back to the van even though I had a big head start on everyone. As my leg loosened up a bit, I was determined not to let that happen. I set a determined course towards the three big dirt piles that we had noted as markers but each time I glanced back I saw that my three van mates were inexorably gaining on me but by the time that I made it to the road on which the van was parked and had only 100 yards to go they were still 200 yards behind me so I would not be the last one back 🙂 I packed my stuff away and sat in the van and sat and sat. Finally I got the keys out and started the van to keep warm. Still, they never showed up. I was in the process of getting my cell phone when it rang. Brian told me that that had found a nice Lapland Longspur nest and that I should join them for some good photography…. I got out of the van but my hip was hurting much too much so back in the van I went. After another half hour I got out of the van, walked around a bit, drove the van up onto the road within 60 yards of the longspur nest, gathered my gear, and joined them.
I made a nice image or two of the male coming in with a beetle larvae for the female and a few more of the female when she was off the nest. When you looked at the nest through a long lens the female’s face was blocked by grass, but if you approached slowly you could get within three feet of her as she incubated her four eggs so I borrowed Brian’s 70-200 f/2.8 L IS lens, added my 1.4X teleconverter, a 25mm extension tube and my MIV, mounted the rig onto my Gitzo 3530 topped by a Mongoose M3.5, and went to work.
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| Often a long lens is the wrong tool for the job. Canon 70-200 f/2.8 L IS lens, 1.4X II TC, 25mm extension tube, and the EOS-1D MIV. ISO 800. Evaluative metering at 0: 1/125 sec. at f/14 set manually. Fill flash at -1 2/3 stops. |
When I was done with my nest photography, we packed it up and got into the van. Everyone was cold and beat from the long hike. We had had the ever-present east wind at about 30+ mph for the whole walk…. We all said, “Back to the hotel. We only stop for Snowy Owl, Ruff–there had been one seen by the dump–and King Eider. Brian drove about 100 yards when I said, “Stop; there is a pair of King Eiders in the pond on the left not too far from the road!” They assembled their great and made their way towards the birds. Without a great deal of effort the made their way to the edge of the pond, got low, and got fairly close to the birds. “Hmmm,” I thought. When I saw that the birds were were swimming around in front of them in pretty nice blue water I got out of the van, got my gear, and snuck in behind them. Then the birds both climbed up on a tiny island to roost for a bit. They were quite accepting of our presence, but were not as close as I had thought. The the three of them, each on their knees, began to make their way across the small pond.
Even with my bum hip, I knew that I could not continue to stand up so I got down on one knee and began advancing by stepping with my left leg and sort of skiing along on my right knee. It worked just great. At time the bottom was muck and at times it was ice, but at least is was shallow. Before long I had just about made it to the tiny island. All three were to my left with Brian pinching in on the birds from the far left. I knew that they could not go left so I continued one knee skiing to the island. Just as I got there I lost my balance, fell forward, and gently escorted the 800 on the lowered tripod to the mucky island. That was a close call. Then I simply sat on the island like a king on his throne. The bird rested on the near bank providing some great photo opps, and then got back in the water and began swimming around in front of my three buddies but well to my left. And then they swam right–and I mean right–in front of me in clean blue water. That is when I created the lead image in this post :).
So we hiked for miles across the tundra and then found two great situations right by the road. You gotta love bird photography. I took Friday off to rest, started this post at 4am on Saturday, got back into the fray on Saturday morning, and am finishing this just before 11am Alaska time on Saturday.
To see my absolute killer Spectacled Eider flight image check out my BPN post (Even an Old Dog Can Hunt) here: http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?p=521707&posted=1#post521707
June 16th, 2010
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| This image was created with the tripod-mounted Canon 800 f/5.6L IS lens, the 1.4X II TC, and the EOS-1D MIV. ISO 400. Evaluative Metering at zero: 1/250 sec. at f/13. This image shows that depth-of-field with long effective focal lengths is tiny even when stopped down. |
The sun does not set here in Barrow, AK for 57 days in the summer. On clear days we have been getting out into the field at 4am. Yesterday morning a group of us were able to approach a resting pair of endangered Spectacled Eiders. We spent more that 2 hours with them. In the image above, the drake stands above a resting drake Long-tailed Duck (formerly Oldsquaw).
To see my favorite King Eider environmental portrait, click here: http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?p=519680&posted=1#post519680
After stating that we were on our own and that the problem was with our computers Verizon sent a second technician to the home/office after I called them late on Monday. It turned out that the problem was at the Verizon switching station and could have been solved in 15 minutes last Tuesday had they not chosen to ignore what we were telling them. Instead they opted to keep us on the phone doing “testing” for nearly 13 hours over five days. Man, you gotta love that. If anyone knows the basics of suing Verizon in an instance like this, I would appreciate hearing from them.
In any case the, BAA Online Store is back in business. If you have placed an order that was to be sent via e-mail and did not receive it, please call or e-mail Jim. Thanks all for your patience 🙂
June 14th, 2010
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| This image was created with the handheld Canon 800 f/5.6L IS lens with the EOS-1D MIV. ISO 400. Evaluative Metering +1 stop: 1/1000 sec. at f/7.1. I was sitting with the lens supported on my left knee. |
I arrived in Barrow, AK just after 7pm on Friday afternoon, July 11 after arising in an Orlando airport motel at 3:30 am that same day. All the flights were on time but that was one long travel day 🙂 After a decent night’s sleep I went out scouting with two friends. We did a bit of photography but it was not a great morning by any stretch of the imagination. We were riding along the coast road just outside of town when I saw what I thought was a bird swimming in a narrow channel close to shore.
We backed up the van and as I suspected, it was a drake King Eider, a bird that I have been dreaming of photographing for many years. We grabbed our lenses, made a few distant images from behind a snow pile, and then began to approach the bird. We kept ahead of if by running through the soft gravelly sand for more than 3/4 of a mile. It seemed like two miles! It turned out that the bird was totally tame and though it was gorgeous, we soon realized that it was injured, most likely having gotten winged by a local hunter. This realization however did not dim our excitement. At times I nearly collapsed from the effort, and at other times, I was so beat that I was shaking as I tried to steady my lens. It was a great start to the trip.
Verizon sent us a new modem that arrived on Thursday but, after another 3+ hours on the phone, we still could not get on line. On Friday they finally did send a technician who did some testing and announced that the new modem was bad and that he had encountered several like that over the past few weeks. They sent a new modem that arrived today (Monday). After yet another hour on the phone it turned out that we still could not get on line with either computer. Jim called them this afternoon (it is four hours earlier here in Barrow) and was told that they would not be sending a technician because the problem was with our computers. They stated that they would be doing another 24 hour test. Miraculously I got through to their escalation team and got to talk to a manager who promised to have a technician at my home tomorrow morning.
If you would like to order something from the store please call Jim at the office. We apologize to those who have ordered 7D or Mark III or IV User’s Guides or Digital Basics and thank them for their patience. They will be sent as soon as Verizon gets us back on line.
I will be back soon 🙂
June 11th, 2010
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| This image was created with the Canon 100-400mm IS L zoom lens handheld at 180mm with the EOS-1D MIV. ISO 800. Evaluative Metering +1 1/3 stops: 1/15 sec. at f/11. Denise Ippolito and I are hard at work on “The Guide to Pleasing Blurs.” |
Midday on Tuesday we lost our internet services. We called Verizon DSL for service. We are somewhat in the boonies and only Verizon provides DSL service in Indian Lake Estates but to call it “High Speed Internet” even on a good day is ludicrous 🙂 In addition to finding the telephone menu nearly impossible to navigate, I was connected to the wrong department several times by humans. When I finally did get to the right place we spend 2 1/2 hours on the phone that afternoon following their trouble-shooting suggestions. We were told that they could not escalate the case because the lines tested perfectly from their end. In the meantime we could receive e-mails but not send them and could not connect to any web site. After another 2 hours on the phone that evening repeating the same tests that we did that afternoon, we were told that the case was being escalated to Level 2, the Network Level, and that they would be calling us within 24-48 hours. They never did call us. In the meantime, I called to order an additional DSL line and some additional phone services in part to reduce bandwidth problems and in part tin hopes of having the current problems fixed. They agreed to send us one new modem free of charge but could not schedule a tehnician visit until Friday, June 17. The technician was to bring a second modem. On Wednesday afternoon I called back, spent another two hours on the phone doing the same tests, and again was told that the case could not be escalated further because the lines tested perfectly from their end. This time they determined that our modem was faulty. We knew that that was not the case. Why? On Day 1 Robert O’Toole had driven to Winter Haven (a nearly 2 hour round trip) to purchase a new modem from Staples. He got back, we installed the modem, and spent another 1 1/2 hours on the phone following Verizon’s directions. The same problem persisted: no internet. No outgoing e-mail.
Later on Wednesday, i think–I am getting confused with the dates and times–I called back to order a third DSL lines (to handle my laptop wireless and further reduce bandwith problems). This gentleman gave me a number so that I could reach Level 3. I called, they told me that I should not be calling that number, and then shocked me by telling me that the ticket had been closed by the Network Level . I got back on the phone, was subjected to another two hours of the same tests, and was finally told that the case was being escalated to the Supervisory Level. That resulted in more of the same: hours of needless testing by phone with us begging that a technician be sent to the BAA home-office. The result: still no internet service. Ann, the supervisor whom we were speaking with, promised to call on Thursday to help us install the modem that was being sent. She had stated that her two hours of testing showed that the modem was the problem. (Do note that the modem would not have been sent had I not order additional services from Verizon.) She did call and called back at 3:20 pm on Thursday. She was confident that we would soon have internet services. I spent an hour on the phone with her installing the modem and trying to “register it with Verizon.” Nothing. Then I gave the phone to Jim who spent two more hours doing “testing.” On Thursday evening after consulting many times with “the central office” Ann stated that she needed to consult more with the central office and promised to call Jim back Thursday evening. She never did.
Currently we can receive e-mails but not send them. Folks who have ordered Site Guides, MII, MIV, and 7D Guides, and Digital Basics have been e-mailing to ask where their PDFs were. Not only have we not been able to send them but we cannot even reply to their e-mails. We have no internet services. We are unable to access the BAA On-Line Store or to process our mail orders. We do appreciate your patience. My best advice at present for those wishing to have product shipped is to call Jim today (Friday) before 1pm.
I posted this while on line at the Orlando Airport Courtyard Marriott on my way to Barrow, AK for 8 days of tundra photography. I do hope that Verizon is able to get us back on line soon….
June 3rd, 2010
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| This image was created with the Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens, the 1.4X II TC, and the EOS-1D MIV. ISO 200. Evaluative Metering +1/3 stop: 1/800 sec. at f/8. Image sharpness with the 1.4X TC wide open is simply astounding….(Be sure to click on the image to see a larger, sharper version 🙂 |
When I first learned that Canon would be releasing an 800mm f/5.6 L IS lens, my initial reaction was “That’s a stupid lens. Why use an 800 f/5.6 when you can use the 600 f/4 with a 1.4X teleconverter and have a slightly longer lens (840mm to 800mm) at the same aperture (f/5.6)?”
Before making my annual pilgrimage to Bosque Del Apache NWR in San Antonio, New Mexico in November, 2008, I borrowed one of the new 800s from Canon Professional Services. Curiosity had gotten the best of me. I fell in love with the lens immediately and ordered one through the Canon Explorers of Light Program the moment that I got back home. (I have been a Canon contract photographer for the past 14 years.) My very own 800 arrived minutes before I left on a trip to Morro Bay, California in early January, 2009. When I got back from that trip I sold my 600mmm f/4. And shortly thereafter I sold one of my two 500mm f/4s. Ever since I got the 800 I have used it exclusively while my 500 f/4 gathers dust in the garage used only when it is rented to an Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT) participant.
So why the complete turnaround? In the original “The Art of Bird Photography,” I had written “Always choose a longer slower telephoto lens over a faster shorter one.” I had simply failed to follow my own advice. I often used my 500 and 600mm f/4 lenses with not only the 1.4X teleconverter, but with the 2X teleconverter as well (losing one and two stops of light respectively). Each combination was capable of making professionally sharp images when used by folks with impeccable sharpness techniques. Many intermediate photographers shy away from using their big glass with the 2X teleconverters as they simply cannot make sharp images consistently. The fact is that most advanced bird photographers rely on both the 1.4 and the 2X teleconverters a great deal of the time.
Now, here’s the rub: as good as the prime lenses and teleconverters are these days, the images that you create with a 1.4X TC will—when viewed at high magnification—always be about 14% less sharp than those created with the prime lenses alone. And images created with the 2X teleconverters will be approximately 28% less sharp than those created with the prime lenses alone. That said, and as noted above, the results with either of these combinations can produce professionally sharp images. I have said often, “If you cannot consistently create sharp images with your long lens with the 2X teleconverter at shutter speeds as slow as 1/60 second, you need to work on improving your sharpness techniques.
What I had failed to realize when I first began working with the 800 lens is that I would rarely if ever need the 2X TC, and that I would be using the 1.4X TC far less than I had been when working with either the 500 or the 600. Thus, even though I would be working at similar focal lengths, the resulting images would be sharper. Instead of working at 600 X 1.4 = 840 I would be working at 800. Instead of working at 600 X 2 = 1200 I would be working at 800 X 1.4 = 1140. And with the 500, which I used far more than the 600, the numbers were more impressive. Instead of working at 500 X 1.4 = 700, I would be working at 800, and in lieu of 500 X 2 = 1000 I would again be working at 1140.
In addition to increased sharpness and image quality when working less with teleconverters comes an increase in the speed of initial focus acquisition and increased autofocus accuracy, both are great boons for flight photography.
When working with the three prime lenses alone, the huge edge goes to the 800 with its great magnification. The size of the subject in the frame is a function of the square of the focal length. 5 squared is 25. 6 squared is 36, and 8 squared is 64. Thus, the subject covers more than 2 ½ times the area with the 800 as compared to the 500, and more than 1 ¾ times the area with the 800 as compared to the 600. When working with the 800, the EOS-1D Mark III, and the 1.4X teleconverter the equivalent focal length will be 1456 mm, more than 29X magnification.
When most folks hear the words “eight hundred millimeters,” their immediate concern is with the weight of the lens. The new 800 is, however, an f/5.6 lens, while the 500s and 600s are f/4 lenses. The 800 is far lighter (9.9 lbs as compared to 11,8 lbs), slimmer, and easier to handle and travel with than the 600, and not a whole lot heavier than the 500 (9.9 lbs versus 8.5 lbs). And when it is not raining, I remove the lens hood making the 800 that much lighter.
Several years ago I switched from the Wimberley head lens to the Mongoose M3.5 head for the 500 f/4 L IS but stuck with the Wimberley for the 600. My general rule for using a big lens with the Mongoose M3.5 is as follows: if you can easily and comfortably support your rig with your right hand for 30 seconds while mounting and balancing it front to back, you are fine with the Mongoose and its tremendous weight savings as compared to the Wimberley. I can do that with the 800, but not with the 600. In the same vein, the 800 is light enough to handhold for short periods of time. This technique can be deadly for photographing birds in flight directly overhead.
I have never been one who is impressed either by hype or by the technical specifications of a given product; I rely instead on how that product performs for me. And though I have been using the 800 for less than a year now, I can safely say that it is an amazing piece of glass. It is reputed to be the sharpest super-telephoto lens ever manufactured and I would not argue with that for a second. Many of the images are astoundingly sharp. Color rendition and edge to edge sharpness are superb and assuming no operator error the images are exceedingly sharp.
When working in AI Servo AF, the 800 is the most accurate focusing lens I have ever worked with, most likely a result of the improved lens coatings. Every camera that I have used on it focuses faster and more accurately on the 800 than on any other lens. And the lens features a new “four stop” image stabilizer technology; I have been able to create sharp images at some ridiculously slow shutter speeds (as low as 1/6 sec.) as long as I take the time to tighten down the tripod head.
I wish that the Minimum Focusing Distance were a bit less than 19.7 feet; when working songbirds at close range, I almost always use a 25mm extension tube to allow for closer focusing. At times when working in low light I do miss f/4, but with the amazing high ISO performance of the EOS-1D MIII, this is not usually a big issue. And at times, the 800 mm focal length may be too long. (Isn’t that a nice problem to have?) With the 800 you will often need to use the Human Zoom feature by taking a few steps backwards. At the alligator farms, I will bring both the 800 and the 500.
As the 800 is an f/5.6 lens, you will have autofocus with the professional camera bodies with the 1.4X teleconverter, albeit with only the central sensor available. With the 2C TC, you will have to focus manually.
When working with a group of photographers using the popular 500mm telephotos, you may—depending on the type of image you are looking to create—need to stand well back from them. And all of the above goes double when you are using a 1.6X camera body like the 50D. With the 800/50D combo you are working at 1280mm, or more than 25X magnification. It will take practice just to find your subject in the viewfinder and you will need to employ your best Advanced Sharpness Techniques as described and illustrated in my latest book “The Art of Bird Photography II (916 pages on CD).
Before running out and plunking down more than $11,000 on this great piece of glass, do realize that good photographers make good images with whatever equipment they happen to have in hand. Lenses are tools, and you not only need to be able to select the best tool for the job, you need to know how to use it. Buying the latest, greatest gear is not a shortcut for study, practice, and experience.
Arthur Morris is widely noted as the world’s premier bird photographer and educator. You can learn more about Artie at www.BIRDSASART.com and www.BIRDSASART-blog.com. He has been a Canon Explorer of Light for 13 years, is a founding member of NANPA and a NANPA Fellow, and is one of the founders of the top educational nature photography web site on the planet, www.BirdPhotographers.Net. His most recent book: “The Art of Bird Photography II” (916 pages on CD only).
Note: this article first appeared in an issue of Nature Photographer Magazine: http://www.naturephotographermag.com/
May 31st, 2010
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| This image was created with the Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens and the EOS-1D MIV. ISO 400. Evaluative Metering +2/3 stop: 1/4000 sec. at f/6.3. |
The image above was created from the image immediately below. The original image was created at Nickerson Beach at the eastern end of Lido Beach, Long Island, NY. About an hour before sunset the lower western sky began to glow gold. I knew exactly what Denise and I would be doing as the sun approached the horizon.
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| This is the original image. |
As there was obviously too much room on the right side of the frame, my first thought was a square crop that included all three birds. The result was the image below.
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| The bird on the left, the one flying west, bothered me a bit… |
So I used the Clone Stamp Tool and the Patch Tool to remove it. The result was the square image below.
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| I was getting closer now, but the bird at the top of the frame was a distraction and I found myself wishing for the traditional 3X2 format. |
So it was back to work with the Clone Stamp and Patch Tools to create the final version that I present again below.
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| I like that the distant dunes are reminiscent of a mountain range. As I type we are hoping that it stays clear so that we can enjoy another golden yellow sunsest fill with Common Terns. |
May 28th, 2010
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| I used the flash to light the shadowed side of this Willet completely. Knowing how to use my flash yielded a pleasing image in difficult conditions. |
As Denise Ippolito and I approached this bird in the predawn we were thinking silhouettes but the pink in the eastern sky faded almost instantly so I went back to the vehicle and set up my flash with the Better Beamer. I had the 800 with the 1.4X TC on a tripod with the Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 2/3 stops. I knew that for a proper exposure for the bird I would have had to add close to four stops of light to the suggested ambient exposure. To avoid having to do that I set the flash to ETTL at zero. In effect, I was telling the flash to fully light the shadowed side of the bird. Everything worked to perfection. When you want to reveal the detail on the shadowed side of your subject set your flash to ETTL at zero; if you think “fill flash” and dial in some minus flash compensation the shadowed side of the bird will be underexposed.
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| In this image the flash did not fire. Even with 1 2/3 stops of over-exposure, the bird is dramatically under-exposed. |
Do note that I removed the branch behind the bird’s legs and cleaned the whitewash off the perch using the Protect and Defend techniques for the former and the Patch Tool for the latter. All as described in detail in Digital Basics. Click here and scroll down for DB info: https://store.birdsasart.com/shop/category.aspx?catid=32.
May 23rd, 2010
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| Handheld Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with the 1.4X II teleconverter and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 stop set manually: 1/1000 sec. at f/8. |
Jim Neiger had three Flight School Photography clients on his pontoon boat this morning and asked that I work without my tripod. I did not let that request keep me from making a few of my beloved head portraits.
With the set-up above I was working at approximately 29X maginfication. Even when handholding I felt confident that I could make at least a few sharp images at 1/1000 sec. It is only possible to hold the lens up for 10-20 seconds at a time so I rested it on a deck chair until Jiim had the boat in perfect position.
Many folks do not understand that with the 800 being an f/5.6 lens that once I add the 1.4X TC the central AF sensor is the only one available (and that only with a pro body….) With the wind up a bit the boat was rocking; I knew that keeping the sensor on the bird’s head would be a challenge so I quickly set CFn III-5 ( Lens drive when AF impossible) to “1: Focus search off.” This prevents the system from searching for the background when the sensor momentarily falls off the subject. In addition, I was hoping to make an image that featured the baby bird’s head in the lower right corner of the frame. The last thing that I wanted was to have the AF system search for the distant trees. So setting CFn III-5 to 1 had two probable benefits; my plan worked to perfection and I was able to capture the image that I had visualized 🙂
Both the Mark IV and the 7D Guides are chock full of such tips, tips that will help you to create better images on a consistent basis. You can learn more about these guides as well as the MIII Guide by scrolling down here: https://store.birdsasart.com/shop/category.aspx?catid=32
May 20th, 2010
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| This image was created with the handheld Canon 100-400 IS L lens, the same lens that I used to create the wider Chinstrap Penguins on iceberg image in the “Pick Six” post. |
First off, congrats to Paul Mckenzie whose comment nailed the correct answer:
May 17th, 2010 at 4:52 am “Artie – they are all excellent but the stitched pano is definitely my favourite. Exactly my kind of pic. #2 choice is a toss up between the chinstrap penguins and the backlit geese/cranes. The connection? – my wildcard guess is that they have all been shortlisted for the final round of judging in this year’s BBC WPOTY competition.”
WPOTY is the presitgioius Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition. I suspect that Paul’s guess was based on his having several images make the finals of this year contest.
My very favorite image as you might guess is the Chinstraps on the iceberg photograph. We spent nearly 30 minutes with our Zodiac just inches from the iceberg and I had made lots of images like the one above. It was only as we pulled away from the majestic iceberg that I was able to see the forest for the trees. As is often the case, tt turned out that a shorter focal length was the better tool….
Thanks to all who played. And good luck to me in the final round of judging 🙂 If there is one image in the group that is successful I will be thrilled.
May 19th, 2010
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| Osprey screaming. This image was created with the handheld Canon 400mm f/4IS DO lens and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +2 1/3 stops off the white sky: 1/1000 sec. at f/5.6 set manually. |
My right-hand man, Jim Litzenberg, and I spent the morning with Jim Neiger on his pontoon boat on Lake Blue Cypress in Indian River County with several hundred Osprey….. The boat ramp is fifteen mintues from Yehaw Junction where SR 60 crosses the Florida Turnpike. We enjoyed non-stop action with both birds in flight and with perched birds.
Jim has two opening on his Osprey Heaven Flight School workshop (May 20-24, 2010) that begins tomorrow at 1pm in Vero Beach. The cost is $1300. As a special for BAA Bloggers he is offering each of these spots for a ridiculously low $800. Or, sign on for single day or two for $350/day. There are both pontoon boat and land-based sessions each day. If you can make it, contact Jim Neiger on his cell phone at 407-247-5200. If he does not pick up, leave a message and keep trying as reception in the area is spotty at best. If you would like to contact Jim through BAA please try us at 863-692-0906 or 863-221-2372.
As for me, I am headed back out on the lake this afternoon!
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| Ospreys in Cypress tree. Canon 70-200mm f/4IS L lens (handheld at 180mm) with the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/400 sec. at f/5.6.. |
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| Osprey, adult landing. Canon 400mm f/4IS DO lens handheld with the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1 2/3 stops off the sky: 1/1000 sec. at f/5. |
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| Large unfledged Osprey chick. Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with the 1.4X II TC and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/200 sec. at f/9. Gitzo 3530 LS with the Mongoose M3.5 |
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| Adult Osprey screaming. Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with the 1.4X II TC and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +2 1/3 stops off the white sky: 1/400 sec. at f/9 set manually. Gitzo 3530 LS with the Mongoose M3.5 |
May 17th, 2010
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| This Green Jay image was created on the Cozad Ranch in Linn, TX with the Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens and the EOS-1D Mark IV. Fill flash with the Better Beamer at -3 stops: If you would like to visit the Cozad Ranch to photograph birds you can reach Johnny on his cell phone at 956-330-1377 or by e-mail at jecoz@granderiver.net |
Ruth Hoyt, President of Photo Bound Tours, LLC, has been awarded a grant to create, organize and conduct a summer 2010 professional wildlife photo contest based in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas.
The entry fee of $300 allows full participation in both divisions of the contest. The South Texas Pro Classic is the main contest; it runs from June 1, 2010 through July 31, 2010. A smaller division, the South Texas Open, allows you to enter older photographs that have not been published or won an award or prize of any kind. Photos for the Open division must have been taken in the contest region between the dates January 1, 2008, through July 31, 2010.
For more information about the contest or to register, please visit: http://photoboundtours.com/contest/
Funding for this photo contest was made possible by a grant from the Valley Land Fund, through the Robert L. Townsend Endowment. For more information about the Valley Land Fund, please visit: http://valleylandfund.com/
May 16th, 2010 Below I present six totally different images. As a group, they have something in common. Leave a comment and let us know which is your favorite image and why. (Actually, feel free to comment on all of the images if you wish….) And if you would like to hazard a guess as to what the images have in common, be my guest 🙂 I will reveal my favorite on Thursday and let you know the connection between the images.
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| This image was created on Little St. Simons Island, GA with the Canon 500mm f/4L IS lens, the 2X II teleconverter, and the EOS-40D. (Manual focus). Contrary to popular opinion, this image is pretty much right out of the camera: a pink omega sun! |
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| This Chinstrap Penguin image was created while photographing from a Zodiac near Coronation Island in the South Orkneys in the Southern Ocean with the handheld Canon 100-4oomm IS L zoom lens (at 180mm) and the EOS-1Ds MII as we pulled away from the iceberg for the second time. (I had begged the Zodiac driver to return….) |
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| This image was created in Brunswick, Maine with the 14mm fish-eye lens and the EOS-1D MIII. The big pile of leaves was on the lawn of the town library. |
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| This image is a six frame composite. Each of the six vertical images was created with the Canon 800mm f.5.6 L IS lens and the EOS-1D Mark III. The images were stitched together in Photoshop CS-3 using File/Automate/Photomerge. |
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| This shorebird flock (mostly Sanderlings) was photographed at Cupsogue Beach Park, Long Island, NY with the Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens and a pre-production model EOS-1D Mark IV using 45-point AI Servo AF. |
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| This image was created at Bosque del Apache NWR in San Antonio, NW with the Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens, the 1.4X II teleconverter, and the EOS-1D Mark III. Snow Geese and Sandhill Cranes in ground fog lit by the rising sun. |
Let us know which is your favortie and why. And if you wish, take a guess at what connects each of the images in the group. Even a wild guess will work 🙂
May 14th, 2010 A BIRDS AS ART image is currently being featured on the Canon Digital Learning. You can check it out here: http://www.usa.canon.com/dlc/controller?act=GetArticleAct&articleID=3446
When you visit, be sure to check out my Explorer of Light Gallery and to surf around on the site. There is lots of interesting stuff there: I just had 30 minutes of my life disappear while following various links 🙂
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