Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
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October 14th, 2010

Swimming Bison?, Dealing with Underexposure, and BAA Bulletin #342

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To create this image I used the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II lens with the 1.4X II TC (handheld at 280mm) and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/800 sec. at f/4. See the image below for the underexposure story.

Swimming Bison?, Dealing with Underexposure, and BAA Bulletin #342

On our last morning in Yellowstone National Park on our recently concluded Wyoming trip, Denise and I spotted three bison heading down to the Madison River to drink. We grabbed out telephoto zoom lenses and began photographing them as the river was not very wide. When they were finished drinking they began looking longingly across the river. I couldn’t believe it. “Maasai Mara in Yellowstone” I shouted after realizing that like so many Wildebeest that they were going to swim across the river. And they did. To learn what happened after they crossed, check out the Wyoming Trip Report in BAA Bulletin #342.

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This is a JPEG representation of the original underexposed RAW file from which I created the opening image in this blog post.

With the soft light, a fairly light-toned yellow background, and a relatively small dark animal in the frame, I should have added close to two full stops to my exposure. Adding only 2/3 of one stop left me with an underexposed RAW file. (I guess my mind made the bison a lot bigger in the frame than it actually was–having a large dark subject in the frame would have told the camera to open up a lot more than it did.) Yes even the pros get the wrong exposure when things get really exciting.

To deal with the underexposure I adjusted the Exposure Slider in Adobe Camera Raw. That worked so well that I did not even have to use the Fill Light slider. Once I got the image into Photoshop I darkened the background and then selected the dark sections of the bison, ran Noise Reduction on that selection, and then desaturated it to further reduce the color noise. I was very happy with the results. Notice that I used a Quick Mask and the Patch Tool to remove two rocks on the far shoreline. Even though the image looks vastly better after conversion and optimization, it is important to realize that the techniques are straightforward and relatively simple. And they are all covered in detail in our Digital Basics File--the best $20 I ever spent in photography according to many 🙂 Digital Basics is a PDF that is sent via e-mail.

BAA Bulletin #342

BIRDS AS ART Bulletin #342 is online and can be accessed here.

Here are the features:

WYOMING TRIP REPORT/YELLOWSTONE & THE GRAND TETONS
EQUIPMENT e-MAILS
BOSQUE 2010 STUFF
THANKSGIVING AT BOSQUE
A GUIDE TO PLEASING BLURS
POSSE NEWS/ROBERT O’TOOLE
SHOPPER’S GUIDE
IPT UPDATES

Make sure to check out all the great Yellowstone and Grand Teton images in the Bulletin. I will see you back here soon.

October 14th, 2010 | Category: 2010, Yellowstone | 6 comments - (Comments are closed)
October 12th, 2010

Mormon Barn, Cabins (?), and Disaster Averted…

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I created the three frames for this HDR image on the last morning of our Wyoming trip with the tripod-mounted Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II lens and the EOS-1D Mark IV (with Bubble Level). ISO 800. Evaluative metering bracketed +/- 2/3 stop around +1/3 stop at f/11. Denise and I had been tooling around on the main road looking for wildlife without success and the Tetons were covered with clouds so we headed down Antelope Flats Road to the two old old Mormon barns. We had sun on the structures for a few minutes at a time with the mountains still gray shrouded so I went tight for detail on the first barn as seen here. After I created a grunge HDR Denise helped me fine tune it with Photoshop/Filter/Artistic/Poster Edges and with NIK/Color Efex Pro 3.0/White Neutralizer. The latter brought some blue back into the gray sky. Thanks Denise! There will be lots more coming soon both on the blog and in Bulletins on several great NIK programs.

Mormon Barn, Cabins (?), and Disaster Averted…

After we did the first barn we headed down the road a bit to the other one. Or could it have been an old cabin rather than a barn? I had created the image below on the the first morning of our trip before we headed up to Yellowstone.

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I created the images for this four frame HDR with the tripod-mounted Canon 16-35mm IS L lens and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. I bracketed five exposures around +2/3 stop at f/5 and discarded the lightest. For the whole story on this image and lots of lessons on choosing the best perspective check out my BPN thread here. There is even an image of me in action 🙂

And now for the near disaster….

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I created this image after nearly killing myself…. Read on for the whole story, or you could say, the hole-in-the-bridge story….

I walked across the small wooden bridge and wound up at A facing away (with the cabin off stage right). Denise was behind me and as I wanted to stop on the end of the bridge I motioned for her to go by me. As she did she began to set up her tripod at the spot marked Denise. I attempted to set up my tripod on the end of the bridge. Only I did not notice that one of the boards that made up the bridge was either loose or broken down. In any case I was turning to my right to get a good view of the barn when I stepped on the loose board or in the hole. I am not sure which it was. Now the fun started. If I had tried to hold onto my tripod as I spun around it and I would likely have gone face down into the stream where the water was about 8 inches deep. So I simply let go of the tripod that was topped with one of my EOS-1D Mark IV camera bodies and the 16-35 that I had borrowed from Canon Professional Services. Back to all that in a minute.

As I spun towards the water and the road it seemed likely that I would hit the rocks face down. My first thought was that I would be wearing wet sneakers on the plane on my long flight home that afternoon. My next thought was that I might actually be seriously injured. Miraculously one foot hit the slimy rocks at about B and I was now facing the road, back to the barn, and gaining speed. I took a huge lunging step as I careened across the stream 100% out of control and the other foot hit bottom at about C. I managed to slow up a bit as I ran through the stream with footfalls at D, E, and F (or something like that!) In probably less than 2 seconds I was standing on the road unhurt.

Denise had felt my tripod strike the back of her hand and grabbed it reflexively saving it and its precious cargo from a trip into the stream. The older couple that was nearby was as stunned as I was. Once I realized that I had survived unscathed I said to everyone there, “Would you like me to do that again so that you can get a picture?”

Had my foot gotten stuck in hole in the bridge I would likely have snapped my tibia and fibia in one fell swoop. Had I not kept my balance and hit the rocks face down, who knows? All in all we had a good laugh at my attempt at slapstick comedy. As usual, it turned out that I was blessed….

October 12th, 2010 | Category: 2010, Yellowstone | 24 comments - (Comments are closed)
October 9th, 2010

The End: Galapagos Day 15/July 20, Morning, Black Turtle Cove, Santa Cruz

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This image of a Brown Noddy waiting to scoop up any wriggling baitfish that might escape from the adult pelican’s pouch was created with the hand held Canon 400mm f/4 IS DO lens and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 320. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/500 sec. at f/4. It seems as if I clicked my ISO setting one to far to the left as the light levels were low at 6:21 am and I am completely comfortable working at ISO 400.

The End: Galapagos Day 15/July 20, Morning, Black Turtle Cove, Santa Cruz

A short panga ride in Black Turtle Cove is a great way to end a Galapagos cruise. We were out on the water very early (as usual) as we needed to be back on the Beagle by 8am to finish packing and get to the airport in time for our flight to Quito. As always the pelicans were feeding and the noddies were landing on their heads looking for an almost free meal. In addition to the action images, we had some excellent chances with single birds perched on the rocks. We had a developing Blue-footed Booby feeding spree that never fully developed. The large flock moved quickly and over a wide area but never came into the cove. Despite the uncooperative group of boobies the morning panga ride was a fitting end to a truly wondrous trip.

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Ditto the opening image above only this time ISO 400 and this time the pelican was a juvenile.

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This Blue-footed Booby image was created with the hand held Canon 400mm f/4 IS DO lens and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/500 sec. at f/4.5. It takes teamwork between the guide, in this case the gifted Juan Salcedo, the panga driver, and the photography guide–that would be me, to perfectly position the Zodiac so that everyone has a good chance to make a great image.

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This image of a perched Brown Noddy was again created with the hand held Canon 400mm f/4 IS DO lens and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/800 sec. at f/4.5. If it seems as if I am guessing at the exposures and you are wondering how in the world I get them all right all the time (not to worry, I do screw up on rare occasion :)), check out Exposure Simplified in ABP II (916 pages on CD only). It includes everything that I learned about digital nature photography from 1998 until late 2006.

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This backlit image of a developing Blue-footed Booby feeding spree that never really materialized (with the Beagle in the background) was created with the Canon 70-200mm f/4 IS lens hand held at 154mm and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2 1/3 stops: 1/640 sec. at f/5.6.

The image above was one of the very last images that I made on the trip and am glad that it included our wonderful vessel. I can’t wait to get back next summer. There is still a single opening on that trip; if you are seriously interested in joining us please e-mail me at samandmayasgrandpa@att.net. All in all it was a wonderful trip. We flew uneventfully back to Quito later that morning and enjoyed a great fine-dining farewell dinner that evening. The next day everyone flew home safely.

It has been a pleasure sharing my Galapagos journal here with you for the past ten weeks or so 🙂 Thanks for your comments and for stopping by.

Shopper’s Guide

Here is the gear that I used on our last morning’s panga ride:

Canon 70-200mm f/4 l IS lens
Canon 400mm f/4 IS DO lens
Canon EOS-1D Mark IV professional digital camera body

If you are considering the purchase of a major piece of photographic gear be it a new camera, a long lens, a tripod or a head, or some accessories be sure to check out our complete Shopper’s Guide.

October 9th, 2010 | Category: 2010, Galapagos 2010 | 7 comments - (Comments are closed)
October 8th, 2010

Galapagos Day 14/July 19, Chinese Hat & Cerro Dragon, Santa Cruz Island

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This is the only image that I created on Day 14. It shows most of the group headed towards Dragon Hill without yours truly. I used the Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS lens handheld at 200mm with the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering at zero: 1/5000 sec. at f/5. Read on for the explanation….

Galapagos Day 14/July 19, Chinese Hat & Cerro Dragon, Santa Cruz Island

Day 14 was pretty much a day of winding down after nearly two weeks of intense travel and nearly non-stop photography sessions. After sleeping in, some folks opted to stay on the boat, relax, and work on images. Others, myself included, opted for one last snorkeling session. Then it was more relaxing, working on images, and Photoshop lessons for those interested.

Exhausted on all counts, I opted to skip the afternoon landing at Cerro Dragon (Dragon Hill) on Santa Cruz Island. As you will see below, I lived to regret that decision…. Those who made the landing journeyed through a forest of Palo Santo trees and Opuntia cactus to several lagoons where there were Black-necked Stilts but no Great Flamingos. Past the lagoons there were lots of land iguanas that were easy to photograph because of the wide trails and the low vegetation as well as some finches and other landbirds. Denise, who was leading the group along with Juan, spotted the rare and shy Dark-billed Cuckoo. She created several decent images but was short on focal length with only the 500 f/4 lens and the 1.4X II TC. But it was Patrick Sparkman who made me regret not making the landing….

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Thanks again to Patrick Sparkman for allowing me to share his killer Dark-billed Cuckoo image with you here. He used the Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with the 1.4X II TC and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/125 sec. at f/8. I just love the sweet BKGR colors, the loverly lichen covered perch, and the perfect head angle. Way to go Patrick!

Denise and I each head home from Jackson Hole tomorrow. I will be back on Saturday with the final Galapagos journal blog post.

Shopper’s Guide

Below is a list of the gear used to create the two images in this blog post.

Canon 70-200mm f/4 l IS lens
Canon 800mm f/5.L IS lens
Canon EOS-1D Mark IV professional digital camera body
Canon EF Teleconverter 1.4X II

And from the BAA On-line Store:

Gitzo 3530 LS Tripod
Mongoose M3.6 Tripod Head

If you are considering the purchase of a major piece of photographic gear be it a new camera, a long lens, a tripod or a head, or some accessories be sure to check out our complete Shopper’s Guide.

October 8th, 2010 | Category: 2010, Galapagos 2010 | 2 comments - (Comments are closed)
October 6th, 2010

Galapagos Day 13/July 18, Afternoon, Pinnacle Rock, Sullivan Bay, Bartolome

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Thanks to Denise Ippolito for sharing her grunge HDR image of the steps on Bartolome. I get winded just looking at it.

Galapagos Day 13/July 18, Afternoon, Pinnacle Rock, Sullivan Bay, Bartolome

After a great snorkel we took a short panga ride to view Pinnacle Rock up close and personal and then climbed the 378 steps to the top of tiny Bartolome Island to enjoy the spectacular view of Sullivan Bay and Pinnacle Rock.

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Thanks again to Denise Ippolito for allowing me to use another of her fish eye/HDR grunge look images from the top of Bartolome. You can see Pinnacle Rock in the upper right center of the frame.

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This is a Patrick Sparkman image. Thanks Pat. Pat is a truly fine photographer who took several IPTs about 10 years ago. He created this beautiful 3-frame stitched panorama with the Canon 24 mm Tilt Shift II; he uses it often with both the 1.4X and 2X II TCs. You can see Pinnacle ROck on the right side of the frame. Patrick and wife Robin joined us on last summer Galapagos Photo Cruise of a Lifetime and loved the trip so much that they are considering doing it again with me in the summer of 2012. There is a single opening on this year’s July trip. Get in touch via e-mail if you are interested in learning the details.

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I created this “Blasting Highlights” image of three Galapagos tour boats at anchor from the top of Bartolome with the Canon 70-200mm f/4 IS L lens and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 200. Highlight Tone Priority enabled. Evaluative metering -2/3 stop: 1/5000 sec. at f/11. To learn to make perfectly exposed “Blasting Highlights” images see the section on “Creating 11am Silhouettes” on page 530 of The Art of Bird Photography II (916 pages on CD only).

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I created this image with the handheld Canon 15mm fish eye lens and the EOS-1D Mark IV as we made our way down the steps back to the panga. ISO 400–should have been ISO 200 at the least. Evaluative metering -1 1/3 stops: 1/1000 sec. at f/22.

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This photo shows super-guide Juan Salcedo helping John Van de Graaff into the panga. It was also created with the handheld Canon 15mm fish eye lens and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/320 sec. at f/5.6.

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And here is one last fish-eye image. This one is of the Beagle, our home for two weeks on our tour of the wondrous Galapagos archipelago. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 2/3 stops: 1/200 sec. at f/5.

Denise and I are now in Jackson Hole photographing in Grand Teton National Park, searching for a big bull moose…. I will see you back here again soon.

Shopper’s Guide

Here is the gear that we used on the top of the hill:

Canon 15mm fisheye lens
Canon 24mm Tilt Shift II lens
Canon 70-200mm f/4 l IS lens
Canon EOS-1D Mark IV professional digital camera body

October 6th, 2010 | Category: 2010, Galapagos 2010, Yellowstone | Comments are closed
October 4th, 2010

Grand Prismatic Springs and BAA Bulletin #341

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The three frames that I used to create this stitched panorama were created with the with the tripod-mounted Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS lens and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 200. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/30 sec. at f/20 set manually. When creating the images for a stitched pano I fist level the tripod by centering the floating bubble on the top of the Mongoose M3.6 in the scribed circle. I do this by adjusting the legs individually. Next I rotate the lens in the tripod mount while checking the double bubble level in my hot shoe to ensure that everything is square to the world as I pan and overlap the images.

I did extensive clean-up work here removing more than a few tree tops from the lower edge of the frame, a large tree on the right hand side, and about half a dozen folks from the boardwalk. I will make another version with the boardwalk removed. So far the clean-up required about two hours of painstaking work; to do the job right, you need to work at high magnifications. I used the Clone Stamp Tool, the Patch Tool, and about 50 small Quick Masks all as described in detail in Digital Basics and in APTATS I.

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This is the image before cropping and clean-up.

Grand Prismatic Springs

Thanks to both Dale Robert Franz and Roman Kurywczak who shared directions to the spot that afforded the spectacular view of Grand Prismatic Springs in the Midway Geyser area of Yellowstone National Park. The climb up a very large hill (or a small mountain) was extremely difficult. Denise Ippolito was kind enough to help me both on the way up and on the way down. Up was more strenuous due to the elevation and the rough terrain, down was far more difficult because of the steepness and the loose rocks and gravel. On the way up I was breathing hard and resting often–the vertical climb was probably about 500 feet. On the way down I was motivated by fear; for the last half of that climb I spent most of the time on my butt. After the climb up and down both Denise and I felt exhilarated. I will be back soon to share more of our Yellowstone experiences. You can see some of Denise’s images on her blog, A Creative Adventure.

BAA Bulletin #341

BAA Bulletin #341 is on line and can be viewed here.

Here is a list of the features:

ON THE ROAD AGAIN
STUFF YOU MIGHT NOT WANT TO HEAR & MORE
DIFFERENT TAKES….
INTERESTING SW FLA (and other) IPT QUESTIONS
A GUIDE TO PLEASING BLURS
POSSE NEWS/ROBERT AMORUSO
IPT UPDATES

Shopper’s Guide

Here is the gear that I used on our climb:

Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS II lens
Canon EOS-1D Mark IV professional digital camera body

And from the BAA On-line Store:

Double Bubble Spirit Level
Gitzo 3530 LS Tripod
Mongoose M3.6 Tripod Head

If you are considering the purchase of a major piece of photographic gear be it a new camera, a long lens, a tripod or a head, or some accessories be sure to check out our complete Shopper’s Guide.

October 4th, 2010 | Category: 2010, Bulletins, Yellowstone | 4 comments - (Comments are closed)
October 3rd, 2010

Galapagos Day 13/July 18, Morning, North Seymour Island

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This image of a Blue-footed Booby brooding two chicks—the one on our left just hatched minutes before, was created with the Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS lens hand held at 200mm with the EOS-7D. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/400 sec. at f/8. The 7D/70-200 combo is a great Galapagos rig; it yields an effective focal length range of 112-320mm and is as light as a feather.

Galapagos Day 12/July 17, Morning, North Seymour Island

We made the usual early dry landing on North Seymour and despite a slow start, the morning turned out to be one of the great highlights of the trip. We landed early and for one of the rare times on the trip, we needed to leave the very best early morning spot because this small rocky island is a last-morning stop for many of the tourist boats. Juan had no choice but to keep us moving as group after group landed behind us so we lost the opportunity to enjoy some great flight photography in the sweetest light with frigatebirds flying along the coast. But the rest of the morning turned out to be magical and made up for our loss in spades.

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We did have some good chances with the frigatebirds in flight with their bill pouches inflated. This one was created with the Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS lens and the 1.4X II TC (hand held at 215mm) with the EOS-7D. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/3200 sec. at f/5.6. And yes, the head angle police would be after me for this one….

Because we had to move along we had a great chance with a beautiful Blue-footed Booby sitting on a rock in gorgeous light with a blue water background. Several members of the group made nice images. I had a perfect vertical lined up and acquired focus, but as I sometimes do, I waited for a perfect image to become more perfect. I guess that it is actually a form of buck fever…. In any case, the bird flew before I made a single image. We walked about 1/ 2 mile until we came upon a concentration of frigatebird nests most of them right down sun angle. That was important as the morning started off clear.

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This preening male Great Frigatebird was photographed with the Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens, the 1.4X II TC, and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering at zero: 1/400 sec. at f/9. Note the careful framing and the fact that the bird’s head is perfectly parallel to the imaging sensor.

For the next hour or so we enjoyed some excellent flight photography and had a chance to photograph some large Great Frigatebird chicks in the nest in sweet light. Perhaps 15 minutes after we moved on we came upon an open area with about eight pairs of Blue-footed Boobies. Some were doing the courtship dance, some were on eggs, and some had a small chick or two in the nest. And unbeknownst to us, a single egg hatched while we were there. As happened so many times on the trip, we got lucky as the clouds rolled in. We stayed with the boobies for more than three hours. As is often the case in the Galapagos, it was possible to make great images with just about any lens.

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These displaying Blue-footed Boobies were photographed with the Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS lens hand held at 108m with the EOS-7D. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/640 sec. at f/10. Here I set ISO 800 to allow for some extra depth-of-field to ensure that I had both birds sharp with enough shutter speed to render both birds sharp.

As detailed in my 7D User’s Guide, I love to use Auto Select 19 point AF mode with the 7D. Basically, all of the AF points are selected and the camera chooses which points to make active. And best of all, when you are working in AI Servo AF as I was doing here, the activated points light up. (With EOS professional camera bodes, the activated sensors do not light up when you are working in AI Servo AF.)

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When I work in the Main Window with Breezebrowser Pro, I check Show Foucusing Points so that I can see which focusing points were active when the exposure was made. As you can see here, the 7D performed perfectly. I edit the images from each photography session quickly and easily while using Breezebrowser. To learn more about this great program and about Downloader Pro, click here.

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This dancing Blue-footed Booby image was created with the Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS lens with the 1.4X II TC (hand held at 202mm with the EOS-7D. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/500 sec. at f/10 set manually.

Before we knew it it was time to head back to the landing, board the pangas, and head back to the Beagle for lunch and the short navigation to Bartolome.

Shopper’s Guide

Here is the gear that I used on our great morning at Punta Suarez:

Canon 70-200mm f/4 l IS lens
Canon 800mm f/5.L IS lens
Canon EOS-1D Mark IV professional digital camera body
Canon EF Teleconverter 1.4X II
Canon EOS 7D

And from the BAA On-line Store:

Gitzo 3530 LS Tripod
Mongoose M3.6 Tripod Head

If you are considering the purchase of a major piece of photographic gear be it a new camera, a long lens, a tripod or a head, or some accessories be sure to check out our complete Shopper’s Guide.

October 3rd, 2010 | Category: 2010, Galapagos 2010 | One comment - (Comments are closed)
October 1st, 2010

Howdy From Yellowstone

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This moving water blur was created with the Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens and the EOS-1D Mark IV at Lehardys Rapids in Yellowstone. ISO 50. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/8 sec. at f/14 in Tv Mode. To learning everything that you ever wanted to know about creating pleasing blurs, click here

Howdy From Yellowstone

Denise Ippolito and I flew to Jackson Hole, Wyoming for a photographic vacation. We worked in Grand Teton National Park for most of the morning, and then continued on to Yellowstone, ending up in the Moose Creek Inn in West Yellowstone and having dinner with Dale Franz, (D-Bob as I call him.) The weather is much too clear and by the afternoons, much too warm. No one has seen a cloud in days!

I prepared BAA Bulletin #341 before I left but JEN is having technical difficulties; we hope to have it out today.

We are headed for Mammoth Hot Springs early this morning. I will be back soon to let you know how we did.

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This Black Beat eating berries was photographed on Moose Wilson Road just north of Jackson, WY with the Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 1600. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/125 sec. at f/5.6. Once I saw my slow, slow shutter speeds I quickly switched to ISO 1600. I learned my lesson in Katmai 🙂

October 1st, 2010 | Category: 2010, Yellowstone | 9 comments - (Comments are closed)
September 28th, 2010

A Guide to Pleasing Blurs

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We debated long and hard whether to use a single image on the cover or to create a montage. As the subject matter of the book is so, so diverse, we opted for a montage.

A Guide to Pleasing Blurs

BIRDS AS ART Books is proud to announce the release of “A Guide to Pleasing Blurs” by Arthur Morris and Denise Ippolito. This 20,585 word, 271 page PDF is illustrated with 144 different, exciting, and artistic images. The guide covers the basics of creating pleasingly blurred images, the factors that influence the degree of blurring, the use of filters in creating pleasing blurs, and a great variety of both in-the-field and Photoshop techniques that can be used to create pleasingly blurred images.

Artie and Denise will teach you many different ways to move your lens during the exposure to create a variety of pleasingly blurred images of flowers and trees and water and landscapes. They will teach you to recognize situations where subject movement can be used to your advantage to create pan blurs, wind blurs, and moving water blurs. They will teach you to create zoom-blurs both in the field and during post-processing. Artie shares the techniques that he has used and developed for making blurred images of flocks of geese in flight at his beloved Bosque del Apache and Denise shares her flower blur magic as well as a variety of creative Photoshop techniques that she has developed.

With the advent of digital capture creating blurred images has become a great and inexpensive way to go out with your camera and have fun. And while many folks think that making successful blurred images is the result of being a sloppy photographer nothing could be further from the truth. In “A Guide to Pleasing Blurs” Artie and Denise will help you to unleash your creative self.

The book is laid out in landscape format to make for easy viewing and easy reading on any decent computer monitor.

You can order your copy of “A Guide to Pleasing Blurs” PDF now for only $33 by PayPal , by phone: 863-692-0906, or from the BAA On-line Store here. A download link will be delivered to you via e-mail. Please note: this book is available only as a digital file in PDF form. You will need either Adobe Acrobat Reader or Fox-it to read the file. Both are free downloads. Instructions will be included with your purchase.

September 28th, 2010 | Category: 2010, Product Info and Tutorials | 6 comments - (Comments are closed)
September 27th, 2010

Galapagos Day 12/July 17, Afternoon, South Plaza Island

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This pan-blurred image was created with the tripod-mounted Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 500. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/15 sec. at f/25 in Tv Mode. I panned from side to side and made many exposures; I wound up keeping two including this one. “A Guide to Pleasing Blurs” co-written with Denise Ippolito was released today. I will post the details here tomorrow. If you can’t wait, e-mail me here.

Galapagos Day 12/July 17, Afternoon, South Plaza Island

Because of itinerary restrictions put in place by the national park service to punish the local boats and crews, I had not visited South Plaza Island since my very first Galapagos Cruise in June of 2005. I knew that it was a great place but had forgotten just how spectacular it is during the dry season. Everywhere you look were large patches of salt tolerant Galapagos Carpetweed (Sesuvium edmonstonei). Most of the time this small fleshy ground cover is green, but during our summer it turns loverly shades of red and orange; it was easy to incorporate the colors in many different types of images.

The weather was pleasingly variable. It ranged from mostly sunny to raining lightly but rarely for more than 10 minutes at a time. Most of the afternoon was cloudy bright with a strong wind that was great for flight photography along the cliffs. There were hundreds of Galapagos Shearwaters banking on the wind and good numbers of Red-billed Tropicbirds flying into their cliff nesting sites. And there were lots of the handsome Swallow-tailed Gulls on the ground with chicks of various sizes and dozens more in the air gliding along the cliffs. All in all we spent more than five hours on the wondrous chunk of rock that is Sante Fe. I can’t wait to get back next summer.

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This image features Prickly Pear Cactus paddles set against a background of Galapagos Carpetweed. To isolate the cactus I used the tripod-mounted Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens along with the EOS-1D Mark IV. I moved the tripod left and right and up and down several times to come up with a richly colored background. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/400 sec. at f/11.

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When the sun would break through the large Land Iguanas appeared almost magically. As soon as a cloud covered the sun I advised the group to make lots of images. Again I used the Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens along with the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/400 sec. at f/8 set manually.

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This is a vertical original image of a Galapagos Shearwater was captured with the hand held Canon 400mm f/4 IS DO lens with the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2 stops off the ocean: 1/1000 sec. at f/4 set manually. If you are holding your lens horizontally and the birds get too large in the frame when they bank, turn your camera on end and go for the gusto: vertical bank shots.

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South Plaza is the best place in the world to photograph this species. This image was created 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 off the ocean: 1/1000 sec. at f/5.6.

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This image was made in late afternoon. When the wind died down most of the flight photography was over. This roosting flock of Swallow-tailed Gulls was photographed with the Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/500 sec. at f/5.6 set manually.

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This Swallow-tailed Gull chick was begging for a meal. Its nest was close to a big (and I mean big) Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia). The chick is standing in front of the trunk of the cactus. The image was made with the 800mm f/5.6L IS lens and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 500. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/100 sec. at f/5.6 set manually. I got really lucky here making a sharp image at only 1/100 sec. The four stop IS helped, but so did the bird (by remaining relatively still at just the right instant).

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I photographed this Swallow-tailed Gull as it stood preening atop the edge of the cliff. I used the Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 1/3 stops: 1/320 sec. at f/5.6 set manually. I got just enough of the eye here to allow for a successful image. The carpetweed background added some nice color to the image.

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This was the last image that I made on South Plaza, by far the most beautiful island in the archipelago. I used the hand held Canon 24-105mm IS L lens (at 35mm) and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/30 sec. at f/14 set manually. The IS on this versatile lens allows you to work at slow shutter speeds while hand holding and enjoying some extra depth-of-field.

Shopper’s Guide

Here is the gear that I used on our wonderful afternoon on Sante Fe:

Canon 24-105mm IS L lens
Canon 400mm f/4 IS DO lens
Canon 800mm f/5.L IS lens
Canon EOS-1D Mark IV professional digital camera body

And from the BAA On-line Store:

Gitzo 3530 LS Tripod
Mongoose M3.6 Tripod Head

If you are considering the purchase of a major piece of photographic gear be it a new camera, a long lens, a tripod or a head, or some accessories be sure to check out our complete Shopper’s Guide.

September 27th, 2010 | Category: 2010, Galapagos 2010 | 7 comments - (Comments are closed)
September 26th, 2010

Galapagos Day 12/July 17, Morning, Santa Fe Island

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This image combined the two principal attractions on Sante Fe, the extremely large cactuses and a Land Iguana. It was created with the hand held Canon 15mm fisheye lens and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/1000 sec. at f/8.

Galapagos Day 12/July 17, Morning, Santa Fe Island

Soon after our wet landing on Sante Fe Island (my first visit, BTW), we found ourselves in a surreal world of huge cactuses and seemingly prehistoric creatures–pale yellow Land Iguanas. And there were lots of birds including more Cactus Finches than we had seen anywhere. It was a cloudy morning with occasional drizzle. Most of the group made their way up to the cliff edges to photograph diving Blue-footed Boobies but Patrick Sparkman, Denise, and I, enchanted by both the cactuses and the landbirds, lagged behind. When we made it to the cliffs, it began to rain harder. Juan took most of the group to meet the early panga that he had radioed for but Patrick and Denise and chose to stay. Soon the rain abated and we were blessed when a beautiful young Galapagos Hawk landed first at the top of a tall cactus and then on a low perch just yards from us.

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Thanks to Patrick for pointing out this new growth (a spine) on the trunk of a big cactus. I made the image with the Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with a 25mm Extension tube and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering at zero: 1/160 sec. at f/7.1. The extension tube allowed me to focus closer than the minimum focusing distance of the lens thus making the spine larger in the frame.

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This female Cactus Finch was photographed with the Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with a 25mm Extension tube and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/1000 sec. at f/7.1. When photographing small or medium-sized landbirds I almost always have an extension tube on the lens. With the sky already overexposed, I did not want to add any more light but I did need to lighten the bird.

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I created this image, my best portrait of Galapagos Dove, with the Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with a 25mm Extension tube and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 1/3 stops: 1/500 sec. at f/5.6 set manually.

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This image of a young, banded Galapagos Hawk, was created with the Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 2/3 stops: 1/500 sec. at f/6.3 set manually.

Shopper’s Guide

Here is the gear that I used that magical morning on Sante Fe:

Canon 15mm fisheye lens
Canon 800mm f/5.L IS lens
Canon EOS-1D Mark IV professional digital camera body
Canon EF Teleconverter 1.4X II
Canon EF 25mm Extension Tube

And from the BAA On-line Store:

Gitzo 3530 LS Tripod
Mongoose M3.6 Tripod Head

If you are considering the purchase of a major piece of photographic gear be it a new camera, a long lens, a tripod or a head, or some accessories be sure to check out our complete Shopper’s Guide.

September 26th, 2010 | Category: 2010, Galapagos 2010 | 2 comments - (Comments are closed)
September 24th, 2010

Galapagos Day 11/July 16, Afternoon, San Cristobal Island

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This image of Kicker Rock was created with the hand held Canon 15mm fish eye and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/2500 sec. at f/5.6. I try to remember to place a Kaiser Bubble Level in the hot shoe whenever I use the fish eye lens and to peek at it before making an image. If you are only a degree or two off with the fish eye you will lose a good portion of the image when you rotate it to level. I remembered my bubble level for this image.

Galapagos Day 11/July 16, Afternoon, San Cristobal Island

After our morning on Punta Pitt we had a short navigation and a great lunch (the latter as always; the food on the Beagle was superb). En route we stopped at Kicker Rock for some photography and snorkeling. We lucked out with the former when it got mostly cloudy and the latter was spectacular. We swam around the entire rock formation and even through the gap. Then we continued sailing towards the site of our afternoon landing.

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This image of a large Great Frigatebird chick was created with the hand held (at 400mm) Canon 100-400mm IS L lens (that I borrowed from Denise while she and others were using my 800) and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 2/3 stops: 1/500 sec. at f/8.

We made a dry landing on the rocky neck at Isla Lobos on San Cristobal Island at about 4pm; the light got sweet soon. In some years there are good numbers of nesting frigatebirds but this year there was only three nests with young. Two of the nests were totally blocked and one, the one in the image above, was difficult to photograph because of the surrounding vegetatin. By moving around the nest we were able to find two clear slots to the chick with reasonable sun angles.

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This photograph of an adult Striated Heron was created with the hand held 70-200mm f/4 L IS lens (at 202mm), the 1.4X II TC, and the EOS-1D Mark IV as I was lying flat on my belly. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2/3 stops: 1/500 sec. at f/5.6. Getting right on the ground quickly was the key to the success of this image as it provided an intimate look. The bird took flight moments after I made this frame.

Sometimes in nature photography you need to make almost instantaneous decisions. We were scouting for a good spot from which to photograph the frigatebird nest above. As we walked around a bush the Striated Heron was at point blank range looking a bit nervous. Without thinking I got down on the ground, set the desired exposure compensation, and created two frames; one was sharp, one was not. As the sun got close to the ocean we photographed the sea lions and enjoyed the beautiful weather. Soon were were back on the Beagle sailing off towards our next destination. Most folks were relaxing on deck as a beautiful sunset was developing. Ever the glutton, I grabbed the fish eye lens and created a series of images; my favorite is below.

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This image of a large tour boat at sunset was created with the hand held Canon 15mm fisheye lens and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 800. Evaluative metering at zero: 1/250 sec. at f/5.6. When working with rich colors at sunrise and sunset it is best to check the RGB histogram as I did here to avoid clipping the RED channel.

Shopper’s Guide

Here is the gear that I used at Isla Lobos that afternoon:

Canon 70-200mm f/4 l IS lens
Canon 800mm f/5.L IS lens
Canon EOS-1D Mark IV professional digital camera body
Canon EF Teleconverter 1.4X II

And from the BAA On-line Store:

Gitzo 3530 LS Tripod
Mongoose M3.6 Tripod Head

If you are considering the purchase of a major piece of photographic gear be it a new camera, a long lens, a tripod or a head, or some accessories be sure to check out our complete Shopper’s Guide.

September 24th, 2010 | Category: 2010, Galapagos 2010 | 4 comments - (Comments are closed)
September 23rd, 2010

Canon Introduces Six New L-Series EF Lenses And Accessories

Below is a recent Canon Press Release. My comments are below each section.

Canon Introduces the World’s Widest Fisheye Zoom Lens, a New Telephoto Zoom Lens and Two New Super Telephoto Lenses with New Extenders

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., August 26, 2010 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging, rounds out its Summer product introductions with four new L-series lenses and two new accessory extenders for professionals and advanced amateurs. Leading the introductions, the EF 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye USM lens is the world’s widest fisheye zoom lens, providing professional photographers and cinematographers with a unique optical tool for capturing 180Ëš angle-of-view shots on all EOS Digital SLR cameras. Photographers looking for a broad focal length range with excellent image quality will enjoy the Company’s first L-series 70-300mm telephoto zoom lens, the new EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM lens, delivering outstanding sharpness, contrast and color fidelity in a compact, lightweight form factor. Canon is introducing two new versions of its popular super telephoto lenses, the new EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM and EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM super-telephoto lenses delivering incredible image quality at all apertures for professional photojournalists, sports and wildlife photographers. For professionals and advanced amateurs looking to push their L-series Canon telephotos to the limit, the Company is proud to upgrade its two popular extenders with the new Canon Extender EF 1.4x III and Extender EF 2x III for additional telephoto reach and exceptional clarity. Photographers will immediately notice that the latest Canon L-series telephoto lenses and extenders have a more neutral white tone compared to earlier models. This new shade of white will be used with all L-series telephoto lenses and extenders beginning in the second half of 2010. The introductions of these Canon lenses have been timed with Canon’s latest camera introduction, the Canon EOS 60D Digital SLR camera, designed for advanced amateurs and emerging professional photographers.

“Canon’s core has always been our optics, and we are constantly challenging ourselves to produce better and more advanced optical systems for our customers. These six new products advance the state of the art in Canon lens technology and provide new and innovative tools for professionals and advanced amateur photographers,” stated Yuichi Ishizuka, executive vice president and general manager, Consumer Imaging Group, Canon U.S.A.

Canon EF 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye USM lens

With its unique focal length range, the EF 8-15mm f/4L USM is the world’s widest fisheye zoom lens. It delivers 180 degrees diagonal angle of view images for all EOS SLR cameras with imaging formats ranging from full-frame to APS-C, and provides 180Ëš circular fisheye images for full-frame EOS models. Professional photographers and cinematographers will revel in the unique perspectives afforded to them through this lens, particularly when coupled with the highly popular full-frame EOS 5D Mark II DSLR camera. Canon’s new Fisheye zoom lens features both UD and aspherical lens elements to enhance image quality and is equipped with rubber gaskets and seals to enhance weather resistance. Canon’s proprietary SWC (Sub Wavelength Structure Coating) is used to minimize flare and a new fluorine anti-smear coating is applied to the front and rear elements to make lens cleaning easier than ever.

The Canon EF 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye USM lens is expected to be available in January of 2011 for an approximate retail price of $1,400.

My Comments

This neat lens is designed to give fish-eye coverage with all cameras including those with APS-C sensors like the EOS-7D and 50D. With full frame cameras like the EOS-1Ds Mark III and the EOS-5D Mark II this lens will provide 180 degree circular fisheye images that will border on the surreal. At the very least, I will borrow this lens and try it out at Bosque next year.

Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM lens

Compact and lightweight, yet durable and professionally sharp, the EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM lens is the ideal telephoto zoom lens for advanced amateurs looking for that extra reach to bring a subject in tight and close. Providing the power and durability to maximize every shooting opportunity, the Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM lens features two UD ultra-low dispersion glass elements for enhanced sharpness, L-series weather and dust sealing for shooting in harsh conditions, improved mechanical design, and streamlined ergonomics to help avoid inadvertent mode switch operation. The shapes of the lens elements and their coatings have been optimized to minimize ghosting and flare to produce high-contrast and high-resolution throughout the zoom range. A sophisticated floating system optical formula optimizes image quality at all distance settings and reduces minimum focusing distance by more than a foot. An updated optical image stabilization system compensates for camera shake up to an equivalent of four full shutter-speed steps, a full step improvement compared to earlier EF 70-300mm lenses. A new fluorine anti-smear coating is applied to the front and rear elements.

The Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM lens is expected to be available toward the end of October for an approximate retail price of $1,500.

My Comments

Of the four lenses here, this one grabbed my attention the most. It would seem to be a great lens for big trips like Midway and Antarctica where I always bring a big lens (like the 800mm f/5.6L IS lens) and am then faced with problems meeting the usually tough weight restrictions. It will give folks considerable extra reach beyond the 70-200s. The four-stop IS should be a big boon for hand holders and the minimum focusing distance is a respectable 1.2 meters. It is a twist zoom–I am glad for that– and is a true lightweight at 2.3 pounds. For less serious photographers it will surely be a great travel lens. A big negative is that–just as with the 70-200 f/4L IS that I love so much–you will need to purchase the tripod collar as an option.

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

The Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM is the 6th generation of a venerable family of Canon 300mm f/2.8 lenses that began in 1974, and have become famous for their exceptional sharpness, contrast and color fidelity. Ideal for a wide range of applications ranging from professional photojournalism and sports photography to nature and wildlife, Canon’s 300mm f/2.8 lenses have always led the industry with new technical advances in every generation. The EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens carries on this tradition with improved image quality, lighter weight, improved Image Stabilization and enhanced durability making it a great option for handheld work in the field. The optical formula of the new lens has been upgraded with the inclusion of two fluorite lens elements for improved image quality and reduced chromatic aberration. Helping to reduce arm fatigue, Canon has reduced the overall weight of the lens by 8 percent to 82.9 oz., making it the lightest weight lens in the Canon EF 300mm f/2.8 series. The Image Stabilizer provides an equivalent of approximately four full shutter speed steps of shake compensation and has been enhanced through the incorporation of a rolling-ball-friction system in place of sliding parts in the compensation optics barrel for a minimum-friction structure. The overall durability of the lens has also been enhanced through increased usage of magnesium alloy and titanium for lens barrel components, together with weather sealing for all exterior joints and switches and a new fluorine anti-smear coating applied to the front and rear elements.

The Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM lens is expected to be available in December for an approximate retail price of $7,000.

My Comments

For avian photography the 300 f/2.8s have traditionally been seen in the hands of North America’s best raptor photographers, folks like Brian K. Wheeler, Jim Zipp, and Ned Harris. In recent years more and more digital nature photographers have selected the exceptionally sharp lenses in this family as their workhorse telephotos using them on a tripod with their 1.6 multiplier cameras and either the 1.4 or 2X teleconverter. Again the new four-stop IS system should be a big plus along with the 8% reduction in weight. At 5.2 pounds this lens will not be hand holdable for long periods by most folks. I am expecting image sharpness with and without the TC to be breathtaking. I do not know if I will ever get my hands on this one.

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

Quintessential for many sports assignments including baseball, football, soccer and golf, Canon’s professional 400mm f/2.8 lenses provide the light gathering capability and long telephoto reach that photographers need to freeze the action and fill the frame . The Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM is the 5th generation in Canon’s 400mm f/2.8 series and the successor to the current EF 400mm introduced in 1999. The new lens has been engineered for the ultimate in optical performance through the use of two fluorite lens elements for improved quality and reduced chromatic aberration. Helping photographers in the field, Canon has reduced the overall weight of the lens by a substantial 28 percent from 189.4 oz to 135.8 oz, making it Canon’s lightest weight 400mm f/2.8 lens ever. The Image Stabilizer provides an equivalent of approximately four full shutter speed steps of shake compensation and has been enhanced through the incorporation of a rolling-ball-friction system in place of sliding parts in the compensation optics barrel for a minimum-friction structure. The overall durability of the lens has also been enhanced through increased usage of magnesium alloy and titanium for lens barrel components, together with weather sealing for all exterior joints and switches and a new fluorine anti-smear coating is applied to the front and rear elements.

The Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS USM lens is expected to be available in December for an approximate retail price of $11,000.

My Comments

I have never been a big fan of the 400 f/2.8s. For folks doing big mammals in low light and working with songbirds from blinds and/or at feeders at close range this lens makes sense, otherwise I stick with what I wrote in the original “The Art of Bird Photography II” too many years ago: “For bird photography always choose a longer slower lens over a faster shorter one.” Reducing the weight of this former behemoth to under 8.5 pounds seems a miracle, one that will leave professional sports photographers smiling big time. Incredible sharpness is a given.

Canon Extender EF 1.4x III & Canon Extender EF 2x III

The two new EF extenders are direct replacements of the current extenders offered by Canon as essential accessories for professionals. These new extenders have been designed to provide faster autofocusing and improved autofocus precision with compatible EF lenses. Each extender includes an anomalous dispersion lens element for reduced chromatic aberration and enhanced optical image quality. Each extender also features a newly developed microcomputer that increases AF precision when the extenders are used with a IS Series II EF super-telephoto lens. Both extenders are equipped with rubber gaskets and seals to enhance weather resistance. A new fluorine anti-smear coating is applied to the front and rear elements of both extenders.

The Canon Extender EF 1.4x III & Canon Extender EF 2x III are expected to be available in December for an approximate retail price of $500 each.

My Comments

Sharper images with faster and more accurate AF; what’s the question? I will be ordering two 1.4X IIIs and possibly a 2X III (the latter if I fall in love with the 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II).

New Lens Features

In addition to an anti-reflection multi-coating, the front and rear elements of all newly announced EF lenses and extenders are treated with Canon’s new fluorine anti-smear lens coating. The fluorine layer is highly oil- and water-repellent so that any oil smears or water droplets on the lens can be wiped off quickly and easily without the aid of solvents using a soft dry cloth. These four new lenses and two new extenders are the first of their type to employ fluorine coating, and it is expected that this new feature will enhance the usability of the lenses during adverse shooting conditions.

The new Series II EF super-telephoto lenses can correct camera shake up to four full shutter speed steps, compared to two shutter speed steps for the original versions. This improvement is made possible by a new low-friction stabilizer mechanism that is not only more efficient than the previous design but also smaller and lighter. Other enhancements to the IS systems of both new super telephoto lenses have enabled quieter operation ideal for use during video capture.

Providing professional sports and wildlife photographers with greater tracking flexibility, Canon has introduced a third Image Stabilization mode option to its new EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM and EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM lenses. When mode 3 is selected on the lens, the image stabilization effect will not be seen in the viewfinder. When the shutter button is pressed halfway, the lens will begin detecting camera or lens movement and only during exposure, when the shutter is fully depressed, will the Image Stabilization engage and provide the equivalent of four stops faster compensation for blur-free images. The new Mode 3 is particularly useful when a photographer does not want to see the IS working in the viewfinder while tracking a moving subject.

Helping moviemakers achieve smoother and more appealing focus shifts when filming on EOS DSLR cameras, Canon has included a new Power Focus (PF) mode on the Company’s two new super telephoto lenses. This mode allows manual rack focusing to be operated smoothly by turning a playback ring that is normally used for the focus preset function. Both low-speed and high-speed focus shifting are available.

Additionally, a new security slot attachment has been included on both new super-telephoto lenses to allow a wire-type security lock to be easily affixed, a great safety feature for professionals shooting from high vantage points above arenas and crowds.

My Comments

The anti-smear coating can only be a plus especially when working in the rain.

Assuming that the new four-stop IS systems on the various lenses will work as well as this technology does on my beloved EF 800mm f/5.6 L IS lens it will be a great improvement on former systems. And so far, the IS on the 800 has proved durable despite rough handling by yours truly.

I will need to try out IS III in order to voice any opinion.

?? on the Power Focus feature.

The security slot feature sounds great for those standing below the photographer’s position 🙂

I look forward to trying some of the new stuff at the earliest opportunity and will report my findings when I do.

You can follow the BPN thread on the new gear by clicking here.

September 23rd, 2010 | Category: 2010, Photo Equipment | 14 comments - (Comments are closed)
September 22nd, 2010

Galapagos Day 11/July 16, Morning, Punta Pitt, San Cristobal Island

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This Chatham (or Cristobal) Mockingbird was photographed with the hand held Canon 400mm f/4 IS DO lens, the 1.4X II TC, and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/1000 sec. at f/9. I went to a high ISO to maintain both a high shutter speed while hand holding at almost 17X and to provide a bit more depth-of-field.

Galapagos Day 11/July 16, Morning, Punta Pitt, San Cristobal Island

After our wet landing the folks who were ready quickly had a fair chance with this new-to-all mockingbird species. I was busy powdering my toes. On our way up to the view point at Punta Pitt we came to a rock ledge in the lee where a variety of landbirds including the handsome mockingbird were flitting around in the bush-tops just below us. I had a pretty good image lined up when someone in the group scared it off by trying to get closer; some days are diamonds….

When we made it up to the view point there were some lovely scenic opportunities available but as fate would have it the sun broke through the fog and we were toast. It was a bummer as there was lots of beautiful red vegetation and some great jumbles of yellow toned rocks. In spite of the bright sun, I made some images. The best–though not very good–is immediately below.

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This was the scene before us when we arrived at the view point. With the bright sun, the contrast was just too great to create anything pleasing. Robert O’Toole processed this image and I believe that he made three conversions and ran them through Photomatix to create an HDR image. I used the Canon 10-22mm zoom lens and the EOS-7D hand held at 22mm. ISO 200. Evaluative metering -2/3 stop: 1/400 sec. at f/8.

Thanks to Kevin Watson for the loan of the 10-22. The EF-S 10-22 f/3.5-4.5 USM Autofocus lens is designed as a true wide angle for cameras like the 50D and the 7D with their small APS-C sensors. It will give you the same 16-35mm coverage as the traditional wide angle zooms.

Not happy with the image I brought it into Photoshop and tried a variety of filters in an effort to come up with the HDR/grunge look type images that Denise Ippolito has been creating recently. You can check this style out in her September 19th blog post here. I could not reach Denise by phone last night for guidance so my efforts failed. While playing with the filters, however, I came up with the image below. What fun!

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I created this one with the Stained Glass effect that can be brought up as follows: Filter/Texture/Stained Glass. Then I darkened the “sky” a bit with a Quick Mask and Control M (curves on a layer). I like the child-like look.

I was working on this post late last night for about an hour and due to a snafu lost everything despite the fact that Word Press runs auto back-ups almost constantly. Being a lover of what is I bagged my efforts and concentrated on the episode of the 2010 World Series of Poker that I was watching. When Denise called me this morning she coached me on getting the grunge look using Photoshop filters so I gave it a try. The resulting image is below. Thanks Denise!

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I followed Denise’s directions to a “T” and then added a few twists of my own.

Do let me know if you like or hate either the stained glass or the grunge look image. You can check out a fourth version of this image (created by BPN member Dan Brown) here.

Discouraged by the sun I decided–with Juan’s permission–to head back down the hill and try for the mockingbird again at the ledge in the lee. (It was quite windy that day.) When the bird sat on the cliff edge and sang for me alone I created the opening image in this blog post. Justice had prevailed, my effort was rewarded, and my desires met.

Shopper’s Guide

Here is the gear that I used hand held at Gardner Bay that afternoon:

Canon EF-S 10-22 wide angle zoom lens
Canon 400mm f/4 IS DO lens
Canon EOS-1D Mark IV professional digital camera body
Canon EOS-7D
Canon EF Teleconverter 1.4X II

If you are considering the purchase of a major piece of photographic gear be it a new camera, a long lens, a tripod or a head, or some accessories be sure to check out our complete Shopper’s Guide.

September 22nd, 2010 | Category: 2010, Galapagos 2010 | 5 comments - (Comments are closed)
September 20th, 2010

Blur Guide Coming, BAA Bulletin #338, Want Bald Eagles?

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It took me several hours to design the cover for the Blur Guide. You can see another version and learn what others think about the cover here. Feel free to let us know what you think of the cover by making a comment below.

A Guide to Pleasing Blurs by Denise Ippolito & Arthur Morris

Denise and I have been working on the Blur Guide for too many months. It should be available for purchase at the end of this week. I am waiting for my Acrobat 10 CD to arrive 🙂 If you enjoy trying to create pleasingly blurred images, the blur guide is for you. We cover both in-camera and Photoshop techniques, from pan blurs to wind blurs to flash blurs to composite blurs to camera shake blurs to radial blurs and on and on and on…. Our subject matter ranges from birds to flowers to wildlife to water and scenics and more. We will announce its publication both here and via Bulletin.

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I created this slow shutter speed/moving water blur on the recently concluded Bear Boat IPT. Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS L lens with the EOS 1D MIV. ISO 200. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/4 sec. at f/20.

BAA Bulletin #338

BIRDS AS ART Bulletin #338 is on line now and can be viewed here. It includes some of my very favorite new bear boat images as well as the trip report.

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This image of a Bald Eagle landing was created with the 70-200mm f/2.8L IS lens and the 1.4X II TC (hand held at 225mm), and the EOS-1Ds MII. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/1600 sec. at f/5 set manually.

HOMER BALD EAGLE INSTRUCTIONAL PHOTO-TOUR

Because of a cancellation, there is a single opening on this jointly led IPT: HOMER BALD EAGLE INSTRUCTIONAL PHOTO-TOUR with Arthur Morris and Robert O’Toole. March 18-22, 2011. 5-FULL DAYS: $3249. Limit: 12 (Including the leaders). All three Homer IPTs sold out within hours after being announced to the BAA Friends List. The Friends List consists of IPT veterans who fit in the happy camper category. If you have been on an IPT and/or you are a truly happy camper and would like your name added to the BAA Friends List, please e-mail me at birdsasart@att.net and include a short note.

Enjoy Homer the way it used to be with two great leaders and more eagles than you could have ever dreamed about many at point blank range. Sessions on boat and on land. Legal eagle feeding. The best Photoshop instruction anywhere.

Happy campers only please 🙂 If you would like to fill this last slot please call me asap at 863-692-2806 and leave a message if no answer. I am posting this here first as a thank you to the many folks who subscribe to the Blog and visit regularly.

September 20th, 2010 | Category: 2010, Bulletins, General | 2 comments - (Comments are closed)
September 19th, 2010

Galapagos Day 10/Afternoon, July 15: Gardner Bay, Hood Island

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This Galapagos Sea Lion pup was photographed with the hand held Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS lens at 185mm and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 1000. Evaluative metering +1 2/3 stops: 1/320 sec. at f/6.3 in Tv Mode. I got downy on my belly to give the image an intimate feel and to provide a sweet background to go with the sweet light. When hand holding I will often work in Tv Mode to ensure a minimum shutter speed as I did here. I use the ISO Safety Shift custom function as described in the MIV User’s Guide. To learn about User’s Guides for the MIII and the 7D, click here.

Galapagos Day 10/Afternoon, July 15: Gardner Bay, Hood Island

With more than 200 Galapagos Sea Lions with pups ever-present during July along with bands of marauding young Hood Mockingbirds on the loverly white sand beach, the afternoon landing at Gardner Bay is always a favorite of mine and of the group You can go barefoot and bring just a short telephoto zoom if you like but I always bring a big lens for the mockingbirds and for the other land birds that often can be found foraging where the beach meets the vegetation; edge habitats are always worth exploring when you are looking for birds to photograph. (I was being a bit lazy that afternoon and brought the 400 DO rather then the tripod-mounted 800….)

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Here is an image of Denise Ippolito playing in the sand box with some of her new friends at Gardner’s Bay. Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS lens hand held at 176mm with the EOS-1D MIV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 2/3 stops: 1/1000 sec. at f/5.6. Note the kneeling photographer from my group in the upper right hand corner of the image photographing land birds at the top of the beach.

When working with short telephoto focal lengths it is imperative to get down to the subject’s eye level as Denise did above. Pointing your lens almost straight down at a subject works only rarely. Denise is photographing the same pup that is the subject in the opening image above. When we first landed everyone thought that it was abandoned and near death; Juan and I assured them that it was just resting. In a short time it was frolicking about the beach. Its mom was likely out to sea fishing.

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This clean, simple image was created with the same 70-200/MIV rig this time with the 1.4X II TC to give me 235mms of reach. ISO 50–I had been set up for Blurs and forgotten to re-set a higher ISO. Evaluative metering +2 stops: 1/30 sec. at f/10 set manually. I love the soft light and the clean sand.

Note the incredible difference in the quality of the light in the image above as compared to the quality of the light in the opening image. I like both the warm light in the first one that was created just before sunset and the soft, subdued, detail-revealing light in the image immediately above that was created when a big cloud covered the sun.

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This image of feisty Hood Mockingbird was created with hand held Canon 400mm f/4 IS DO lens and the EOS-1D MIV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop in full sun: 1/3200 at f/5.6.

We had just landed when boom, the young mockingbirds were duking it out big time. They travel in packs of three or four each group looking to kick the snot out of the other group. Never fails…..

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Same subject, same gear. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop in even brighter sun: 1/5000 at f/5.6.

Shopper’s Guide

Here is the gear that I used hand held at Gardner Bay that afternoon:

Canon 70-200mm f/4 l IS lens
Canon 400mm f/4 IS DO lens
Canon EOS-1D Mark IV professional digital camera body
Canon EF Teleconverter 1.4X II

If you are considering the purchase of a major piece of photographic gear be it a new camera, a long lens, a tripod or a head, or some accessories be sure to check out our complete Shopper’s Guide.

September 19th, 2010 | Category: 2010, Galapagos 2010 | 6 comments - (Comments are closed)
September 17th, 2010

Galapagos Day 10/Morning, July 15: Punta Suarez, Hood Island

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This Waved Albatross was performing the bill-clacking portion of its intricate courtship dance. The image was created with the Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/1600 sec. at f/7.1. A vertical pano crop was chosen to eliminate it’s dancing partner from the left side of the frame.

Galapagos Day 9/July 15, Afternoon, Punta Suarez, Hood Island

The morning landing at Punta Suarez, Hood Island (Espanola) is always one of the photographic highlights of a good Galapagos cruise and this morning would be prove to be no exception. Several years ago the (Galapagos) National Park Service began offering the best itineraries to the larger cruise ship lines with their 90-100 passenger groups and foreign crews while effectively punishing the smaller, successful boats with local crews by eliminating some of the plum locations from their itineraries to make them available to the big boys. As it turned out, the park service’s action led directly to the development of the two week trip BAA Photo-Cruises that now ensure that participants will get to visit all of the prime photographic locations.

As always at Punta Suarez the Waved Albatrosses were the stars of the show with their courtship dances, small to medium-sized chicks, and incredible flying abilities. Did I mention that they are amazingly tame and accepting of humans? Hood is home to all but a very few (in some years) of the world’s breeding population of this species. In addition we had some good chances with Swallow-tailed Gull, Red-billed Tropicbird, Blue-footed Boobies nesting on the white sand paths, Nazca Booby, and Marine Iguana. We finished the morning off with a completely tame adult Galapagos Hawk that let the entire group approach for head portraits.

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This photograph of a banking Waved Albatross was made with the handheld Canon 400mm f/4 IS DO lens and the EOS-1D MIV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 2/3 stops of the light gray sky: 1/1000 sec. at f/7.1 set manually.

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This Waved Albatross sat placidly on its single chick flanked by a phalanx of colorful Marine Iguanas. I used the 70-200mm handheld at 200mm with the EOS-1D MIV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering -1 2/3 stops: 1/1000 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual mode. After framing carefully, the trick here was to set an exposure that left a very few easily recoverable flashing pixels on the head of the albatross. Doing that ensured maximum detail in the dark skin of the iguanas. The look-back head turn was an added bonus.

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This image of a banking Swallow-tailed Gull was created as a vertical original with the handheld 400mm f/4IS DO lens and the EOS-1D MIV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering plus 1 1/3 off the white sky: 1/1600 sec. at f/6.3 set manually. If you are trying to photograph birds in flight in horizontal format but the birds keep getting too big in the frame when they bank it is time to turn the camera on end and go for the vertical bank shot.

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This adult Galapagos Hawk bird was the icing on the cake that was our 5 1/2 hour Tower walk. The image was created with the Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens, the 1.4X II TC, a 25mm Extension Tube to allow for closer focusing, and the EOS-1D MIV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering -1/3 stop: 1/250 sec. at f/7.1 set manually. With that large very dark head filling the center of the frame I needed a bit of negative exposure compensation to keep from burning the light yellow bill.

After lunch, a short nap, and a snorkel we grabbed our gear for the wet landing at Gardiner Bay still on Tower Island. This spot with its 1/4 mile long white sand beach is the premier location in the world for photographing Galapagos Sea Lion; more than 200 of them can be found dozing and swimming and arguing and playing most days during July.

Shopper’s Guide

Here is the gear that I used on our great morning at Punta Suarez:

Canon 70-200mm f/4 l IS lens
Canon 400mm f/4 IS DO lens
Canon 800mm f/5.L IS lens
Canon EOS-1D Mark IV professional digital camera body
Canon EF Teleconverter 1.4X II
Canon EF 25mm Extension Tube

And from the BAA On-line Store:

Gitzo 3530 LS Tripod
Mongoose M3.6 Tripod Head

If you are considering the purchase of a major piece of photographic gear be it a new camera, a long lens, a tripod or a head, or some accessories be sure to check out our complete Shopper’s Guide.

September 17th, 2010 | Category: 2010, Galapagos 2010 | 6 comments - (Comments are closed)
September 14th, 2010

San Diego’s Brown Pelicans & IPT Discount Offer

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This California Brown Pelican was photographed with the Canon 600mm f/4L IS lens, the 2X II TC, and the Canon EOS-1D Mark II. ISO 400. Evaluative metering -1/3 stop: 1/1000 sec. at f/11.

San Diego’s Brown Pelicans

The California race of Brown Pelican with its flaming red bill pouch is one of my favorite photographic subjects. In this post you will find a baker’s dozen reasons to join the San Diego IPT early in 2011. And here is a great 14th reason: send a check or call Jim at the office to register (863-692-0906), mention the Blog, and have a $302 discount applied to you balance.

Here are the details:

SAN DIEGO IPT: JAN 19-23, 2011. Slide program on the evening of JAN 18. 5 Full Days: $2399 (Limit 8/Openings 7)

Brown Pelicans in spectacular breeding plumage with their bright red bill pouches, Wood and Ring-necked Ducks, Lesser Scaup, Western, California, and Heerman’s Gulls, Marbled Godwit, and lots, lots more. Please see terms and deposit on the web site or in any Bulletin.

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California Brown Pelican preening. Canon 600mm f/4L IS lens, the 1.4X II TC, and the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II. ISO 400. Evaluative metering at zero: 1/2000 sec. at f/5.6.

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California Brown Pelican in flight. Canon 100-400mm IS L lens hand held at 100mm with the EOS-1D Mark II. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/3200 sec. at f/5.6 set manually.

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California Brown Pelican skating down to land. Canon 300mm f/4L IS lens hand held with the EOS-1Ds. ISO 250. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/4000 sec. at f/4.

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California Brown Pelican in flight, wave breaking on high cliff. Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS lens hand held at 108mm with the EOS-7D. Evaluative metering +2 stops off the white sky: 1/500 sec. at f/5.6.

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California Brown Pelican Fractalius. Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS lens hand held at 208mm with the EOS-7D. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/1250 sec. at f/8.

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California Brown Pelican, head throw. Canon 300mm f/4L IS lens hand held with the EOS-1Ds. ISO 250. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/2000 sec. at f/4.

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California Brown Pelican, braking to land. Canon 500mm f/4L IS lens with the EOS-1Ds Mark II. ISO 500. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/500 sec. at f/4 set manually.

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California Brown Pelican, preening. California Brown Pelican, resting. Canon 500mm f/4L IS lens with the 2X TC and the EOS-1Ds Mark III. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/500 sec. at f/4 set manually.

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California Brown Pelican, resting. Canon 500mm f/4L IS lens with the 2X TC and the EOS-1Ds Mark II. ISO 640. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/250 sec. at f/13 set manually.

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California Brown Pelican, stunning breeding plumage. Canon 600mm f/4L IS lens with the 1.4XII TC and the EOS-1Ds Mark II. ISO 250. Evaluative metering at zero: 1/640 sec. at f/8.

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California Brown Pelican, orange variant bill pouch. Canon 500mm f/4L IS lens with the 1.4XII TC and the EOS-1D Mark II. ISO 200. Evaluative metering at zero: 1/1600 sec. at f/5.6.

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California Brown Pelicans on cliff. Canon 100-400mm IS L zoom lens lens with the EOS-1Ds Mark II. ISO 250. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/160 sec. at f/4.5 set manually.

September 14th, 2010 | Category: 2010, San Diego | 6 comments - (Comments are closed)
September 12th, 2010

Galapagos Day 9/Afternoon, July 14: Punta Cormorant, Floreana

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This out-of-the-box, back-of-the-head image of a Blue-footed Booby was created with the Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens, the 1.4X II TC, and the EOS-1D MIV. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/250 sec. at f/8. Sometimes pushing the shutter button when other photographers would fail to do so can help you to create some interesting and often abstract images.

Galapagos Day 9/July 14, Afternoon, Punta Cormorant, Floreana

After making the wet landing on a green sand beach along the southern shore of Floreana, Juan went ahead and checked the lagoon for flamingoes. Nada. Several of us–including me–opted to hang out on the beach and photograph while the rest of the group took a short walk to the rather scenic white sand beach just up and over a steep hill. There were two Blue-footed Booby nests on bluff above the beach, but they were difficult to photograph. Without many subjects to photograph I went way out of the box for the next two hours, shared my creations with those who stayed behind, and had lots of fun.

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I created this wind-blurred image of Floreana Daisies with the Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens and the EOS-1D MIV. ISO 100. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/3 sec. at f/16 set manually. I composed so that the single protruding blossom on the upper edge was as off-centered as possible while still including the oval spray of about ten blossoms right center (with a border).

Denise Ippolito and I are nearly finished our Guide to Pleasing Blurs. We hope to have it available for purchase in about two weeks. It’s release will be announced both here on the Blog and via Bulletin. It will really open up your creative mind while providing you with the practical how-to info that you will need to learn to make a wide variety of pleasingly blurred images.

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After playing with the wind blurs and the same stand of flowers I tried some vertical pans but those did not work at all. (Blurs tend to look better on the back of the camera than on the computer so if they look crummy on the camera’s LCD it is usually best to try another tack.) I followed those efforts up with a few twirl blurs. They showed some promise. I liked the way that this one looked with a 90 degree counter-clockwise rotation: the black rocks were actually below the stand of flowers. The image was created with the same gear that was used for the image above. ISO 200: 1 sec. at f/25. I simply loosened the tripod collar and rotated the lens during the exposure. As with all blurs, it pays to make lots of images while experimenting.

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I tried some horizontal pans with a nice Sally Lightfoot crab on a lava rock but those too failed so once again I went to the twirl, something that I rarely do. As usual, there was one that I liked best. Again, it was created with the 800/MIV combo. ISO 160. Evaluative metering at zero: 2 seconds at f/18 while rotating the lens slowly in the tripod collar.

Shopper’s Guide

Here is the gear that I used that afternoon on Floreana.

Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens
Canon EF Teleconverter 1.4X II
Canon EOS-1D Mark IV professional digital camera body

And from the BAA On-line Store:

Gitzo 3530 LS Tripod
Mongoose M3.6 Tripod Head

If you are considering the purchase of a major piece of photographic gear be it a new camera, a long lens, a tripod or a head, or some accessories be sure to check out our complete Shopper’s Guide.

September 12th, 2010 | Category: 2010, Galapagos 2010 | 3 comments - (Comments are closed)
September 11th, 2010

Back From the Bear Boat

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This image of a coastal Brown Bear chowing down on a salmon was created with the Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1 2.3 stops: 1/160 sec. at f/5.6 set manually. I continually reminded my group that to obtain maximum detail in the dark fur of the bears that they needed to push the histogram as far to the right as possible without producing any un-recoverable highlights.

Back From the Bear Boat

The (wonderful) group flew by float plane from the bear boat in Katmai National Park to Kodiak on Friday morning and continued on to Anchorage on an ERA flight that afternoon. From there Monte Brown and I flew on an American Airlines red-eye to Dallas arriving at 5:10 am. He headed home on a flight to Indianapolis while I continued on another AA flight, this one arriving in Orlando just after 11am. After a stop at Publix for egg plant and chicken I made it home by about 1:30.

I slept almost the whole way on the red-eye and for another 90 minutes on the DFW/MCO leg yet when I arrived home I was a bit zonked from jet lag. After a nice nap I have been posting some images from the trip in various critique forums on BPN. I will be home for at least a while and will be positing here almost daily.

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That’s my good friend and student Monte Brown photographing a coastal Brown Bear (aka grizzly) with a short hand held lens. As the image was made with my 800 lens the elements of the composition are much compressed. Monte was not anywhere as close as he looks to the bear. That said, these huge creatures are amazingly docile and can be incredibly gentle with their cubs. The blood on the animal’s maw here is salmon blood 🙂

If you would like to explore the possibility of joining Robert O’Toole and me on a bear boat trip early next August please e-mail to have your name placed on the interested list.

Shopper’s Guide

Here is the gear that I used for many of my bear boat trip images including the two above:

Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens
Canon EOS-1D Mark IV professional digital camera body

And from the BAA On-line Store:

Gitzo 3530 LS Tripod
Mongoose M3.6 Tripod Head

If you are considering the purchase of a major piece of photographic gear be it a new camera, a long lens, a tripod or a head, or some accessories be sure to check out our complete Shopper’s Guide.

September 11th, 2010 | Category: 2010, Katmai | 4 comments - (Comments are closed)
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