September 21st, 2009
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| Handheld Canon 400mm f/4 IS DO lens with the EOS-1D MIII. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/500 sec. at f/4 set manually. |
With its light silver nuchal collar (ruff) we nicknamed this baby Katmai bear “Lion Cub.”
I just got back from a nice extended weekend at the Midwest Birding Symposium.  Not much photography but lots of great speakers and lots of nice folks.  And I sold pretty much everything that I brought <smile> Twenty copies of the soft cover “The Art of Bird Photography,” 40 copies of “The Art of Bird Photography II” (on CD only), and 36 copies of my Shorebirds; Beautiful Beachcombers. You can learn more or purchase these here: https://store.birdsasart.com/shop/category.aspx?catid=32.
I should have let you know well before this that BAA Bulletin 297 is on-line here:Â http://birdsasart.com/bn297.htm, BAA Bulletin 298 is on-line here: http://birdsasart.com/bn298.htm, and the BAA Notes of September 15 can be found here:Â http://birdsasart.com/notes9.15.09.htm.
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| Tripod-mounted Canon 400mm f/4 IS DO lens with the EOS-1D MIII. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/160 sec. at f/6.3. Gitzo 3530 LS CF tripod with the latest model Mongoose M3.5. |
This is the same bear as in the first image. The adults often give a good part of their catch to the young ones. When the light was decent, I used the 400 DO lens handheld (as with the first image). As light levels decreased, I put the lens back on the tripod to ensure getting sharp images.  The 400 DO (diffractive optical elements) lens weighs less than 4 pounds with the tripod collar removed. Be sure to remove the tripod collar when hand-holding; this makes handling the lens easier both because of the lighter weight and the fact that the tripod collar and lens plate do not interfere with your grip.Â
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| Canon 70-200mm f/4 L IS lens with the EOS-1D MIII handheld at 124mm. ISO 800. Evaluative metering at zero: 1/500 sec. at f/5.6. |
I manually selected a lower left AF sensor that I placed on participant George Brunt; this yielded a pleasing composition with the sharpest focus on the photographer.   See the image of George with an adult bear sniffing his tripod and the resulting firestrom here: http://birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=45384 . (You can see the image in the September 10th blog post below.) And see more negative comments on this image in “Too Close to the Bear?” here: http://birdsasart.com/notes9.15.09.htm.
I’ll be back soon with some Katmai Quick Mask magic.
September 10th, 2009
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| Canon 70-200mm f/4 IS L lens handheld at 70mm with the EOS-1D MIII. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1 1/3 stops: 1/160 sec. at f/4. |
George Brunt (above, with a coastal Brown Bear), who was with us on the June trip, Ken Canning (who attended the Portland, ME seminar), and newcomer George Hasty joined Linda Robbins and I on the SEPT 4-10 bear boat trip.  As you can see, we had some close encounters.  We enjoyed great bear photography for most of the trip but in the end, the rain got to us so we had more than enough time for image editing, shared image optimization, and Photoshop tips and techniques.Â
In addition, we caught lots of halibut and enjoyed lots of great food.Â
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| Canon 24-105mm IS L zoom lens handheld at 35mm. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 1/3 stops: 1/40 sec. at f/5.6. |
In addition to Hummingbird Queen, Linda earned a new “H” title on this trip, Halibut Queen. In addition to the 105 pounder above she managed halibut of 65, 50, and 40 pounds, all larger than anything caught by the rest of us!
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| Canon 400 mm f/4 IS DO lens with the 1.4X II TC and the EOS-1D MIII on the Gitzo 3530 LS tripod and the Mongoose M3.5. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/1000 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual mode. |
At Geographic Harbor, we had lots of chances to make images of the bears catching salmon. I brought the 500mm f/4 IS L and the 400mm DO as my long glass. After the first day, I rarely used the 500 opting instead for the lighter 400mm DO using that at times (as above) with the 1.4X TC. Most of the time, 400mm was a perfect focal length for the bears. Next year I will bring the 400 DO and the 800 f/5.6 as I can make much sharper images witht the 800 and a 1.4 TC than with the 500 and the 2X TC and much sharper images with the 800/5.6 alone than with the 500 f/4 and the 1.4x TC.  (And I will always have the 70-200mm f/4 L IS lens along).
If you are interested in joining me on the bears catching salmon bear boat trip next September, please shoot me an e-mail at birdsasart@att.net.
I will be back soon to share some images of spring and yearling cubs. Â
August 30th, 2009
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| Canon 800mm f/5.6 L IS lens with the 1.4X II TC and the EOS-1D Mark III. ISO 250. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/250 sec. at f/8. |
As most of you know I flew from Panama to Orlando and continued on to NY’s JFK that same day (17 AUG). The next morning at 5:55am I met the three IPT participants. As it turned out, the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge was on the disappointing side but the Common Tern/Black Skimmer colony at Nickerson Beach just east of Point Lookout, NY was quite excellent.  After the IPT I visited my Mom who lives in Holbrook, Long Island.  On Monday 24 AUG I headed back to the JFK Days Inn for my early morning flight back to Orlando on Tuesday. I left my Mom’s early and headed to Nickerson Beach for one last chance at the terns and skimmers.  There was a nice sunrise but the wind was from the north with just a bit of west in it.  A northeast wind in the early morning would have been great but with some hard work and good thinking I was able to create many fine images. In fact, with the less than ideal conditions I was sort of amazed at how many good images I created that morning.   So far I have optimized 17 from that single morning. The first of those was created at 6:15 am (see above) and the last at 8:12 am. I will share a bunch of those with you below so that you can get an idea of how productive a top pro can be in less than two hours (he said modestly…)Â
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| Handheld Canon 400mm f/4 IS DO lens with the EOS-1D Mark III. ISO 200. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/1000 sec. at f/4.5. |
I knew exactly the image that I wanted to make, a skimmer in flight just to the right of the swath of the rising sun but I did not think that I had much chance of creating it as the camera was having trouble holding focus when it saw the sun’s bright swath.  To try for the composition that I wanted I manually chose the focusing sensor just to the right of center (while working in AI Servo AF as I always do with moving subjects).  I did not look at the images in the field but when I saw them on the computer I was thrilled with this one as it was sharp, it was exactly as I had pre-visualized it, and as a bonus, the bird was barking! (Skimmers sound a bit like dogs when they call.)
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| Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with the EOS-1D Mark III. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2 stops: 1/100 sec. at f/5.6. |
The young terns stand by themselves on the beach begging to every adult tern that flies by whether they have a fish in their bill or not.
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| Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with the 1.4X II TC and the EOS-1D Mark III. Evaluative metering +2 stops: 1/125 sec. at f/8. |
This juvenile skimmer is exhibiting begging posture. I would never have made this image with film as there was another bird in the lower right part of the frame.  With digital I knew that as long as the two birds did not merge that I would be able to cover the remaining parts of the offending bird with some Quick Masks after cropping.
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| Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with the 1.4X II TC and the EOS-1D Mark III. Evaluative metering +1 1/3 stops: 1/200 sec. at f/8. |
I was much too close to this bird to fit it into the frame so I made a few photographs of the front end of the bird and then, allowing about a 20% overlap, photographed the back end of the bird. The two images were converted and then stitched together using Image/Automate/Photomerge in CS-3.
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| Handheld Canon 400mm f/4 IS DO lens with the EOS-1D MIII. ISO 400. Evaluative metering + 2 stops off the sky: 1/800 sec. at f/5. |
I sat on the beach to prevent having the horizon line cut through the landing birds. Check out my BPN post of a similar image of a skimmer with a fish: http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?p=333594#post333594.  It was also created on the morning of 24 AUG and features some good thinking on my part as well as some good Photoshop work.
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| Canon 800mm f/5.6 L IS lens with the 1.4X II TC and the EOS-1D Mark III. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 stop" 1/1250 sec. at f/6.3. |
Each morning the Great Black-backed Gulls would kill a skimmer fledgling or two for breakfast.  For more in this series check out the BPN thread here: http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=44544
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| Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with the EOS-1D MIII. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/1250 sec. at f/8. |
This bird was a bit tight in the frame but I chose to capture the image without attempting to back up knowing that I could add canvas above and right as described in Digital Basics: http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=44544.
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| Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with the 1.4X II TC and the EOS-1D Mark III. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/500 sec. at f/13 set manually. |
This young American Oystercatcher was oblivious to my presence as I approached carefully while crawling behind my flattened tripod.
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| Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with the 1.4X II TC and the EOS-1D Mark III. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/800 sec. at f/9. |
Though I took several hundred images of the predation that morning, I kept only 19. This was the last keeper.
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| Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with the EOS-1D Mark III. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/2000 sec. at f/6/3. |
I created this image just before 8:15 am. Notice that the light is relatively harsh and that the sun is fairly high in the sky.  After I created this one I headed back to the motel to begin packing.  See y’all soon.
August 27th, 2009 You can view BAA Bulletin #296 on line now here:  http://birdsasart.com/bn296.htm. Bulletins are free and contain a wealth of information, photography and Photoshop tips, and lots of great images with our legendary educational captions. And they are 100% free. You can subscribe via a click-able link on the home page at www.birdsasart.com.
Featuring:
- BIRDS AS ART ON-LINE STORE BACK IN BUSINESS/IMPORTANT INFORMATION/FREE SHIPPING INFO
- THE PANAMA TRIP REPORT
- THE BIRDS AS ART BLOG PANAMA POSTS
- BIRDS AS ART FINE ART CANVAS PRINT EDITION
- GANNETS IN LOVE/GREAT NEWS
- IPT UPDATES
Right now, the BAA On-line store is offering free shipping to all contintental US addresses until the close-of-business on Friday, September 4, 2009. See item 1 in the Bulletin for the no-strings-attached details.Â
Here is a link to the store: https://store.birdsasart.com/shop/
I’ll be back soon with “A Morning at the Beach.”
August 26th, 2009 On the recent Panama trip that I co-led with Linda Robbins, the Hummingbird Queen, some of the participants created well more than 4,000 images on a single day.  Many of the best of those images featured either the feeder that we used to attract the birds, another hummingbird, or, as in the image below, both. Â
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| This image of a Long-tailed Hermit was created with the Canon 400mm f/4L IS lens and the EOS-1D MIII. ISO 400. Eight flash set-up. 1/250 sec. at f/22. |
As detailed in Digital Basics, I first expanded the canvas and then used the Clone Stamp, the Patch Tool, and a series of Quick Masks to create the optimized image below.  Many folks would consider this cheating; I consider it using the latest technology to create pleasing and saleable images.  (I would never enter such images in a contest in which such practices were forbidden by the rules.)
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| I was quite pleased with the results of my Photoshop handiwork. Be sure to click on each image to see a larger version. |
Chestnut-mandibled Toucan is a tree-top loving species that is rarely photographed in the wild. Getting a somewhat clear view of the bird was somewhat miraculous but the background in the original image (see same immediately below) was just too, too busy for me with many of the branches and seed pods merging with the bird’s head and bill.  I worked on the image for about an hour using the tools mentioned above and in addition employed both the “Divide and Conquer” and the “Protect and Defend” techniques that are also detailed in the latest update of Digital Basics.
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| Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with the EOS-1D MIII. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1 1/3 stops: 1/320 sec. at f/7.1. Fill flash with Better Beamer at -2 stops. |
I look back with a wry smile on my face remembering that the words “digital” and “Photoshop” filled me with fear and trepidation just seven years ago. It is quite satisfying to have mastered so many techniques that allow me to create images that put a smile on my face.
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| Again, I was quite happy with the final optimized image. |
Be sure to check out the interesting BPN thread on this image here:Â http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=44267
You can learn more about Digital Basics, APTATS (Advanced Photoshop Tips and Techniques),  and Linda Robbin’s Guide to High Speed Flash Hummingbird Photography by visiting the BAA On-Line Store via the link on the home page or checking out our product pages.  I’ll be back soon.Â
August 23rd, 2009
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| This perched female Blue-chested Hummingbird was photographed near Canopy Tower with the Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens, a 25mm Extension tube for close focusing, and the EOS-1D Mark III. ISO 400. Evauative metering +2/3 stop: 1/50 sec. at f/6.3. Fill flash at -3 stops. |
The Basics
When working in horizontal format with small-in-the-frame subjects , be sure–as I did above–to place the subject well back in the frame with the subject looking into the open area of the image.Â
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| This male Green Honeycreeper was photographed near Canopy Tower with the Canon 800mm f/5.6 L lens, a 25 mm Extension tube for close focus, and the EOS-1D MIII. ISO 800. Evaluative metering at zero: 1/60 sec. at f/5.6. Fill flash at -1 stop. |
When working in horizontal format with large-in-the-frame subjects, be sure–as I did above–to leave at least twice as much room in front of the bird as behind it. Â
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| This free and wild Leaf Frog was photographed near Canopy Tower with the Canon 180mm Macro lens and the EOS-1D MIII. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/30 sec. at f/6.3. Fill flash at -2 stops with the Canon Macro Twin Light. |
When working in horizontal format with large-in-the-frame subjects like the Leaf Frog above that are looking (or with birds, flying)  right  at at you, placing them dead center is the way to go.Â
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| This fledgling Black-breasted-Puffbird was photographed with the Canon 800mm f/5.6L lens, the 1.4X II TC, and the EOS-1D Mark III. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/50 sec. at f/8. Fill flash at -2 stops. |
When working in vertical format with relatively large-in-the-frame forward-facing subjects it is fine to place them in the middle of the frame as I did with the young puffbird above.  (With small-in-the-frame subjects you will need to place them in one of the corners….)
To learn the basics of image composition, be sure to see the chapter on composition in the original “The Art of Bird Photography” (soft cover). To learn about Advanced Composition and Image Design, see the chapter of the same name in “The Art of Bird Photography II” (916 pages on CD only).  You can learn more about both books by following this link: https://store.birdsasart.com/shop/category.aspx?catid=32
Buy both and receive a $10 discount.Â
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| This Broad-billed Motmot was photographed with the Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens and the EOS-1D MIII. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/40 sec. at f/5.6. FIll flash at -3 stops. |
And More
As in the image above, when you are working in vertical format with relatively large-in-the-frame subjects that are looking to one side or the other, place them back in frame so that they have a bit more room to see into their world.Â
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| This captive Lemur Frog was photographed at Canopy Lodge with the Canon 180mm Macro lens and the EOS-1D MIII. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/4 sec. at f/11. |
In the image above I chose to move the frog right of center so that the green bark of the eucaluyptus tree on our left could balance the strip of green background on our right. The principles that I teach are only guidelines; feel free to break them whenever you have a good reason to do so.
Final Notes
Bt studying the technical details above you can see that slow shutter speeds are the rule in the rain forest. While the improved 4-stop Image Stabilization of the Canon 800mm lens was a huge help, using my very best sharpness techniques (as described in ABP II) was equally important.  When working with the macro lens and static subjects I used mirror lock-up and the 2-second self timer to ensure sharp images. With the macro lens I find that focusing manually is the best way to go. (I do however rely on the focus confirmation beep.)Â
I hope that everyone will benefit from this post. See y’all soon.
August 19th, 2009
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| This Keel-billed Toucan was photographed with the Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens, the 1.4X II TC, and the EOS-1D MIII on the Mongoose M3.5 with the Gitzo 3530 LS tripod. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/200 sec. at f/8 set manually. |
After a great Panama trip I flew on Monday, August 17th from Panama City to Orlando and continued on the New York’s JFK without even going home.  We had internet access at both Canopy Tower and Canopy Lodge in Panama but my laptop was down, apparently from the humidity, so I have been out of touch till now.  Hummingbird photography was outstanding near Canopy Tower and Linda Robbins and our assistant Rich Garrett did a phenomenal job with the set-ups. And we had some great chances with a variety of tropical birds as well. At Canopy Tower, the songbirds did not come to the feeders as they had in December so we spent lots of time photographing a variety of frogs, snakes, and bugs; most were captive animals.
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| This Lemur Frog was photographed with the Canon 180 macro lens and the EOS-1D MIII. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/10 sec. at f.3.5. |
Participant Patti Corapi kindly posed this frog on her hand which was braced against a eucalyptus tree.  Thanks Patti!
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| This Violet-bellied Hummingbird was photographed at an 8-flash set-up with the Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens and a 25mm Extension tube. ISO 400: 1/250 sec. at f/20. |
I am in New York now photographing with a small IPT group at the East Pond at Jamaica Bay WR and at Nickerson Beach. I will try to post something ever day.
August 9th, 2009 Howdy all. I am off to Panama for the COMBO IPT; There will be ten of us doing perched, colorful, tropical birds and also high speed flash hummingbirds with Linda Robbins. It is 4:23 am as I type this and five of us leave for the airport in less than 30 minutes. Such is the life of a traveling nature photographer!
Be sure to check out my latest Resolve/Live Books post. It is entitled “Always give the guy without an umbrella your cab — you never know where your next job will come from” You can find it here:  http://blog.livebooks.com/2009/08/always-give-the-guy-without-an-umbrella-your-cab-you-never-know-where-your-next-job-will-come-from/. Miki Johnson chose some great images to go along with the post.Â
Be safe, have fun, and I will see you when I get back.
August 3rd, 2009
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| This male frigatebird was photographed with the Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens, the 1.4X II TC, and the EOS-1D MIII. ISO 500. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/50 sec. at f/9. |
Folks often ask me, “With the birds in the Galapagos being so tame, why do you bring a long telephoto lens?” The answer is the same as it is for the Antarctica version of the same question: sometimes a long lens is the best tool. In Antarctica, you are required to give the birds some space. And in the Galapagos, you must stay on the path. If you examine this image closely, or take a look at the larger version  (click on the photo),  you will notice that the bird is sidelit. I generally do not like strong sidelight for birds; in this image the light, though directional, is quite soft. The result: I like it.
I am almost finished reading William Beebe’s great book on the Galapagos, “Galapagos; World’s End,” published in 1924. One of the coolest things that I learned is that male frigatebirds (man-o-wars in the old days) sit on their nests with their red sacs inflated only before any eggs are laid. With eggs or chicks in the nest, the sac is deflated as in this image. There is lots more great stuff in the book–especially the language–and I am enjoying it tremendously.
You can read and enjoy more great Galapagos images and information in BIRDS AS ART Bulletin #294 here: http://www.birdsasart.com/bn294.htm. There is a follow-up piece on editing your work and lots more on the Galapagos trip.  And a great photoship background tip. On a related note, Galapagos 2010 is sold out with a waiting list. We are taking names (but no prisoners) for the 2011 trip.
The July 30, 2009 BIRDS AS ART Notes is also online for your convenience. You can access it here: http://www.birdsasart.com/notes073009.htm Most of you will enjoy and learn from “Photoshop Clean-up Basics.”
I am leaving for the Panama COMBO IPT (being co-led by Linda Robbins) this coming Saturday and then continuing on to New York City on the 17th to lead the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge/Nickerson Beach IPT (AUG 17-20). If you would like to learn about this trip and the late registration discount, please e-mail me at birdsasart@att.net ASAP. After the JBWR IPT I will be visiting my 88 year old Mom on Long Island. She is recovering nicely from some serious surgery on her old new hip. I will be back in the office on 25 AUG but will have lots of time to post here between now and then.
July 28th, 2009
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| This frigatebird image was created with the Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS lens (handheld at 200mm) with the Canon EOS-50D. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/4000 sec. at f/5.6. |
Deciding to keep the image above was a no-brainer. The bird was perfectly juxtaposed to the imaging sensor. It is diagonally oriented in the in the frame. And the sand had acted as a huge reflector, lighting the undersides of this female frigatebird perfectly. This is just another image that shows that you can make great images in bright sun on blue sky days even during the midday hours. It was photographed at 1:33 pm. (Click on each image to see a larger version.)Â
The Basics
Having created almost a thousand images on each of several landings, and possibly as many as 10,000 images on the trip, editing my work (selecting the keepers) is an important task. In fact, I never allow myself to fall behind more than a single day, and that only when I am too exhauasted to stay awake at the laptop.   Whether you are photographing in your backyard or on a great international trip, if you do not edit your work on a daily basis you will exacerbate your storage problems and face a huge task when you do get around to it.Â
For years I have been known to be the fastest gun in the west when it comes to editing a day’s take. On the Galapagos trip, I pared 987 images down to 87 in less than ten minutes.  How do I do it? #1 of course is experience. I have been picking and keeping my best images for almost 26 years now. #2 is that I use Breezebrowser to do my editing. Nothing is faster. Breezebrowser is one of the few programs that lets you view the JPEGs that are created along with the RAW files at the instant of capture (even when you think that you are using RAW capture only). While going through the images in slideshow mode, I can view each almost instantly when I press the right arrow key to advance (or the left arrow key to go back). I press the up arrow key when I want to keep an image; this places a blue check mark next to the file name. If I wish to remove the checkmark, I simply hit the down arrow key to deselect. Breezebrowser allows me to view each image as sharpened; this gives me an accurate idea of how the image will look when it is eventually sharpened. (This sharpening is only temporary and does not affect the RAW file at all, but is sure is convenient.)  If you would like to learn more about Breezebrowser the product (along with Downloader Pro), click here: http://www.birdsasart.com/breezebrowser.htm. Complete details on how I use Breezebrowser for editing are covered in our Digital Basics File here: https://store.birdsasart.com/shop/category.aspx?catid=30.  Digital Basics also covers the complete BIRDS AS ART digital workflow and contains dozens of great Photoshop tips and techniques.
When doing my first edit and deciding whether or not to keep a given image, I simply ask, “Is this a good image?” If the answer is yes, I keep it. (See “And More” below for exceptions.)  At some point I do a second edit, choosing the best one or two images from several or many. And before I transfer the folder to the home computer, I do a final ruthless edit keeping only the very best images.  My rule for doing the initial edit is “If in doubt, keep it.” For the final edit the rule is, “If in doubt, delete it.”  For the entire Galapagos trip I kept only 454 images. This represented a keeper rate of about 5%. (My standards, however, are very high; many folks would dearly love to have a good percentage of my rejects in their files <smile>)
And More…
It has taken me more than five years to learn to think digitally while editing. I now keep some terrible images. Why? So that I have them to serve as source material for similar images that need to be repaired. You can scavenge wing-tips, tops of heads, lizard toes, areas of rock and sand and sections of all sorts of backgrounds to be Quick Masked into images that have family jewel potential. Two of my very favorite images from the trip needed to borrow parts of another image in the series in order to succeed. Had I deleted the inferior images without realizing their value, I would have been plumb out of luck.Â
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| This image (with the end of the adult's bill cut off by the frame edge) was created with the handheld Canon 400mmm f/4 IS DO lens and the EOS-50D. ISO 400. Evaluative metering at zero: 1/800 sec. at f/6.3. |
Above is the optimized image. Below is the original capture. Had I not saved another image in the series with a lot less merit than the one above, the image with the yawning chick would have wound up in the trash bin….
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| This is the original capture. |
To complete this learning experience, click here to read the great BPN thread on this image: http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=41869.
And for a similar tale involving the toes of a Marine Iguana, click here:  http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=41993.
July 24th, 2009
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| This Blue-footed Booby image was created from a panga with the handheld Canon 400mm f/4 IS DO lens. ISO 400. Evaluative metering at zero: 1/1600 sec. at f/6.3. |
When working from any type of water craft, IS and VR lenses are extremely useful; they can help you produce sharp images even when the engine is running.  The same goes for fast shutter speeds. Though I wound up with 3/4 frame vertical portraits of this bird, I prefer the wider view here with the booby background look.
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| American Oystercatcher; same gear as above. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/500 sec. at f/4 in Tv mode. |
If your camera offers an auto ISO feature you can use it to get great results when working from a boat in low light.  Activate your camera’s ISO saftey shift or auto ISO feature and then set your camera to Tv (shutter priority) mode.  Next set the shutter speed to 1/500 sec. This will usually yield sharp images with lenses of 400mm or less. Dial in the correct exposure compensation; you may have to point the camera at the light sky and depress the shutter button to do this….  Now you are ready for action. The camera will automatically set the ISO high enough to yield the 1/500 sec. shutter speed. This will allow you to work quickly while producing sharp images without having to think too much. (When using this technique I usually set my ISO to 400.)
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| This Brown Noddy was photographed with the same gear as above. ISO 1250. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/640 sec. at f/4. |
When you are working in Av mode, setting the widest aperture will always yield the fastest possible shutter speed for a given ISO.   At times, the panga drivers get us so close to the birds that we cannot focus….
As always, you can click on each image to see the larger version.  See y’all again very soon.
July 21st, 2009
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| This immature Galapagos Hawk was photographed with the handheld 70-200mm f/4L IS lens (at 75mm) and the EOS-1D MIII. ISO 400. Evaulative metering +2 stops: 1/640 sec. at f/7.1. |
After a successful but long and arudous walk on the 3 mile trail at Urbina Bay we planned to call the pangas once we got back to the beach.  We were, however, delayed when we were met there by about a dozen Galapagos Hawks. Our brilliant guide, Juan Salcedo, theorized that a turtle nest had hatched the day before and that the birds had returned in hopes of another feast. The birds were ridiculousy tame; at times, they landed on our lenses. With clear skies, bright sun, and the wind against the sun we worked hard to create some pleasing backlit images.Â
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| This image is copyright and courtesy of Keith Kennedy a participant on this year's Photo Cruise and a multiple IPT veteran. |
Thanks Keith! I believe that this image was created at virtually the same instant as the opening image above.  Do note my Sun Protection Hood. See the BAA store for more info on this great product.  And as always, you can click on each image to see a larger version.
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| This yawning backlit youngster was photographed with the Canon 800mm f.5.6L IS lens, the 1.4X II TC, and the EOS-1D MIII. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/200 sec. at f/9. |
See the informative BPN thread on this image here: http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=41523Â
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| Image created with the handheld Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS lens at 127 mm with the EOS-1Dn MII. |
Careful readers might be asking why I was using the old 1Dn II.    Well, I was carrying Doug Holstein’s 500 rig over some big lava rocks and our guide Juan wound up far ahead carrying my 800 with the MIII on it.   Suddenly, one of the young hawks was hovering right above me so I grabbed Doug’s camera and the short zoom lens from my Xrtrahand vest and went to work.
All in all it was a truly amazing experience. I only wish that we had been there for a turtle hatching. Maybe next year….
More panga stuff coming soon.
July 20th, 2009
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| These braying, displaying Galapagos Penguins were photographed with the handheld Canon 400mm IS DO lens and the EOS-1D MIII body. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop off the water set manually: 1/1600 sec. at f/6.3. |
On my Galapagos trips, we do lots of photography from the pangas (Zodiacs).  The 400 DO (diffractive optical elements) lens is great when working from the boat as it is relatively light in weight and has image stabilization. With 6-8 photographers in each panga lots of cooperation is needed to ensure that everyone gets some great images. Above I was lucky as the two birds popped up right down sun angle and not too far from the boat.Â
If there are any nice, sweet, easy to get along with folks out there who would like to join me on the July 2010 Instructional Photo Cruise of a lifetime to the Galapagos, please shoot me an e-mail to birdsasart@att.net with the words Galapagos 2010 Info in the Subject Line.  Or, see the same here: http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=41606.
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| This begging baby penguin with Mom was photographed with the same gear as above. ISO 1250. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/320 sec. at f/4. |
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| Baby alone posing. Same gear. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/640 sec. at f/4. |
As always, you can click on each image to see a larger version.  Note that in all three images above I chose my ISO so that I would have enough shutter speed to make a sharp image. And in the two images above note that I had to work at the wide open aperture to attain a fast enough shutter speed.
Coming soon: more images made fromt the Pangas.
July 19th, 2009
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| This Galapagos Tortoise was photographed with the 800mm f/5.6L IS lens and the EOS-1D MIII. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/80 sec. at f/9. |
I am posting this (I hope) from the Panama City, Panama Airport on the way home from an amazing Galapagos trip.  I will be sharing lots of details on this killer journey with you via blog and Bulletin in the coming days.  Photographing more than two dozen tortoises on Thursday on Puerto Ayora was just one of the many trip highlights.
July 8th, 2009 Wow! I’ve been swamped.  Trying and failing to get my 2008 Income Taxes finished before I leave for the Galapagos this afternoon. Doing 50+ posts per day on my beloved BirdPhotographers.Net, packing, and taking care of business. I will be back in the office on July 20.
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| This pair of young dark phase Reddish Egrets was photographed with the Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens and the EOS-1D Mark III. ISO 800. Evaluative Metering +1 stop: 1/200 sec. at f/5.6. |
To create this image I used One-Shot AF. When using One-Shot AF you press the shutter button to focus. As long as you keep the shutter button depressed half way, focus is locked. (In Nikon One-Shot is called “S” for Single Servo.) I focused on the eye of the bird on the left, held the shutter button down half way to lock focus, recomposed to create a pleasing juxtaposition, and created several images all while the bird held still. Learning to use One-Shot or “S” effectively is a great way for you to learn to create pleasing compostions.
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| This juvenile Little Blue Heron was photographed with the tripod-mounted 800mm f/5.6L lens and the EOS-1D MIII. ISO 500. Evaluative metering +1 1/3 stops: 1/1600 sec. at f/6.3. |
When photographing birds in flight, in action, or in motion, it is almost always best to use AI Servo AF or “C, Continuous with Nikon. Both AI Servo and “C” track moving subjects and predict where they will be at the precise moment of exposure. I almost always use the central AF sensor when doing flight photography. Though not every image is sharply focused on the eye, both AI Servo AF and “C” often yield fantastic results.
For the more advanced folks: when trying to photograph two birds interacting in a horizontal frame, you can either choose an off center AF sensor and try to lock focus on one of the birds, or you can first activate the entire grid of sensors. Then acquire focus by putting one bird in the center of the array and recompose with one bird on each side of the frame. And hope for the best. (Neither of these techniques is foolproof. )
June 27th, 2009 I have made almost 8,000 comments on BNP (www.BirdPhotographers.Net) over the past year and a half and I am amazed at how often folks with equipment costing more than $5-10,000 are unaware of many of the fundamentals. In an effort to rectify that situation, and to help everyone improve, I will be posting a series of “Back to the Basics and More” pieces here on the BAA-Blog.  The “and More” tips will be for the intermediate and advanced photographers.
We start today with a simple premise: tall skinny subject almost always belong in vertical frames while subjects that are longer than they are tall usually do better in a horizontally oriented frame.  When you are handholding your gear, it is a simple matter of turning the camera on one end, framing the image, and pressing the shutter button.  With telephoto lenses mounted on tripods the lens itself needs to be rotated in the tripod collar when you wish to work in vertical format. Loosen the knob, rotate the lens barrel as needed, and then tighten the knob.  I use a bubble level in my hot shoe mount to ensure that my images are square to the world. You can find info on the Kaiser Duplex Spirit Level here: https://store.birdsasart.com/shop/item.aspx?itemid=5.Â
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| Tripod-mounted Canon 180mm macro lens with the EOS-1D MIII. ISO 320. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/200 sec. at f/9. |
Notice: I rotated the lens in the tripod collar so that the long, tall blossom would fit easily into a vertical frame.  And More: this image was created at 9:45am on a clear morning. To avoid the harsh light I shaded the blossom with a large reflector that I held above my head. As the background was still sunlit I should have added two stops of light to the suggested exposure rather than the one stop that I did add. I lightened the image during the ACR conversion. You can click on the pickerelweed blossom above to see a larger verion of the image.Â
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| Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with the 1.4X II TC and the EOS-1D MIII. ISO 500. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/500 sec. at f/10. |
Sparrows have long, relatively low profiles so they often look best in a horizotal frame.  Working at f/10 I was able to place the central focusing sensor on the bird’s breast and create a sharp image. To see this Savannah Sparrow image larger, simply click on the image above.   And More: to tone down the highlights on the perch I used Select/Color Range/Sampled Colors and clicked on the brightest parts of the perch. Then I softened the selection using Refine Edge, created a layer mask (Control J), added 10 points of black to the whites in Selective Color, and ran a 15% Linear Burn on the layer.Â
You can find a great tutorial on using Refine Edge in the Educational Resources Forum at BPN here: http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=37503. In addition, there is tons more of free,  on-target info in ER.  Think of it as emergency treatment for what ails your photography!
Please let me know what you think of this new feature and feel free to suggest additional topics.
June 21st, 2009
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| This sweet looking coastal Brown Bear was photographed with the Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens and the EOS-1D MIII. ISO 1600. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/250 sec. at f/5.6. At times, we had bears–including this one–as close as 6 feet from us. She was hiding behind my group in an effort to avoid the amorous advances of an old boar. As always, you can click on each image to view a larger version. |
If you are interested in making some money from your photography, check out my Resolve/Live Books blog post here:Â Â http://blog.livebooks.com/2009/06/alternative-income-streams-always-a-safe-bet/Â Be sure to surf around as there is tons of great info on this blog; I need to spend a full day there!
In this post, I will share some more images from my recent trip to Alaska.
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| These tiny Bald Eagle chicks were photographed with the Canon 24-105mm IS L zoom lens (handheld at 55mm) with the EOS-1D MIII. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/100 sec. at f/7.1. |
The nest is the nest of a pair of free and wild eagles. In Katmai, many eagles nest atop rocky crags and most are inaccessible to humans without serious climbing gear. To reach this nest we really risked life and limb, having to make a short but treacherous climb over seaweed covered rocks. Then we had to scramble up a pretty much vertical grass covered knoll. We visited the nest just once for about 30 minutes near the start of our 6-day stay in the area. The adults were not on the nest as we approached in the large skiff and did not react to our presence. The big boat that we were living on was actually anchored near the tiny island for most of our stay at Kukak Bay and the baby eagles were doing fine when we left five days after we created this image. When one of the adults was on the nest they were almost constantly harassed by a pair of Black Oystercatchers nesting about 40 feet from the eagles in a rocky crevice.
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| This landing Mew Gull was photographed at Potter's Marsh just south of Anchorage with the Canon 800mmm f/5.6L IS lens and the EOS-1D Mark III. ISO 500. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop set manually: 1/800 sec. at f/5.6. |
Potter’s Marsh can be great for Mew Gull chicks in June in most years. This year they were nesting late.
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| I photographed these Black-legged Kittiwakes at their nesting wall at Whale Pass near Kodiak, AK. I used the Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS lens and the EOS-1D MIII handheld. ISO 800. evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/320 sec. at f/4. |
I will be back soon. Thanks for visiting.  All comments welcome.
June 16th, 2009 BIRDS AS ART On-Line Bulletin #291 is now online here: http://www.birdsasart.com/bn291.htm. As usual it is chock full of great images and tips, all from the recent bear boat trip. Enjoy, and see you here again soon.
June 14th, 2009
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| Blacklit Coastal Brown Bear, Katmai National Park, AK. See the image below for the techs. And do click on each image to view a larger version. I created the opening image from the image below. |
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| This image was created with the Canon 800mm f/5.6L lens, the 1.4X II TC, and the EOS-1D MIII. ISO 640. Evaluative metering -1/3 stop (to preserve detail in the rim-lit fur): 1/200 sec. at f/9. |
The second image represents what I saw in the field, the first image is the one that I visualized.  It is much better to create an image with the histogram well to the right (as in the second image) than to try and create the opening image in camera.  Your files will contain much more info by following this approach.
Here is how I created the opening image.  First, I converted the RAW file in ACR. (When you do this, be sure that the rim-lit fur is not flashing.)  Next, I did a Levels adjustment by pulling the left-hand slider far to the right while holding down the Alt key (until the shape of the bear appeared almost solid black). Then I moved the middle-tone slider to the right to make the image even darker. I do these two things often to create blacker SILHs. Then I added Black to the Blacks and to the Neutrals in Selective Color as described in Digital Basics: https://store.birdsasart.com/shop/item.aspx?itemid=252.
This particular image was inspired directly by Miguel Lasa’s BBC honored blacklit Polar Bear image. (I thought that it deserved top honors….)  You can see Miguel’s winning image (in the Creative Visions of Nature category) here: http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/whats-on/temporary-exhibitions/wpy/photo.do?photo=2428&category=50&group=1 It would be interesting to see the RAW file.
I first came across the term “black light” in Andy Rouse’s latest and highly inspirational book, “Concepts of Nature.”  The opening image is a combination of Andy’s “Black Light” and his “Atmospheric Ring of Fire” concepts. You can learn more about this great book here: https://store.birdsasart.com/shop/item.aspx?itemid=53.  I have long pitched the idea that in order to improve folks need to look at as many great natural history images as possible, and in Concepts of Nature Andy has made that easy to do. I was so taken with the words and the pictures that we ordered fifty copies of Concepts of Nature so that the serious photographers on this side of the pond could take advantage of Andy’s brilliance.
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| Here is an abstract blacklit image of the backlit hump and back of a big bear. It was created with the same gear as the image above. ISO 500. Evaluative metering -2 1/3 stops, again to prevent flashing highlights in the rim-let fur: 1/800 sec. at f/11. |
I take pride in the fact that I have coined many terms commonly used by today’s nature photographers. Even though the opening image was jointly inspired by MIguel and Andy I will take credit for coming up with the term “blacklit.” I will be back soon to share more images from my Alaska trip.
June 11th, 2009
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| This coastal Brown Bear was photographed with the Canon 800mm f/5.6L lens, the 1.4X II TC, and the EOS-1D MIII (while I was lying flat on my belly in the mud). ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/400 sec. at f/8. When working large subjects with large subject-to-camera distances the wide open aperture will offer sufficient depth-of-field; when working with small subjects close to minimum focusing distance you need to use smaller apertures in order to attempt to have enough depth-of-field to cover the entire subject. This grizzled old boar with a muddy forehead showed lots of character. As always you can click on each image to see a larger version. |
Well, the bear boat trip turned out to be quite a travel adventure. We awoke at 3:30am on June 4 to catch the 6:15 am flight to Kodiak where we would meet the boat. We took off on time. It was very foggy in Kodiak but as the plane descended we were thrilled to see the ground, but seconds later the pilot pulled up and began to circle; he had been unable to see the runway in front of him. We went round and round for about 25 minutes before heading back to Anchorage. We all got on the 3:00pm flight, but it was put on a weather hold. We finally departed at 4:15 pm, made it through an opening in the fog, and landed on Kodiak a bit after 5pm. By 6pm we had all of our bags and gear in an SUV and were headed for Anton Larson Bay to meet the boat.
After about 30 minutes of driving we were about 3 miles from the dock when the engine of the SUV simply quit. We spotted some folks down the road apiece and they agreed to ferry us and our gear for $100. It would have taken them about 3 or 4 trips as they had only a small vehicle, but just after they left for their first run our captain/guide Chuck and his girlfriend Olga drove up looking for us as we had been seriously delayed. We packed everything into the back of his pickup, climbed in, and headed for the boat.
By 8pm, after a great dinner, we were in the skiff photographing otters. All was well with the world. We photographed the otters again the next morning and then crossed the Shelikof Strait. It was quite windy and several of us wound up feeling a bit queasy. Multiple IPT veteran and dear friend Jim Heupel did get seasick, that after surviving a Drake Passage crossing with 40 foot waves this past winter. Go figure! Once we got into the bay at Katmai things calmed down and we wound up photographing two four or five five year old bears playing.
Skip ahead a few days. Our group of five and Chuck were surrounded by several coastal Brown Bears when we noticed that the wind had picked up considerably. Chuck had anchored both of his 65 foot boats—his next group was nine and he would need both boats—on a single anchor. He mentioned that he was a bit concerned that the boats might drag the anchor in the high winds but that he knew that his mate would have alerted him had there been a problem. (His radio, however, had been turned off….) A while back, I had noticed the mate and our cook in the skiff nearby and thought nothing of it, but when Chuck mentioned his concern I told him that his crew was in the skiff right offshore of where we were. He walked very quickly to the skiff, climbed aboard, and headed for the two boats.
We were able to see the two vessels through our long lenses and it looked as if they were in great danger. Had they come hard aground after smashing into each other? As it turned out, the anchor had dragged but the boats were both in navigable waters without any damage to either one. Whew!
On our next to last morning I realized, as I stepped off the skiff at high tide, that I had forgotten to put my NEOS overshoes on. As Chuck pulled away in the skiff I noted that I would be pretty much stuck in one spot as I would be unable to cross any of several fairly deep streams. I raised Chuck on the radio and asked him to bring me a pair of hip waders and he said that he would. Within 20 minutes he was back with the waders. He left the skiff, ran to shore to hand me the hip boots, and made his way back to the skiff. The only problem was that the tide had been dropping so fast the skiff was now barely afloat as the tide steamed out. I quickly put on my boots and joined Chuck in attempting to push the huge (about 25 feet) skiff into deeper water. It was rough going for several minutes as we strained with all of our might, Chuck having a lot more might than I. The boat was actually on the bottom several times and we had to push from the rear while lifting the skiff; finally the boat was floating with Chuck at the helm. (I knew that Chuck had a ton of work to do that day;Â if the skiff had been grounded we would all have been stuck there for about ten hours until the tide came back in.)
On 10 June, as we started our long journeys home, our bags—as a result of float plane delays—did not get to the Kodiak airport in time for our 4:45pm Alaska Airlines flight. All five of us were switched to the 7:45 ERA flight and will make our red-eye connections later tonight. Our plans to grab a day room at the Dimond Center Hotel for a quick shower and a nap did not materialize. All of us (but for George Brunt, who is laying over in Anchorage) are looking forward to getting home safely on the eleventh.
It is now the morning of 11 June and I am sitting bleary-eyed in the lounge at the Minneapolis airport after the red-eye flight from Anchorage. I will be back soon with tales of bears and eagles and of course, with more new images.
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| This adult Bald Eagle was photographed with the Canon 800mmm f/5.6L IS lens and the EOS-1D MIII. ISO 400. I metered the blue sky just above the horizon and added 2/3rds of a stop of light: 1/2000 of a second at f/7.1 set manually. A quick check of the histogram showed a perfect exposure. We had many great opportunites to photograph eagles on this trip. |
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