Induro GIT 304L Tripod

Out of production for more than two years, BAA has just one of my favorite-ever tripods left in stock. The 304L was my go-to tripod for more than a decade. Best to grab this last one here right now.

This all-new card includes images created on my JAN 2022 visit to San Diego. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

Join me in San Diego to photograph the spectacular breeding plumage Brown Pelicans with their fire-engine red and olive green bill pouches; Brandt’s (nesting) and Double-crested Cormorants; breeding plumage Wood and Ring-necked Ducks; other duck species possible including Lesser Scaup, Redhead, Northern Shoveler and Surf Scoter; a variety of gulls including Western, California, and the gorgeous Heermann’s, all in full breeding plumage; shorebirds including Marbled Godwit, Willet, Sanderling and Black-bellied Plover; many others are possible including Least, Western, and Spotted Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Black and Ruddy Turnstone, Semipalmated Plover, and Surfbird; Harbor Seals and California Sea Lions (both depending on the current regulations and restrictions). And as you can see by studying the IPT cards, there are some nice bird-scape and landscape opportunities as well. Not to mention a ton of excellent flight photography opportunities and instruction.

Please note: where permitted and on occasion, ducks and gulls may be attracted (or re-located) with offerings of grains or healthy bread.

San Diego offers a wealth of very attractive natural history subjects, including and especially the Pacific race of California Brown Pelican. With annual visits spanning more than four decades, I have lots of photographic experience there … Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

Learning Exposure, Whether You Like It Or Not

Whether you like it or not, we will be beating the subject of exposure like a dead horse. In every new situation, you will hear my thoughts on exposure along with my thoughts on both Nikon and Canon histograms and SONY Zebras. Whether you like it or not, you will learn to work in manual mode so that you can get the right exposure every time (as long as a bird gives you ten seconds with the light constant). Or two seconds with SONY zebras … And you will learn what to do when the light is changing constantly. What you learn about exposure will be one of the great takeaways on every IPT.

Though the pelicans will be the stars of the show on this IPT, there will be many other handsome and captivating subjects in wonderful settings. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

It Ain’t Just Pelicans

With gorgeous subjects just sitting there waiting to have their pictures taken, photographing the pelicans on the cliffs is about as easy as nature photography gets. With the winds from the east almost every morning there is usually some excellent flight photography as well, often with 70-200mm lenses! And the pelicans are almost always doing something interesting: preening, scratching, bill pouch cleaning, or squabbling. And then there are those crazy head throws that are thought to be a form of intra-flock communication. You will be guided as to how to make the best of those opportunities. Depending on the weather, the local conditions, and the tides, there are a variety of other fabulous photo chances available in and around San Diego.

The San Diego Details

These IPTs will include four or five 3-hour morning photo sessions, three or four 1 1/2-hour afternoon photo sessions, and three or four working brunches that will include image review and Photoshop sessions. On rare cloudy days, we may — at the leader’s discretion, stay out in the morning for a long session and skip that afternoon. To ensure early starts, breakfasts will be your responsibility. And so that we can get some sleep, dinners will be on your own as well. In the extremely unlikely event that Goldfish Point is closed due to local ordinance (or whimsy) — that has never happened in the past fifty years, I will of course do my very best to maximize our photographic opportunities.

San Diego offers a wealth of very attractive natural history subjects, including and especially the Pacific race of California Brown Pelican. With annual visits spanning more than four decades, I have lots of photographic experience there … Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

Deposit Info

A $699 deposit is required to hold your slot for one of the 2022/23 San Diego IPTs. You can send a check (made out to “BIRDS AS ART”) to us here: BIRDS AS ART, PO Box 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL, 33855, or call Jim or Jennifer at the office with a credit card at 863-692-0906. Your balance, payable only by check, is due three months before the trip.

Getting Up Early and Staying Out Late

On all BIRDS AS ART IPTs, including and especially the San Diego IPT, we get into the field early to take advantage of unique and often spectacular lighting conditions and we stay out late to maximize the chances of killer light and glorious sunset silhouette situations. We often arrive at the cliffs a full hour before anyone else shows up to check out the landscape and seascape opportunities.

What’s Up?

Again, the dire weather forecast for this week failed to materialize. It rained most of the night and quit at about 6am. There was a strong NW wind so the cloudy skies were a blessing. I did high ISO flight, mostly with the tripod-mounted 600mm f/4. The incoming pelicans were parachuting down with their feet hanging below them as they floated down to land. As the wind dropped, I created many fine images of the male Anna’s Hummingbird — 70 keepers after the first edit! I used the tripod-mounted 600mm f/4 with the 1.4X TC. This bird has been quite reliable this year. I went to Hospitals for the sunset that showed promise but fizzled. I had some nice land/sea/wave-scapes lined up with the tripod-mounted Sony 70-200mm II lens. As I was shooting down from atop the cliff, the zillion tourists were somewhat of a problem.

Today is Thursday 29 December 2022. The forecast is for cloudy with a gentle SE breeze. I will be at the cliffs early. This blog post took about an hour to prepare and makes two hundred seventy-six days in a row with a new, educational post just for you. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.

Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords to get 3% back on your credit card and enjoy free second-day air FedEx. Please, also, consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn!

You can find some great photo accessories (and necessities, like surf booties!) on Amazon by clicking on the Stuff tab on the orange/yellow menu bar above. On a related note, it would be extremely helpful if blog-folks who, like me, spend too much money on Amazon, would get in the habit of clicking on the Amazon logo link on the right side of each blog post when they shop online. As you might expect, doing so will not cost you a single penny, but would be appreciated tremendously by yours truly. And doing so, works seamlessly with your Amazon Prime account.

Please remember that if an item — a Delkin flash card, or a tripod head — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.

Be sure to click on the image to view the larger, high res version. See me in the center of the pupil. Image #1: Pelican Eyeball Self-Portrait

Pelican Eyeball Self-Portrait Courtesy of the Sony a1
And Excellent Long Lens/TC Sharpness Technique

Yes, that is my reflection in the center of the bird’s pupil, working off the tripod just beyond the fence. Pretty sharp, no?

There is a spot at La Jolla where, in certain weather conditions, you can get 15 feet from the pelicans without even trying. You can get a bit closer by putting one leg of the tripod over the fence — just do it slowly. To ensure accurate focus and sufficient depth of field where you need it, learn to use Focus Peaking. Most modern dSLRs and mirrorless bodies offer this feature. With Sony, I set Focus Peaking up so that the in focus overlay is red.

When working with long effective focal lengths and relatively slow shutter speeds, you need to employ your best long lens sharpness techniques. Join me on an IPT to learn exactly how.

The astounding image quality of the a1 speaks for itself in this huge crop of the image below. And the same might be said about my long lens sharpness techniques.

This, the original image for the eyeball crop above, was created on 27 December 2022 at La Jolla, CA. While standing at full height I used the no-longer available Induro GIT 304L tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. ISO 1000. Exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/60 sec. at f/9 (stopped down 1 1/3-stops). AWB at 3:50:15pm on a cloudy afternoon. Manual focus with Focus Peaking performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the higher res version. Image #2: Brown Pelican (Pacific-race) 2-year old resting — face portrait

Looking for Special & Executing the Plan

I walked by this resting young bird about six times while searching for a colorful adult. Each time I passed it, the pink eye-skin called out to me. Finally, I succumbed and went to work. I set up perfectly parallel to the face. I was lucky to have the out-of-focus feathers of the next young pelican as the brown background. Focus Peaking showed me that f/9 covered the face. Experience told me that I could make sharp images at 1/60 sec. at 840mm. And Zebras showed me that I needed ISO 1000 to create a perfect exposure in the low light. Vision plus technique paves the road to making successful images.

Typos

With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.

What’s Up?

Monday morning might have been the most spectacular yet for pelicans. There were more pelicans in La Jolla than I had ever seen in my forty years of visits. With a big surf, there were lot of birds up top. In fact, there were pelicans everywhere. With so many birds, I walked back up the steps and grabbed the 600mm f/4 and the tripod to better isolate single birds. Though I have barely begun to edit the 2155 images, I have already color coded a few very special ones.

Today is Tuesday 27 December 2022. As the weather is supposed to take a turn for the worst for nearly a week, I am not sure what I will be doing in the morning. I am sure, however, that I will get some good and different stuff despite the poor weather. This blog post took 2 1/2-hours to prepare and makes two hundred seventy-four days in a row with a new, educational post just for you. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.

Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords to get 3% back on your credit card and enjoy free second-day air FedEx. Please, also, consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn!

You can find some great photo accessories (and necessities, like surf booties!) on Amazon by clicking on the Stuff tab on the orange/yellow menu bar above. On a related note, it would be extremely helpful if blog-folks who, like me, spend too much money on Amazon, would get in the habit of clicking on the Amazon logo link on the right side of each blog post when they shop online. As you might expect, doing so will not cost you a single penny, but would be appreciated tremendously by yours truly. And doing so, works seamlessly with your Amazon Prime account.

Please remember that if an item — a Delkin flash card, or a tripod head — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.

This image was created in the fog on 23 December 2022 on the third morning of the first San Diego IPT. I used the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 200mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) Working in Shutter Priority + 1.7-stops with Exposure Compensation on the Thumb Dial, Zebra technology was used to determine the correct exposure. AUTO ISO set ISO 2000! 1/250 second at f/6.3 (wide open). AWB at 7:27:47am in dense fog. RawDigger showed the exposure to be dead-solid-perfect. Expand Flexible Spot AF-C with Bird Face-eye Detection enabled performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #1: The Original image

The Original

The JPEG above depicts the raw file for the Brown Pelicans — Pacific race adults on cliff image. Aside from the fog, understand that the image looks washed out because it is properly exposed to the right. Many folks delete such images out of ignorance. With digital capture, it is fairly easy to transform the foggy looking images into fairy crisp, colorful images. I do understand, however, that some folks may prefer a foggier version, even one very close to the original.

Image #2: Adobe Camera Raw settings for the Brown Pelicans — Pacific race adults on cliff in fog image

Adobe Camera Raw Settings

In this case, adjusting the sliders is a good start. In addition to what you see above I did some Color Mixer work as well. I still need to do that video!

Before and After Crop, Add Canvas, and Average Blur Color Balance

As you can see by viewing the animated GIF, I cropped out the young bird on our left, and added lots of canvas right to maintain the 3X2 proportion. The final (and huge to me) improvement was using the Average Blur Color Color Balance technique on a Layer. The results were quite magical as this completely eliminated the overall BLUE cast.

This image was also created on 23 December on the third morning of the first San Diego IPT. I used the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 200mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) Working in Shutter Priority + 1.7-stops with Exposure Compensation on the Thumb Dial, Zebra technology was used to determine the correct exposure. AUTO ISO set ISO 2000! 1/250 second at f/6.3 (wide open). AWB at 7:27:47am in dense fog. RawDigger showed the exposure to be dead-solid-perfect. Expand Flexible Spot AF-C with Bird Face-eye Detection enabled performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #3: The optimized version of the Brown Pelicans — Pacific race adults on cliff image

Your Call?

Do you like the optimized version, Image #3? Or would you prefer a somewhat foggier version?

San Diego IPT ##2 Late Registration Discount Info and In-the-Field Instructional Photo Sessions

Please shoot me an e-mail if you would like to receive the San Diego IPT #2 Late Registration Discount info. Note that due to one cancellation and one switch, there are now two opening on San Diego #2. As I will be in San Diego for five weeks, I have lots of free days for In-the-Field Instructional Sessions, again, e-mail for rates and details.

This all-new card includes images created on my JAN 2022 visit to San Diego. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

Join me in San Diego to photograph the spectacular breeding plumage Brown Pelicans with their fire-engine red and olive green bill pouches; Brandt’s (nesting) and Double-crested Cormorants; breeding plumage Wood and Ring-necked Ducks; other duck species possible including Lesser Scaup, Redhead, Northern Shoveler and Surf Scoter; a variety of gulls including Western, California, and the gorgeous Heermann’s, all in full breeding plumage; shorebirds including Marbled Godwit, Willet, Sanderling and Black-bellied Plover; many others are possible including Least, Western, and Spotted Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Black and Ruddy Turnstone, Semipalmated Plover, and Surfbird; Harbor Seals and California Sea Lions (both depending on the current regulations and restrictions). And as you can see by studying the IPT cards, there are some nice bird-scape and landscape opportunities as well. Not to mention a ton of excellent flight photography opportunities and instruction.

Please note: where permitted and on occasion, ducks and gulls may be attracted (or re-located) with offerings of grains or healthy bread.

San Diego offers a wealth of very attractive natural history subjects, including and especially the Pacific race of California Brown Pelican. With annual visits spanning more than four decades, I have lots of photographic experience there … Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

Learning Exposure, Whether You Like It Or Not

Whether you like it or not, we will be beating the subject of exposure like a dead horse. In every new situation, you will hear my thoughts on exposure along with my thoughts on both Nikon and Canon histograms and SONY Zebras. Whether you like it or not, you will learn to work in manual mode so that you can get the right exposure every time (as long as a bird gives you ten seconds with the light constant). Or two seconds with SONY zebras … And you will learn what to do when the light is changing constantly. What you learn about exposure will be one of the great takeaways on every IPT.

Though the pelicans will be the stars of the show on this IPT, there will be many other handsome and captivating subjects in wonderful settings. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

It Ain’t Just Pelicans

With gorgeous subjects just sitting there waiting to have their pictures taken, photographing the pelicans on the cliffs is about as easy as nature photography gets. With the winds from the east almost every morning there is usually some excellent flight photography as well, often with 70-200mm lenses! And the pelicans are almost always doing something interesting: preening, scratching, bill pouch cleaning, or squabbling. And then there are those crazy head throws that are thought to be a form of intra-flock communication. You will be guided as to how to make the best of those opportunities. Depending on the weather, the local conditions, and the tides, there are a variety of other fabulous photo chances available in and around San Diego.

The San Diego Details

These IPTs will include four or five 3-hour morning photo sessions, three or four 1 1/2-hour afternoon photo sessions, and three or four working brunches that will include image review and Photoshop sessions. On rare cloudy days, we may — at the leader’s discretion, stay out in the morning for a long session and skip that afternoon. To ensure early starts, breakfasts will be your responsibility. And so that we can get some sleep, dinners will be on your own as well. In the extremely unlikely event that Goldfish Point is closed due to local ordinance (or whimsy) — that has never happened in the past fifty years, I will of course do my very best to maximize our photographic opportunities.

San Diego offers a wealth of very attractive natural history subjects, including and especially the Pacific race of California Brown Pelican. With annual visits spanning more than four decades, I have lots of photographic experience there … Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

Deposit Info

A $699 deposit is required to hold your slot for one of the 2022/23 San Diego IPTs. You can send a check (made out to “BIRDS AS ART”) to us here: BIRDS AS ART, PO Box 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL, 33855, or call Jim or Jennifer at the office with a credit card at 863-692-0906. Your balance, payable only by check, is due three months before the trip.

Getting Up Early and Staying Out Late

On all BIRDS AS ART IPTS including and especially the San Diego IPT, we get into the field early to take advantage of unique and often spectacular lighting conditions and we stay out late to maximize the chances of killer light and glorious sunset silhouette situations. We often arrive at the cliffs a full hour before anyone else shows up to check out the landscape and seascape opportunities.

Typos

With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.

Your Call?

Which of today’s four featured images is your favorite? Leave a comment and let us know why you made your choice and you will likely learn something!

What’s Up?

Happy holidays to all.

We spent the last morning of the first San Diego IPT at Santee Lakes. Though it was not the greatest day ever, we had many good chances with Wood and Ring-necked Ducks. And we ended the morning with decent images of a Lewis’s Woodpecker, a rare visitor to San Diego. I took the afternoon off despite the nice weather.

Each of the three pelican mornings has been among the best I have enjoyed in three decades of photographing in San Diego. Remembering that you only live once, you just might want to call Jim at the office at 863-692-0906, leave a deposit for the second or third San Diego, or e-mail me and ask about doing a few In-the-Field Days in January, and then get yourself a flight to San Diego.

Please shoot me an e-mail if you would like to receive the San Diego IPT #2 Late Registration Discount info.

Today is Sunday 25 December 2022. For those who celebrate the holiday, I hope that Santa brought you what you wanted. With clear skies and a NE breeze skies forecast for today, I will surely head to the pelican cliffs. This blog post took two hours to prepare and makes two hundred seventy-two days in a row with a new, educational post just for you. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.

Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords to get 3% back on your credit card and enjoy free second-day air FedEx. Please, also, consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn!

You can find some great photo accessories (and necessities, like surf booties!) on Amazon by clicking on the Stuff tab on the orange/yellow menu bar above. On a related note, it would be extremely helpful if blog-folks who, like me, spend too much money on Amazon, would get in the habit of clicking on the Amazon logo link on the right side of each blog post when they shop online. As you might expect, doing so will not cost you a single penny, but would be appreciated tremendously by yours truly. And doing so, works seamlessly with your Amazon Prime account.

Please remember that if an item — a Delkin flash card, or a tripod head — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.

This image was created on 23 December on the third morning of the first San Diego IPT. I used the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 200mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) Working in Shutter Priority + two-stops with Exposure Compensation on the Thumb Dial, Zebra technology was used to determine the correct exposure. AUTO ISO set ISO 2500! 1/20 second at f/5.6 (wide open). AWB at 6:42:34am about an hour before the sun would crest the hill to the east. RawDigger showed the exposure to be dead-solid-perfect. Expand Flexible Spot AF-C with Bird Face-eye Detection enabled performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #1: Brown Pelican juveniles — pre-dawn landing blur

Necessity, the Mother of Invention

If you insist on making only sharp images in extreme low light conditions, you will be working with unheard of high ISOs. Note that at 1/20 second I needed ISO 2500 to get the right exposure. What would the ISO have been had I been working even at a conservative 1/1600 second for flying birds? I am not gonna take the time to figure it out but even if your camera goes that high, the results would be horrific at best.

My choice is to go with the flow and strive to some create pleasing blurs. Remember that the shower the shutter speed you choose, the lower your percentage of keepers will but that your chance of winning a prestigious contest will be.

This image was also created on 23 December on the third morning of the first San Diego IPT. I used the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 200mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) Working in Shutter Priority + 1.7-stops with Exposure Compensation on the Thumb Dial, Zebra technology was used to determine the correct exposure. AUTO ISO set ISO 2000! 1/250 second at f/6.3 (wide open). AWB at 7:27:47am in dense fog. RawDigger showed the exposure to be dead-solid-perfect. Expand Flexible Spot AF-C with Bird Face-eye Detection enabled performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #2: Brown Pelicans — Pacific race adults on cliff

Working in Shutter Priority!

As regular readers know, I sometimes opt to work in Shutter Priority Mode in low light. That is easiest to do with Sony because of Zebras. It was easy to got from a very low blur shutter speed to the fast enough shutter speed of 1/250. sec. The trick is that you have to know your way around getting the right exposure with whatever gear you are using.

Fog Processing

Because of the fog, the properly exposed raw file for Image #2 was totally flat and lacking contrast and color. I will walking about processing such images in a blog post here soon.

This image was also created on 23 December on the third morning of the first San Diego IPT. I used the hand held Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens (at 102mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. The exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the thumb dial. ISO 640: 1/1250sec. at f/2.8 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 8:39:48am on after the fog returned. Tracking: Spot S AF/C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #3: Brown Pelicans and photographers on the lower shelf

Taking a Walk

While Anar stayed on the cliffs, I took a walk up the steps and down the hill with the handheld 400 f/2.8 and the 70-200 on a Black Rapid Curve Breathe Strap on my shoulder. I used the latter to create Image #3. Here’s a good tip for creating bird scape and scenic images with a zoom lens: always zoom a bit wider so that you have room to crop if need be. With this image, I cropped from above and the right to eliminate a pelican on the right frame-edge

2022/2023 Juvenile Brown Pelicans

The last breeding season was surely a banner one as there are a zillion young of the year birds this year. Some years, you have to search to find two or three juvie. You can tell them from the adults by their brown upper parts and their white bellies. The adults are silver/grey above with speckled charcoal or nearly black bellies.

This image was also created on 23 December on the third morning of the first San Diego IPT. While standing, I used the handheld Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera. The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 1250. 1/1600 sec. at f/3.5 (stopped down 2/3-stop in error) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file exposure was determined to be perfect. AWB at 9:15:33am on a then foggy morning. Tracking: Flexible Spot S AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed to perfection. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #4: Brown Pelican juvenile landing in light fog

The 400mm f/2.8

The lens that I advised against for nearly forty years has become one of my favorites and has been incredibly valuable in San Diego. It is superb for low light flight at La Jolla, especially if you know where to be.

San Diego IPT ##2 Late Registration Discount Info and In-the-Field Instructional Photo Sessions

Please shoot me an e-mail if you would like to receive the San Diego IPT #2 Late Registration Discount info. Note that due to one cancellation and one switch, there are now two opening on San Diego #2. As I will be in San Diego for five weeks, I have lots of free days for In-the-Field Instructional Sessions, again, e-mail for rates and details.

This all-new card includes images created on my JAN 2022 visit to San Diego. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

Join me in San Diego to photograph the spectacular breeding plumage Brown Pelicans with their fire-engine red and olive green bill pouches; Brandt’s (nesting) and Double-crested Cormorants; breeding plumage Wood and Ring-necked Ducks; other duck species possible including Lesser Scaup, Redhead, Northern Shoveler and Surf Scoter; a variety of gulls including Western, California, and the gorgeous Heermann’s, all in full breeding plumage; shorebirds including Marbled Godwit, Willet, Sanderling and Black-bellied Plover; many others are possible including Least, Western, and Spotted Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Black and Ruddy Turnstone, Semipalmated Plover, and Surfbird; Harbor Seals and California Sea Lions (both depending on the current regulations and restrictions). And as you can see by studying the IPT cards, there are some nice bird-scape and landscape opportunities as well. Not to mention a ton of excellent flight photography opportunities and instruction.

Please note: where permitted and on occasion, ducks and gulls may be attracted (or re-located) with offerings of grains or healthy bread.

San Diego offers a wealth of very attractive natural history subjects, including and especially the Pacific race of California Brown Pelican. With annual visits spanning more than four decades, I have lots of photographic experience there … Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

Learning Exposure, Whether You Like It Or Not

Whether you like it or not, we will be beating the subject of exposure like a dead horse. In every new situation, you will hear my thoughts on exposure along with my thoughts on both Nikon and Canon histograms and SONY Zebras. Whether you like it or not, you will learn to work in manual mode so that you can get the right exposure every time (as long as a bird gives you ten seconds with the light constant). Or two seconds with SONY zebras … And you will learn what to do when the light is changing constantly. What you learn about exposure will be one of the great takeaways on every IPT.

Though the pelicans will be the stars of the show on this IPT, there will be many other handsome and captivating subjects in wonderful settings. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

It Ain’t Just Pelicans

With gorgeous subjects just sitting there waiting to have their pictures taken, photographing the pelicans on the cliffs is about as easy as nature photography gets. With the winds from the east almost every morning there is usually some excellent flight photography as well, often with 70-200mm lenses! And the pelicans are almost always doing something interesting: preening, scratching, bill pouch cleaning, or squabbling. And then there are those crazy head throws that are thought to be a form of intra-flock communication. You will be guided as to how to make the best of those opportunities. Depending on the weather, the local conditions, and the tides, there are a variety of other fabulous photo chances available in and around San Diego.

The San Diego Details

These IPTs will include four or five 3-hour morning photo sessions, three or four 1 1/2-hour afternoon photo sessions, and three or four working brunches that will include image review and Photoshop sessions. On rare cloudy days, we may — at the leader’s discretion, stay out in the morning for a long session and skip that afternoon. To ensure early starts, breakfasts will be your responsibility. And so that we can get some sleep, dinners will be on your own as well. In the extremely unlikely event that Goldfish Point is closed due to local ordinance (or whimsy) — that has never happened in the past fifty years, I will of course do my very best to maximize our photographic opportunities.

San Diego offers a wealth of very attractive natural history subjects, including and especially the Pacific race of California Brown Pelican. With annual visits spanning more than four decades, I have lots of photographic experience there … Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

Deposit Info

A $699 deposit is required to hold your slot for one of the 2022/23 San Diego IPTs. You can send a check (made out to “BIRDS AS ART”) to us here: BIRDS AS ART, PO Box 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL, 33855, or call Jim or Jennifer at the office with a credit card at 863-692-0906. Your balance, payable only by check, is due three months before the trip.

Getting Up Early and Staying Out Late

On all BIRDS AS ART IPTS including and especially the San Diego IPT, we get into the field early to take advantage of unique and often spectacular lighting conditions and we stay out late to maximize the chances of killer light and glorious sunset silhouette situations. We often arrive at the cliffs a full hour before anyone else shows up to check out the landscape and seascape opportunities.

Typos

With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.

What’s Up?

Thursday morning was fabulous for pelicans again. And lots more. I filled a 160GB Delkin card for one of the very few times ever. But today’s blog post is about our first afternoon.

There were more than 600 pelicans on the various cliffs on Thursday morning. We experimented with 1/13 second cormorant pan blurs in the pre-dawn light, and then had our best morning of pelican flight once the sun came up. We ended our times on the cliffs with a gorgeous white-necked (pre-breeding plumage) bird up top, the first pelican that we had on the upper cliffs. It was silly tame and the Pacific blue background was to die for. Then we headed south along the coast and had a ton of fun and many great opportunities on several species of shorebirds, a tame Black Phoebe, a coastal raven, and some gulls in flight. We spent the afternoon at Coronado and needed a stronger wind for the gulls in flight. We enjoyed some nice sunrise color along with the gulls and shorebirds. I have been reminded daily of what I love San Diego so much for bird photography.

Remembering that you only live once, you just might want to call Jim at the office at 863-692-0906, leave a deposit for the second or third San Diego, or e-mail me and ask about doing a few In-the-Field Days in January, and then get yourself a flight to San Diego.

Today is Friday 23 December 2022. We will be headed to the pelican cliffs early for the third morning of the first San Diego IPT. This blog post took about 90 minutes to prepare including the time spent on the two image optimizations and makes two hundred seventy days in a row with a new, educational post just for you. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.

Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords to get 3% back on your credit card and enjoy free second-day air FedEx. Please, also, consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn!

You can find some great photo accessories (and necessities, like surf booties!) on Amazon by clicking on the Stuff tab on the orange/yellow menu bar above. On a related note, it would be extremely helpful if blog-folks who, like me, spend too much money on Amazon, would get in the habit of clicking on the Amazon logo link on the right side of each blog post when they shop online. As you might expect, doing so will not cost you a single penny, but would be appreciated tremendously by yours truly. And doing so, works seamlessly with your Amazon Prime account.

Please remember that if an item — a Delkin flash card, or a tripod head — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.

This image was created on 22 December 2022 at La Jolla Shores Beach, CA on the first afternoon of the first San Diego IPT. While standing at full height, I used the handheld Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 250. 1/8000 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file exposure was determined to be dead solid perfect plus a bit, just as I wanted it. AWB at 4:21:26pm on a sunny afternoon. Tracking: Expand Spot AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed to perfection. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #1: Western Gull with backlit wave

Remember, It’s Nature Photography: There are No Guarantees

We headed to La Jolla Shores Beach with high expectations. It was low tide and sunny and the wind from the west. Perfect conditions. There were 378 tourists and college students on the beach, 37 unleashed dogs, and 1 dog on a leash. (Unleashed dogs are of course forbidden). There were no Marbled Godwits, no Whimbrels, no Sanderlings, no Spotted Sandpipers, no Royal Terns, six Western Gulls, two Ring-billed Gulls, and most amazingly, zero Heermann’s Gulls!

We walked more than a mile up the beach without much to show for our efforts. Twenty minutes before sunset, I noticed a Western Gull perched on some offshore rocks. Every time a big wave broke, the gull jumped up and then flew back to its perch. Walking about 75 yards south put the sun behind the rock. When the gull jumped up, the breaking wave was beautifully backlit. I called Anar over and explained what we were after.

I told her to set a fast shutter speed with the wide open aperture, raise the ISO until she had faint Zebras on the sky, and then dial the ISO back 1/3-stop so that there were no Zebras on the sky. She asked, “Why no Zebras?” I explained that when the wave broke the backlit highlights would be very bright. As you can see by our results, that exposure strategy worked perfectly.

This image was created by Anar Daswani on 22 December 2022 at La Jolla Shores Beach, CA on the first afternoon of the first San Diego IPT. She used the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 400. 1/2500 second at f/6.3 (wide-open) in Manual Mode. AWB at 4:34:05pm on a typically sunny morning. RawDigger showed the exposure to be fractionally short of perfect. Expand Flexible Spot S AF-C with performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #2: Western Gull with backlit wave Image courtesy of and copyright 2022 Anar Daswani

Way to Go Anar!

From the first day that I met Anar at Stick Marsh last spring she has been serious about improving her bird photography. She asks lots of good questions and pays attention all the time. On Wednesday afternoon, that paid off big time.

The Best Part of being on an IPT

When Anar saw how I had processed Image #1, she said, “I want some of that!” So at lunch on Tuesday, I created a Camtasia screen capture video of the complete optimization of her image. I will send it to her soon. We do that often on most IPTs and the videos are shared with the participants.

San Diego IPT #1 & #2 Late Registration Discount Info and In-the-Field Instructional Photo Sessions

Please shoot me an e-mail if you would like to receive the San Diego IPT #1 & #2 Late Registration Discount info. Note that due to one cancellation and one switch, there are now two opening on San Diego #2. As I will be in San Diego for five weeks, I have lots of free days for In-the-Field Instructional Sessions, again, e-mail for rates and details.

This all-new card includes images created on my JAN 2022 visit to San Diego. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

Join me in San Diego to photograph the spectacular breeding plumage Brown Pelicans with their fire-engine red and olive green bill pouches; Brandt’s (nesting) and Double-crested Cormorants; breeding plumage Wood and Ring-necked Ducks; other duck species possible including Lesser Scaup, Redhead, Northern Shoveler and Surf Scoter; a variety of gulls including Western, California, and the gorgeous Heermann’s, all in full breeding plumage; shorebirds including Marbled Godwit, Willet, Sanderling and Black-bellied Plover; many others are possible including Least, Western, and Spotted Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Black and Ruddy Turnstone, Semipalmated Plover, and Surfbird; Harbor Seals and California Sea Lions (both depending on the current regulations and restrictions). And as you can see by studying the IPT cards, there are some nice bird-scape and landscape opportunities as well. Not to mention a ton of excellent flight photography opportunities and instruction.

Please note: where permitted and on occasion, ducks and gulls may be attracted (or re-located) with offerings of grains or healthy bread.

San Diego offers a wealth of very attractive natural history subjects, including and especially the Pacific race of California Brown Pelican. With annual visits spanning more than four decades, I have lots of photographic experience there … Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

Learning Exposure, Whether You Like It Or Not

Whether you like it or not, we will be beating the subject of exposure like a dead horse. In every new situation, you will hear my thoughts on exposure along with my thoughts on both Nikon and Canon histograms and SONY Zebras. Whether you like it or not, you will learn to work in manual mode so that you can get the right exposure every time (as long as a bird gives you ten seconds with the light constant). Or two seconds with SONY zebras … And you will learn what to do when the light is changing constantly. What you learn about exposure will be one of the great takeaways on every IPT.

Though the pelicans will be the stars of the show on this IPT, there will be many other handsome and captivating subjects in wonderful settings. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

It Ain’t Just Pelicans

With gorgeous subjects just sitting there waiting to have their pictures taken, photographing the pelicans on the cliffs is about as easy as nature photography gets. With the winds from the east almost every morning there is usually some excellent flight photography as well, often with 70-200mm lenses! And the pelicans are almost always doing something interesting: preening, scratching, bill pouch cleaning, or squabbling. And then there are those crazy head throws that are thought to be a form of intra-flock communication. You will be guided as to how to make the best of those opportunities. Depending on the weather, the local conditions, and the tides, there are a variety of other fabulous photo chances available in and around San Diego.

The San Diego Details

These IPTs will include four or five 3-hour morning photo sessions, three or four 1 1/2-hour afternoon photo sessions, and three or four working brunches that will include image review and Photoshop sessions. On rare cloudy days, we may — at the leader’s discretion, stay out in the morning for a long session and skip that afternoon. To ensure early starts, breakfasts will be your responsibility. And so that we can get some sleep, dinners will be on your own as well. In the extremely unlikely event that Goldfish Point is closed due to local ordinance (or whimsy) — that has never happened in the past fifty years, I will of course do my very best to maximize our photographic opportunities.

San Diego offers a wealth of very attractive natural history subjects, including and especially the Pacific race of California Brown Pelican. With annual visits spanning more than four decades, I have lots of photographic experience there … Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

Deposit Info

A $699 deposit is required to hold your slot for one of the 2022/23 San Diego IPTs. You can send a check (made out to “BIRDS AS ART”) to us here: BIRDS AS ART, PO Box 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL, 33855, or call Jim or Jennifer at the office with a credit card at 863-692-0906. Your balance, payable only by check, is due three months before the trip.

Getting Up Early and Staying Out Late

On all BIRDS AS ART IPTS including and especially the San Diego IPT, we get into the field early to take advantage of unique and often spectacular lighting conditions and we stay out late to maximize the chances of killer light and glorious sunset silhouette situations. We often arrive at the cliffs a full hour before anyone else shows up to check out the landscape and seascape opportunities.

Typos

With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.

What’s Up?

Despite the lack of high surf and only a gentle breeze from the northeast, photography at La Jolla was typically spectacular on my first morning in California.

Remembering that you only live once, you just might want to call Jim at the office at 863-692-0906, leave a deposit for the second or third San Diego, or e-mail me and ask about doing a few In-the-Field Days in January, and then get yourself a flight to San Diego. There were more than 500 pelicans on the cliffs this morning and, as you can see by taking a glance at the seven images below, the light was sublime. Today is Wednesday 21 December 2022. I will be headed to the pelican cliffs early for the first morning of the first IPT. I always go with one, and that is what I will be doing. This blog post took more than two hours to prepare including the time spent on the image optimizations and makes two hundred sixty-eight days in a row with a new, educational post just for you. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.

Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords to get 3% back on your credit card and enjoy free second-day air FedEx. Please, also, consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn!

You can find some great photo accessories (and necessities, like surf booties!) on Amazon by clicking on the Stuff tab on the orange/yellow menu bar above. On a related note, it would be extremely helpful if blog-folks who, like me, spend too much money on Amazon, would get in the habit of clicking on the Amazon logo link on the right side of each blog post when they shop online. As you might expect, doing so will not cost you a single penny, but would be appreciated tremendously by yours truly. And doing so, works seamlessly with your Amazon Prime account.

Please remember that if an item — a Delkin flash card, or a tripod head — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.

This image was created on 20 December 2022 at La Jolla, CA. While seated on red dirt emptying the knee-pod technique I used the handheld Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 1000. 1/640 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file exposure was determined to be dead solid perfect. AWB at 8:49:37am on a faintly cloudy morning. Tracking: Spot S AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed to perfection. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #1: Brown Pelican Pacific-race in breeding plumage

Fluorescent

There were several pelicans, like this one, where the colors about the face and the bill pouch seemed to glow in the soft sunlight, appearing to be a bit fluorescent. The bird in this image was quite cooperative.

This image was created on 20 December 2022 at La Jolla, CA. While standing on the lower cliff I used the handheld Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 400. 1/2500 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file exposure was determined to be perfect. AWB at 9:03:10am on a faintly cloudy morning. Tracking: Spot S AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed to perfection. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #2: Brown Pelicans — Pacific-race in pre-breeding plumage (left) and breeding plumage (right)

Pelicans on the Exact Same Plane

These two birds sat peacefully on the cliff for more than an hour, occasionally preening or doing a head throw. I removed the TC and moved back so as to include both birds in the frame. I moved slightly left and right and eyeballed the depth of field so that both birds were exactly on the same plane. If enlarge the image, you will see that this technique worked perfectly; the eyes of both birds are dead-solid perfect sharp.

This image was created on 20 December 2022 at La Jolla, CA. While standing on the lower cliff I used the handheld Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 640. 1/2500 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file exposure was determined to be 1/3-stop short of perfect. AWB at 9:14:23am on a faintly cloudy morning. Tracking: Flexible Spot S AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed to perfection. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #3: Brown Pelican Pacific-race pre-breeding — head throw from behind

The Slight Underexposure

When making Image #2, the exposure was a compromise because the bird on our right was much brighter than the bird on our left. Thus, when the bird on our left did a head throw, all of the images of only that bird were about 1/3-stop short of perfect. All were razor sharp on the eye. I had gone to vertical and fired off a 26-frame sequence. Remarkably, all of the photos were created within a single second.

This image was created on 20 December 2022 at La Jolla, CA. While standing on the lower cliff I used the handheld Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 640. 1/3200 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file exposure was determined to be perfect. AWB at 9:17:04am on a faintly cloudy morning. Tracking: Flexible Spot S AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed to perfection. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #4: Brown Pelican Pacific-race in breeding plumage in flight

Not Much Flight

With not much wind, there was not much flight photography. I love doing the static birds so much that I often miss good flight opportunities because I am not concentrating on the flying pelicans. It is a hard habit to break as I am addicted to the beauty shots as apposed to the action especially those in the air!

This image was created on 20 December 2022 at La Jolla, CA. While seated on red dirt employing the knee-pod technique I used the handheld Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 800. 1/3200 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file exposure was determined to be perfect. AWB at 9:26:43am on a mostly sunny morning. Tracking: Flexible Spot S AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed to perfection. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #5: Brown Pelican Pacific-race in breeding plumage preening

The Classic Preening Pose

Note that the bird’s bill and face are perfectly parallel to the imaging sensor. As they should be. Note also the killer sweet background that comes with longer rather than shorter focal lengths.

This image was created on 20 December 2022 at La Jolla, CA. While seated on red dirt employing the knee-pod technique I used the handheld Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 1000. 1/640 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file exposure was determined to be perfect. AWB at 9:31:32am on a mostly sunny morning. Tracking: Flexible Spot S AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed to perfection. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #6: Brown Pelican Pacific race in breeding plumage tight underside view of bill pouch during head throw

I’m Too Tight!

Oftentimes, folks see a head throw and fail to press the shutter button because they cannot fit the whole bird into the frame. In those cases, simply acquire focus, compose as best as you can, and press the shutter button. You will clip the bill at times, but you just may come up with a winner.

This image was created on 20 December 2022 at La Jolla, CA. While standing on the lower cliff I used the handheld Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 800. 1/640 sec. at f/2.3 (stopped down 1/3-stop in error) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file exposure was determined within 1/6 stop of perfect. AWB at11:05:57 in the shade on a sunny morning. Tracking: Flexible Spot S AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed to perfection. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #7: Brandt’s Cormorant displaying

The Brandt’s Cormorants

The Brandt’s Cormorants breeding ledge is in full swing with lots of birds flying in with nesting material and lots of birds displaying.

Your Call?

Which of today’s featured images is your favorite? Why?

San Diego IPT #1 & #2 Late Registration Discount Info and In-the-Field Instructional Photo Sessions

Please shoot me an e-mail if you would like to receive the San Diego IPT #1 & #2 Late Registration Discount info. Note that due to one cancellation and one switch, there are now two opening on San Diego #2. As I will be in San Diego for five weeks, I have lots of free days for In-the-Field Instructional Sessions, again, e-mail for rates and details.

This all-new card includes images created on my JAN 2022 visit to San Diego. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

Join me in San Diego to photograph the spectacular breeding plumage Brown Pelicans with their fire-engine red and olive green bill pouches; Brandt’s (nesting) and Double-crested Cormorants; breeding plumage Wood and Ring-necked Ducks; other duck species possible including Lesser Scaup, Redhead, Northern Shoveler and Surf Scoter; a variety of gulls including Western, California, and the gorgeous Heermann’s, all in full breeding plumage; shorebirds including Marbled Godwit, Willet, Sanderling and Black-bellied Plover; many others are possible including Least, Western, and Spotted Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Black and Ruddy Turnstone, Semipalmated Plover, and Surfbird; Harbor Seals and California Sea Lions (both depending on the current regulations and restrictions). And as you can see by studying the IPT cards, there are some nice bird-scape and landscape opportunities as well. Not to mention a ton of excellent flight photography opportunities and instruction.

Please note: where permitted and on occasion, ducks and gulls may be attracted (or re-located) with offerings of grains or healthy bread.

San Diego offers a wealth of very attractive natural history subjects, including and especially the Pacific race of California Brown Pelican. With annual visits spanning more than four decades, I have lots of photographic experience there … Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

Learning Exposure, Whether You Like It Or Not

Whether you like it or not, we will be beating the subject of exposure like a dead horse. In every new situation, you will hear my thoughts on exposure along with my thoughts on both Nikon and Canon histograms and SONY Zebras. Whether you like it or not, you will learn to work in manual mode so that you can get the right exposure every time (as long as a bird gives you ten seconds with the light constant). Or two seconds with SONY zebras … And you will learn what to do when the light is changing constantly. What you learn about exposure will be one of the great takeaways on every IPT.

Though the pelicans will be the stars of the show on this IPT, there will be many other handsome and captivating subjects in wonderful settings. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

It Ain’t Just Pelicans

With gorgeous subjects just sitting there waiting to have their pictures taken, photographing the pelicans on the cliffs is about as easy as nature photography gets. With the winds from the east almost every morning there is usually some excellent flight photography as well, often with 70-200mm lenses! And the pelicans are almost always doing something interesting: preening, scratching, bill pouch cleaning, or squabbling. And then there are those crazy head throws that are thought to be a form of intra-flock communication. You will be guided as to how to make the best of those opportunities. Depending on the weather, the local conditions, and the tides, there are a variety of other fabulous photo chances available in and around San Diego.

The San Diego Details

These IPTs will include four or five 3-hour morning photo sessions, three or four 1 1/2-hour afternoon photo sessions, and three or four working brunches that will include image review and Photoshop sessions. On rare cloudy days, we may — at the leader’s discretion, stay out in the morning for a long session and skip that afternoon. To ensure early starts, breakfasts will be your responsibility. And so that we can get some sleep, dinners will be on your own as well. In the extremely unlikely event that Goldfish Point is closed due to local ordinance (or whimsy) — that has never happened in the past fifty years, I will of course do my very best to maximize our photographic opportunities.

San Diego offers a wealth of very attractive natural history subjects, including and especially the Pacific race of California Brown Pelican. With annual visits spanning more than four decades, I have lots of photographic experience there … Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

Deposit Info

A $699 deposit is required to hold your slot for one of the 2022/23 San Diego IPTs. You can send a check (made out to “BIRDS AS ART”) to us here: BIRDS AS ART, PO Box 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL, 33855, or call Jim or Jennifer at the office with a credit card at 863-692-0906. Your balance, payable only by check, is due three months before the trip.

Getting Up Early and Staying Out Late

On all BIRDS AS ART IPTS including and especially the San Diego IPT, we get into the field early to take advantage of unique and often spectacular lighting conditions and we stay out late to maximize the chances of killer light and glorious sunset silhouette situations. We often arrive at the cliffs a full hour before anyone else shows up to check out the landscape and seascape opportunities.

Typos

With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.

What’s Up?

It was a great weekend for all types of football. On Saturday, the Minnesota Vikings came back from a 33-0 deficit in the second half to win 39-36 on a field goal with 3 seconds left in overtime. It was the biggest-ever comeback in an NFL game. In the third game that day, the Buffalo Bills, after trailing by eight points in the fourth quarter, defeated the Miami Dolphins on a 25-yard field goal in a blizzard with no time left on the clock.

The FIFA World Cup final was boring for 82 minutes as Argentina led France 2-0 from early on. France looked as if they were done for until Kylian Mbappé scored on a penalty kick and followed that a minute later with the tying goal. But Argentina’s legendary Lionel Messi poked the ball into the goal to put Argentina ahead again. But not for long as Mbappé netted a hat trick on his second penalty kick. Regular play lasted 90 minutes plus two additional 15-minute periods plus stoppage time. Both teams had numerous great chances for the last fifty minutes; the action was breathtaking. Each team just missed scoring in the last minute of overtime. When that ended, the game was tied at 3-3. Argentina won 4-2 on penalty kicks.

After winning seven Ballon d’Ors, lifting 38 trophies, and playing over 1,000 games in his career, the World Cup was the only title missing from Messi’s resume. It was fitting that the 35-year-old clinched that elusive title in such a remarkable game. Despite not being not quite good enough to inspire France to successive World Cup titles, Mbappé’s third goal secured him the Golden Boot – a trophy given to the tournament’s top scorer. He scored eight goals in Qatar. Read more here. Better yet, see all the thrilling highlights in the YouTube video here.

Ballon d’Or

Since 1956, an an annual football (soccer) award presented to the world’s best footballer by French news magazine France Football

Today is Monday 19 December. I fly to San Diego for five weeks this morning at 7:15am. I am staying for about five weeks. What can I say? I love the pelicans and the weather. This blog post took about 90 minutes to prepare and makes two hundred sixty-six days in a row with a new, educational post just for you. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.

Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords to get 3% back on your credit card and enjoy free second-day air FedEx. Please, also, consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn!

You can find some great photo accessories (and necessities, like surf booties!) on Amazon by clicking on the Stuff tab on the orange/yellow menu bar above. On a related note, it would be extremely helpful if blog-folks who, like me, spend too much money on Amazon, would get in the habit of clicking on the Amazon logo link on the right side of each blog post when they shop online. As you might expect, doing so will not cost you a single penny, but would be appreciated tremendously by yours truly. And doing so, works seamlessly with your Amazon Prime account.

Please remember that if an item — a Delkin flash card, or a tripod head — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.

This image was created on 13 December 2022 down by the Lake near my home at ILE. I used the BLUBB-supported Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO ???. 1/500 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file exposure was determined to be quite excellent — see more below. AWB at 6:58:39am on a cloudy morning about ten minutes before the time of sunrise. Tracking: Flexible Spot/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed to perfection. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Crested Caracara — large crop

Image Quality Factors

Many factors determine image quality. Among those are sharpness, clarity, color, and fine detail. The higher the quality of the sensor in your camera and the lens you are using, the better the image quality will be (all else being equal). Understand that cropping always degrades image quality. In addition, and in general, the higher the ISO, the poorer the image quality will be (again, all else being equal).

The JPEG for today’s featured image was created from a TIF file that was cropped dramatically; it represented only 13.5% of the original pixels. 86.5% of the original pixels were cropped away and discarded.

Study the EXIF, enlarge the photo and check out the image quality, put everything together, and leave a comment with your best estimate of the ISO used to create the image.

In which area is today’s featured image most lacking?

Typos

With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.

San Diego Burrowing Owls

If you know the Burrowing Owl location about an hour from San Diego, please get in touch with me via e-mail.

Iceland

My decades-long dream of spending time on Grimsey Island, Iceland, with the puffins — 13 days in this case!, will be realized this coming July. I am doing back-to-back trips as a participant. If anyone would like information on the world’s greatest Iceland/Atlantic Puffin trip this coming July, please contact me via e-mail.

What’s Up?

The story of what I did on Friday morning will be shared in tomorrow’s blog post. I did get lots of packing done for San Diego, and still have lots more to do today.

Speaking of which, today is Saturday 17 December 2022. I will be overnighting in an airport hotel at MCO on Sunday night as my flight on Monday morning is scheduled to depart at 7:15am. I will be on an early shuttle! The forecast for this morning is for mostly cloudy skies with a breeze from the northeast. I may head down to the lake after I publish today’s post. This blog post took about 90 minutes to prepare and makes two hundred sixty-four days in a row with a new, educational post just for you. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.

Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords to get 3% back on your credit card and enjoy free second-day air FedEx. Please, also, consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn!

You can find some great photo accessories (and necessities, like surf booties!) on Amazon by clicking on the Stuff tab on the orange/yellow menu bar above. On a related note, it would be extremely helpful if blog-folks who, like me, spend too much money on Amazon, would get in the habit of clicking on the Amazon logo link on the right side of each blog post when they shop online. As you might expect, doing so will not cost you a single penny, but would be appreciated tremendously by yours truly. And doing so works seamlessly with your Amazon Prime account.

Please remember that if an item — a Delkin flash card, or a tripod head — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.

Bedfords Amazing BAA Discount Policy

Folks who have fallen in love with Bedfords can now use the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout to enjoy a post-purchase, 3% off-statement credit (excluding taxes and shipping charges) on orders paid with a credit card. The 3% credit will be refunded to the card you used for your purchase. Be sure, also, to check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. This offer does not apply to purchases of Classes, Gift Cards, or to any prior purchases.

Money Saving Reminder

Many have learned that if you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H and would like to enjoy getting 3% back on your credit card along with free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex Air shipping, your best bet is to click here, place an order with Bedfords, and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If an item is out of stock, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592 (Central time). Be sure to mention the BIRDSASART coupon code and check the box for Free Shipping. That will automatically upgrade to free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H and everywhere else. The waitlists at the big stores can be a year or longer for the hard-to-get items. Steve will surely get you your gear long before that. For the past year, he has been helping BAA Blog folks get their hands on items like the SONY a 1, the SONY 200-600 G OSS lens, the Canon EOS R5, the Canon RF 100-500mm lens, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is personable, helpful, and eager to please.

Important Note

As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small percentage when you purchase from Amazon after using any of the Amazon links on the blog (including the logo-link on the right side of each blog post page). My affiliate link works fine with Amazon Prime and using it will not cost you a single cent. Huge thanks, BTW 🙂

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are — out of ignorance — using the wrong gear, especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads. And the same is true in spades when ordering new camera bodies or lenses. My advice will often save you some serious money and may help you avoid making a seriously bad choice. Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. If you are desperate, you can try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.

This image was created on Thursday 15 December 2022 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Standing at the bottom of the slope down to the canal that separates the South Peninsula from the South Field, I used the handheld Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with Exposure Compensation on the thumb dial. Shutter Priority +2-stops. AUTO ISO set ISO 640: 1/3200 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open). When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file exposure was determined to be about 1/6 stop short of dead-solid perfect. AWB at 7:17:26am just before the sun came over the distant trees. Tracking: Zone AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed perfectly even at 1200mm. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Two Black Vultures (on our left) and one Turkey Vulture, perched for the last time my favorite Vulture Tree

The Last Sunrise

As the folks at ILE had cut down the largest of the three Vulture Trees on Wednesday morning, I figured that the last two would go down on Thursday. So, I arrived early and with some light clouds on the eastern horizon, I enjoyed some nice sunrise color. The sun rose, and then the end came.

Your Call?

Which of today’s two featured images do you like best? If you leave a comment, please let us know why you made your choice.

This image was also created on Thursday 15 December 2022 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Again, standing at the bottom of the slope down to the canal that separates the South Peninsula from the South Field, I used the handheld Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with Exposure Compensation on the thumb dial. Shutter Priority at the metered exposure. AUTO ISO set ISO 100: 1/6400 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open). When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file exposure was determined to be a bit hotter than dead solid perfect. It was easy to tame the brightest area in the sun during the raw conversion. AWB at 7:21:48am just after sunrise. Tracking: Zone AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed perfectly even at 1200mm. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. A single Turkey Vultures enjoying its last sunrise perched on my favorite Vulture Tree

Leaving the Scene

Several of the vultures roosting in the live pine trees took flight when the ILE forestry bucket truck arrived on the scene providing one last dead tree photo opp. I knew what was coming. As the chain saw was started, I toyed with the idea of making a photograph of the tree falling but could not bear to watch. On my Friday morning visit, I noted that the last remaining Vulture Tree, the one farthest south, had also been taken down on Thursday. Three down, none to go. Bummer.

San Diego IPT #1 & #2 Late Registration Discount Info and In-the-Field Instructional Photo Sessions

Please shoot me an e-mail if you would like to receive the San Diego IPT #1 & #2 Late Registration Discount info. Note that due to one cancellation and one switch, there are now two opening on San Diego #2. As I will be in San Diego for five weeks, I have lots of free days for In-the-Field Instructional Sessions, again, e-mail for rates and details.

This all-new card includes images created on my JAN 2022 visit to San Diego. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

Join me in San Diego to photograph the spectacular breeding plumage Brown Pelicans with their fire-engine red and olive green bill pouches; Brandt’s (nesting) and Double-crested Cormorants; breeding plumage Wood and Ring-necked Ducks; other duck species possible including Lesser Scaup, Redhead, Northern Shoveler and Surf Scoter; a variety of gulls including Western, California, and the gorgeous Heermann’s, all in full breeding plumage; shorebirds including Marbled Godwit, Willet, Sanderling and Black-bellied Plover; many others are possible including Least, Western, and Spotted Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Black and Ruddy Turnstone, Semipalmated Plover, and Surfbird; Harbor Seals and California Sea Lions (both depending on the current regulations and restrictions). And as you can see by studying the IPT cards, there are some nice bird-scape and landscape opportunities as well. Not to mention a ton of excellent flight photography opportunities and instruction.

Please note: where permitted and on occasion, ducks and gulls may be attracted (or re-located) with offerings of grains or healthy bread.

San Diego offers a wealth of very attractive natural history subjects, including and especially the Pacific race of California Brown Pelican. With annual visits spanning more than four decades, I have lots of photographic experience there … Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

Learning Exposure, Whether You Like It Or Not

Whether you like it or not, we will be beating the subject of exposure like a dead horse. In every new situation, you will hear my thoughts on exposure along with my thoughts on both Nikon and Canon histograms and SONY Zebras. Whether you like it or not, you will learn to work in manual mode so that you can get the right exposure every time (as long as a bird gives you ten seconds with the light constant). Or two seconds with SONY zebras … And you will learn what to do when the light is changing constantly. What you learn about exposure will be one of the great takeaways on every IPT.

Though the pelicans will be the stars of the show on this IPT, there will be many other handsome and captivating subjects in wonderful settings. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

It Ain’t Just Pelicans

With gorgeous subjects just sitting there waiting to have their pictures taken, photographing the pelicans on the cliffs is about as easy as nature photography gets. With the winds from the east almost every morning there is usually some excellent flight photography as well, often with 70-200mm lenses! And the pelicans are almost always doing something interesting: preening, scratching, bill pouch cleaning, or squabbling. And then there are those crazy head throws that are thought to be a form of intra-flock communication. You will be guided as to how to make the best of those opportunities. Depending on the weather, the local conditions, and the tides, there are a variety of other fabulous photo chances available in and around San Diego.

The San Diego Details

These IPTs will include four or five 3-hour morning photo sessions, three or four 1 1/2-hour afternoon photo sessions, and three or four working brunches that will include image review and Photoshop sessions. On rare cloudy days, we may — at the leader’s discretion, stay out in the morning for a long session and skip that afternoon. To ensure early starts, breakfasts will be your responsibility. And so that we can get some sleep, dinners will be on your own as well. In the extremely unlikely event that Goldfish Point is closed due to local ordinance (or whimsy) — that has never happened in the past fifty years, I will of course do my very best to maximize our photographic opportunities.

San Diego offers a wealth of very attractive natural history subjects, including and especially the Pacific race of California Brown Pelican. With annual visits spanning more than four decades, I have lots of photographic experience there … Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

Deposit Info

A $699 deposit is required to hold your slot for one of the 2022/23 San Diego IPTs. You can send a check (made out to “BIRDS AS ART”) to us here: BIRDS AS ART, PO Box 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL, 33855, or call Jim or Jennifer at the office with a credit card at 863-692-0906. Your balance, payable only by check, is due three months before the trip.

Getting Up Early and Staying Out Late

On all BIRDS AS ART IPTS including and especially the San Diego IPT, we get into the field early to take advantage of unique and often spectacular lighting conditions and we stay out late to maximize the chances of killer light and glorious sunset silhouette situations. We often arrive at the cliffs a full hour before anyone else shows up to check out the landscape and seascape opportunities.

Typos

With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.

What’s Up

As it was very cloudy and dark on Wednesday morning, I opted to stay in. I spent several hours making travel arrangements for three big trips coming up next spring and summer. And I got started packing for my San Diego trip. As you will see below, my short evening session just before sunset was fun, challenging, and productive.

Today is Thursday 15 December. The forecast for the morning is for partly cloudy skies with a breeze from the south. I will head down to the lake for a bit. This blog post took about an hour to prepare and makes two hundred sixty-two days in a row with a new, educational post just for you. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.

Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords to get 3% back on your credit card and enjoy free second-day air FedEx. Please, also, consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn!

You can find some great photo accessories (and necessities, like surf booties!) on Amazon by clicking on the Stuff tab on the orange/yellow menu bar above. On a related note, it would be extremely helpful if blog-folks who, like me, spend too much money on Amazon, would get in the habit of clicking on the Amazon logo link on the right side of each blog post when they shop online. As you might expect, doing so will not cost you a single penny, but would be appreciated tremendously by yours truly. And doing so works seamlessly with your Amazon Prime account.

Please remember that if an item — a Delkin flash card, or a tripod head — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.

This image was created on 14 December 2022 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Seated on the South Field I used the handheld Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with Exposure Compensation on the thumb dial. Shutter Priority +1 stop. AUTO ISO set ISO 500: 1/1250 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open). When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file exposure was determined to be a bit hot in the RED channel but was easy to work with during the raw conversion. AWB at 5:27:27pm right before sunset. Tracking: Zone AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed perfectly even at 1200mm. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Sandhill Crane head portrait with sun ball

It Ain’t Easy

I’ve been trying for this exact image at 800mm handheld for about a week.

Here are the requirements:

1- A crane in a relatively open spot
2- A crane that quits feeding and stands tall every once in a while
3- A setting sun very close to the horizon that is partially muted by very light clouds or by some moisture in the air. The latter conditions are fairly common at ILE.

Working handheld at 800mm presents many problems:

1- In order to place the bird’s head in the sun ball you need to be on the ground or kneeling.
2- Before you get low, you need to place the bird directly in line with the sun.
3- If the bird moves left or right, you need to move in the same direction. Sometimes this can be done by scooching. Otherwise, you need to get up and then down again. It helps that the cranes at ILE are very tame.
4- Once you are low, you must first acquire focus. This is best done by pointing the lens at the crane’s body and then raising the lens to frame the image with the bird’s head placed pleasingly in the sun ball. If you point the lens at the bird’s head with the sun ball right behind it, AF simply will not work most of the time.
5- The exposure compensation must be adjusted depending on the brightness of the sun. With Sony you have a chance as you aim for just a few Zebras on the sun ball.
6- The biggest challenge is fine-tuning the image design. Though the Sony 400 f/2.8 is only four ounces lighter than the 600mm f/4, it is much easier to handhold because it is shorter and much of the weight is to the rear. That said, the rig weighs a shade under nine pounds. Most folks can hold the lens up only for a few seconds before lactic acid builds up and their left arm begins shaking. How difficult is it to frame these images with this gear? Out of the 212 images that I created, all but a very few were badly mis-framed.

I guess if it were easy, it would not be so rewarding when everything falls into place.

Note: If you go to a lighter lens like the Sony 200-600mm, the size of the sun ball would be greatly reduced. As I typed the preceding sentence, I realized that the 200-600 with the 1.4X TC might be a better choice, albeit at much higher ISOs as you would be working wide open at f/9.

All images on this card were created by Arthur Morris on the Hooptie Deux at Alafia Banks

2023 Spoonbill Boat 1-1/2 DAY MINI-IPT: $1199.00.00. Limit: 5 photographers/Openings: 3.

A full day on WED 15 FEB and the morning of Thursday 16 FEB 2023: 1 1/2 days.

Two morning and one afternoon photo session (weather permitting) via customized pontoon boat.

For early-arriving folks, artie is throwing in a free afternoon In-the-Field session at a little-known but very active rookery in North Tampa on Tuesday 14 February.

We will be leaving the dock in Gibsonton, FL very early for the morning sessions in hopes of photographing a pre-dawn White Ibis blast-off and creating some dramatic silhouettes or pleasing blurs. The morning sessions are planned for the Alafia Banks Roseate Spoonbill Rookery. We have several options for the afternoons including returning to Alafia. We may spend one afternoon on foot at the North Tampa rookery mentioned above. There will be lots of opportunities for flight photography of several species including and especially Roseate Spoonbill. Also likely for flight photography are nesting Brown Pelican, Great Blue Heron, and Double Crested Cormorant, many carrying nesting material. This IPT includes all boat and guide fees, in-the-field instruction from two great leaders, chest waders (feel free to bring your own of course to assure a perfect fit), and three working lunches (Monday thru Wednesday). For the most part we will be standing in mid-calf to knee-deep water behind our tripods. We help you get in and out of the boat safely with your gear. This is likely not the best trip for folks with mobility or balance problems. Note however that some folks opt to stay on the boat to photograph. They usually have lots of chances for flight photography of spoonbills and other species but are almost always pretty far away from the spoonbills that land.

Mid-February is prime time for photographing spoonbills at the absolute peak of breeding plumage. For unknown reasons, the spoonbills at Alafia are much more colorful than the birds that breed at Stick Marsh later in the season. The Hooptie IPT represents an incredible opportunity and I do hope that you can join us. All of the images on the cards were made on the Hooptie Duex during the last two weeks of February, prime time for the spoonies in mega-breeding plumage.

You may hold your spot with an e-mail request. Then, you may either secure your spot by calling Jim or Jennifer at the office at 863-692-0906 and leaving the $599 deposit on credit card or sending your check for payment in full to us as follows with the check made out to:

BIRDS AS ART

Please send it via US mail here:

BIRDS AS ART
PO BOX 7245
Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855

If you call to leave your deposit, you will be asked to mail your check for the balance ASAP. Be sure to give us your e-mail address.

Everybody Wants Spoonbills!

Roseate Spoonbill is one of if not the most sought after avian photographic subjects in Florida. They are generally hard to find and somewhat difficult to approach. They are relatively easy to find at Alafia Banks—heck, you can’t miss seeing them, but even there they can on some days be somewhat difficult to approach. On some days we may be able to get ridiculously close to them. The huge incentive to get out to Alafia Banks in mid-February is the chance to photograph this species at the height of its spectacular breeding plumage…. with long telephoto lenses. A 500 or 600 with a 1.4X TC is perfect for flight.

As above, there will — weather permitting — three boat trips — 2 mornings and 1 afternoon — on this MINI IPT. All to Alafia Banks for spoonbills and Brown Pelicans (with lots of flight photography often with the birds likely carrying nesting material), Double-crested Cormorants, ibises (both Glossy and White) in breeding plumage. Many of the White Ibises will be sporting their spectacular, distended, red, naked (un-feathered) throat pouches—typically larger in the females. In addition, we may get to photograph egrets including Great and Reddish, both in full breeding plumage, shorebirds, and more. There will be lots of flight photography opportunities. Afternoon trips either to Alafia Banks for spoonbills and more or to a more sheltered inland rookery location for a variety of nesting birds. In the event of horrific weather artie will either take the group to Fort DeSoto or will conduct an image review/Photoshop session. This IPT includes lunches on the full day with small group image sharing and review and some over-the-shoulder Photoshop instruction.

The 2023 Expanded Winter/Spoonbill Boat/DeSoto 3 1/2-DAY IPT: $2099.00.00. Limit: 5 photographers/Openings 3

MON 13 FEB thru the full day on TUES 14 FEB 2023 + 1 1/2 days on the spoonbill boat: a full day on WED 15 FEB and the morning of Thursday 16 FEB 2023: 1 1/2 days

Bird photographers, especially those wishing to escape the snow, ice, and freezing winter temperatures to the north of sunny Florida, can add two mornings at Fort DeSoto an afternoon at the little-known but fabulous rookery north of Tampa, and a second (free) afternoon at that same rookery, to the 1 1/2 days on the Spoonbill Boat. Shared lodging is a possibility. DeSoto is one of the very few bird photography hotspots that has the possibility of being great on any day of the year. It is generally superb in winter with lots of wading birds, terns, both species of pelicans, many species of shorebirds including Marbled Godwit, and lots of flight photography.

You can hold your spot with an e-mail request. Then, you may either secure your spot by calling Jim or Jennifer at the office at 863-692-0906 and leaving the $599 deposit on your credit card or sending your check for payment in full to us as follows with the check made out to:

BIRDS AS ART

Please send it via US mail here:

BIRDS AS ART
PO BOX 7245
Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855

If you call to leave your deposit, you will be asked to mail your check for the balance ASAP. Be sure to give us your e-mail address.

Typos

With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM

BAA Record-low Price!

Neal McEwen is offering a Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens in excellent condition for a BAA record-low by far $1099.00. The lens was recently serviced by CPS with the 11-Point EF Lens Maintenance Service. The sale includes the original box and packing materials, the front and rear lens caps, the tripod collar, the lens hood, the carrying case with strap, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Neal via e-mail or by phone at 1-404-326-0505 (Eastern time zone).

This incredibly versatile zoom lens — with its amazing .98-meter close focus — was my favorite Canon telephoto zoom lens ever. By far. It is easy to hand hold, great for tight portraits, for birds in flight, for quasi-macro stuff, and lots more. For flight, it is fabulous with an EOS R, R5, R6, or R7! This lens sells new for $2399.00 so you can save a handsome $1300.00 by grabbing Neal’s lens ASAP. artie

What’s Up?

Monday morning dawned cloudy-dark; didn’t head down to the lake till about 8:00am. I worked a small flock of Cattle Egrets from the car with the handheld 400mm f/2.8 and amazingly, got a few nice flight images. Then I hung out at the Vulture Trees for a while. Today, the Black Vultures predominated. I tried some high ISO flight. Then I made a few snaps of the eagle on eggs. I kept 16 images out of 280. The f/2.8 aperture comes in quite handy on dark days.

There have been six or seven ILE work trucks down by the lake each morning tidying up nature. Last week they cut down a tall Cabbage Palm trunk with several Red-bellied Woodpecker nest holes. In spring and summer, it served daily as an Osprey breakfast perch. And two years ago, a young pair built a practice nest atop it. On Sunday past, they cut down a live Cabbage Palm that had been growing on a slant. Yesterday, they used a large brush hog machine to shave the vegetated western slope of the canal between the South Peninsula and the South Field. Bye-bye nesting and shattering habitat for birds and wildlife, feeding areas for birds, bugs, and Marsh Rabbits, along with thousands of wildflowers.

Concerned that they might cut down the three dead Vulture Trees or even the eagle nest tree, I e-mailed ILE’s Public Works Superintendent explaining the value of standing dead trees as places for birds and other wildlife to feed, nest, rest, and hunt from. He wrote back stating that his job was to do exactly what the board of directors told him to do. So much for educating folks.

Today is Tuesday 13 December 2022. The forecast for this morning is for clear and sunny with a breeze from the north. I will head down to the lake early to work the backlit Vulture Trees again. This blog post took less than an hour to prepare and makes two hundred sixty-one days in a row with a new, educational post just for you. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.

Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords to get 3% back on your credit card and enjoy free second-day air FedEx. Please, also, consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn!

You can find some great photo accessories (and necessities, like surf booties!) on Amazon by clicking on the Stuff tab on the orange/yellow menu bar above. On a related note, it would be extremely helpful if blog-folks who, like me, spend too much money on Amazon, would get in the habit of clicking on the Amazon logo link on the right side of each blog post when they shop online. As you might expect, doing so will not cost you a single penny, but would be appreciated tremendously by yours truly. And doing so works seamlessly with your Amazon Prime account.

Please remember that if an item — a Delkin flash card, or a tripod head — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.

Brand-New and As-Good-As-Ever Bedfords BAA Discount Policy

Folks who have fallen in love with Bedfords can now use the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout to enjoy a post-purchase, 3% off-statement credit (excluding taxes and shipping charges) on orders paid with a credit card. The 3% credit will be refunded to the card you used for your purchase. Be sure, also, to check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. This offer does not apply to purchases of Classes, Gift Cards, or to any prior purchases.

Money Saving Reminder

Many have learned that if you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H and would like to enjoy getting 3% back on your credit card along with free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex Air shipping, your best bet is to click here, place an order with Bedfords, and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If an item is out of stock, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592 (Central time). Be sure to mention the BIRDSASART coupon code and check the box for Free Shipping. That will automatically upgrade to free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H and everywhere else. The waitlists at the big stores can be a year or longer for the hard-to-get items. Steve will surely get you your gear long before that. For the past year, he has been helping BAA Blog folks get their hands on items like the SONY a 1, the SONY 200-600 G OSS lens, the Canon EOS R5, the Canon RF 100-500mm lens, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is personable, helpful, and eager to please.

Important Note

As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small percentage when you purchase from Amazon after using any of the Amazon links on the blog (including the logo-link on the right side of each blog post page). My affiliate link works fine with Amazon Prime and using it will not cost you a single cent. Huge thanks, BTW 🙂

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are — out of ignorance — using the wrong gear, especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads. And the same is true in spades when ordering new camera bodies or lenses. My advice will often save you some serious money and may help you avoid making a seriously bad choice. Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. If you are desperate, you can try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.

This image was created on 12 December 2022 down by the lake near my home at ILE. Seated in the driver’s seat of my SUV, I used the handheld Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 1600. 1/2000 sec. at f/2.98 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file brightness was determined to be dead-solid perfect (ho hum). AWB at 8:41:43am on dark cloudy morning. Tracking: Spot S AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed to perfection. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version and see the bird in the nest. Image #1: Bald Eagle — adult on eggs. December 2022, after Hurricane Ian

The Depth of Field Question (Again)

In the It Was The Frog’s Fault! blog post here, referring to the bird/tree-scape silhouette (created with the wide open 400mm f/2.8 GM lens), I asked:

Why was there no need to stop down two or three stops to render the trees and birds sharp?

Image #1 above was also created at f/2.8. Why was everything sharp at f/2.8?

This image was created on 27 December 2021 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 332mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 640. 1/5000 second at f/8 (stopped down 2/3-stop) in Manual Mode. AWB at 7:41:58am on a foggy morning. RawDigger showed the exposure to be perfect. Tracking: Spot S AF-C with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #2: The Bald Eagle nest tree backlit — December 2021, before Hurricane Ian

Hurricane Ian

Compare the nest tree in Image #1 with the nest tree in Image #2. It is hard to believe that it is the same tree. Hurricane Ian blew off the crown of the tree above the nest. I am glad that the birds opted to re-nest. Last year, as first-time parents, they had one egg and fledged the chick. It is likely that they laid two or three eggs this year. The birds were on eggs on November 13. Eagle eggs hatch one to several days apart depending on when they were laid. The first egg hatches consistently after 35 days of incubation. Time will tell. I will be on the plane to San Diego on 19 December.

Eagle chicks often kill their siblings during the first few weeks in the nest. At seven to eight weeks of age, the young eaglets will begin exercising their wings by flapping them vigorously. Soon afterwards they begin branching, hopping to branches near the nest. Most young eagles fledge at about 12 weeks and hang around the nest for several months. As I get home from San Diego on 24 January, fly to Anchorage for the Homer IPTs on 18 February, and get back to ILE late on 9 March, I will miss lots of action at this year’s nest.

The BAA Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide You can purchase your copy here in the BAA Online Store.

The BAA Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide

126 pages, 87 photographs by Joe Przybyla and Arthur Morris.
The PDF for this e-Guide is an electronic download sent via e-mail.

Purchase your copy here in the BAA Online Store.

I had thought about doing a guide to some of the great but little-known photo hotspots around central Florida for about a decade, but those plans never came to fruition. I met Joe online in the Avian Forum at BirdPhotographer’s.Net about two years ago. Joe’s photography has improved tremendously over the past few years; he credits the BAA blog, my books and PDFs, and his participation on BPN. The one thing that I learned right from the get-go about Joe is that he is a hard and tenacious worker, always striving to improve his skills and to grow his knowledge base. As he knew of more than a few good spots in central Florida, I broached the idea of us doing a photographic site guide that covered many of the little-known photographic hotspots from Brandon to Lakeland to Joe Overstreet Road to Indian Lake Estates (my Florida home for the past 20 years or so). After more than many, many dozens of hours of effort, The BIRDS AS ART Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide is now a reality. Thanks to Joe’s wife Dottie for her review of our writing. We all learned once again that writing is a process, a back and forth process. All thanks to the white pelicans of Lakeland. Here are the locations that are detailed in this e-Guide:

• Indian Lake Estates: Sandhills Cranes with chicks and colts, lots of vultures, and Ospreys up the kazoo!
• Gatorland, Kissimmee: Learn to make great images of wading birds in a cluttered rookery.
• The Brandon Rookery: Great for nesting Wood Storks, Great Egrets, and more.
• Circle Bar B Reserve, Lakeland: Here you will find a great variety of avian subjects in a great variety of habitats.
• Lake Morton, Lakeland: There are lots of silly tame birds here including and especially American White Pelican during the colder months.
• Lake Mirror, Lakeland: Tame Anhingas, Limpkins, and a zillion White Ibises at times.
• West Lake Parker, Lakeland: Here you will have a chance for two difficult birds, Snail Kite, and Purple Gallinule.
• Joe Overstreet Road, Kenansville: Crested Caracara, meadowlarks, Loggerhead Shrike, and much more on the fenceposts and barbed wire.

Each location includes a map, a detailed description of the best spots, best season, light and time of day instructions, the expected species, and an educational and inspirational gallery that is designed to open your eyes as to the possibilities.

You can purchase a copy here in the BAA Online Store.

Typos

With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/4E PF ED VR Lens with extra

BAA Record-low Price!
Price Reduced $200 on 12/10/22

John Armitage is offering a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/4E PF ED VR lens in excellent condition for a BAA record low $1,195.95 (was $1,395.95). The sale includes the original tripod mount, a Lens Collar Support Tripod Mount Ring RT-1 for Nikon AF-S 300mm f/4E PF ED VR lens (a $29.99 value), the soft case, the front and rear caps, the original box, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact John via e-mail

The skilled and venerable Anita Gail Erica North owned and used this very sharp lens a lot on her international travels when she shot Nikon. It is light in weight and focuses quickly and accurately. artie

What’s Up?

The fog was dense on Saturday morning and did not burn off until almost 11am. I created a few interesting images with the 400 f/2.8 — the best was a caracara take-off blur. There were lots of dewy spider webs but with no light and a stiff breeze from the NW, photographing them was impossible (even with digital). I spent most of the day relaxing and watching the last two World Cup soccer games. Kudos to Morocco and defending champion France for advancing to the semi-finals. Today is Sunday 11 December 2022. Though it is mostly clear with a NW wind, I will head down to the lake early looking for some more Vulture Tree silhouettes. This blog post took more than three hours to prepare, more than half of that trying to learn to make arrow shapes in Photoshop! Today makes two hundred fifty-nine days in a row with a new, educational post just for you. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.

Be sure to check out the Camera Gear Shipping Warning item below.

Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords to get 3% back on your credit card and enjoy free second-day air FedEx. Please, also, consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn!

You can find some great photo accessories (and necessities, like surf booties!) on Amazon by clicking on the Stuff tab on the orange/yellow menu bar above. On a related note, it would be extremely helpful if blog-folks who, like me, spend too much money on Amazon, would get in the habit of clicking on the Amazon logo link on the right side of each blog post when they shop online. As you might expect, doing so will not cost you a single penny, but would be appreciated tremendously by yours truly. And doing so works seamlessly with your Amazon Prime account.

Please remember that if an item — a Delkin flash card, or a tripod head — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.

Photo Gear Shipping Warning

On Friday afternoon I sent my Sony 600mm f/4 in the lens trunk in the original shipping carton with the protective styrofoam corners in place. I used UPS Ground Insured.

When you need to send any photography gear anywhere do NOT be tempted by the lower rates offered by the United States Postal Service. Last year I sent a Canon RF 100-500 to the UK using the post office. It was lost in a matter of days. It simply disappeared off the radar screen. Though it was insured, and we had all the paperwork, the post office had no idea where it was. I actually got the insurance money amazingly quickly, but the whole thing was a huge hassle.

Consider this one via e-mail from IPT veteran Bill Wingfied:

I sold the Canon 600mm f/4 lens to Jack Jeffrey in Hawaii on the Big Island. The lens reached Hilo and the post office there would not deliver it to Jack or give it to him personally as I had addressed it to his street address and the USPS will only deliver registered mail to a PO Box! It has been almost a month and it is still not back to me. I hope to get it this week, check it to be sure there is no damage, and ship it back to him.

Can you say “insanity”?

Fed-Ex wanted $400.00; the post office only $180.00. Bill was tempted and wound up paying the price.

Brand-New and As-Good-As-Ever Bedfords BAA Discount Policy

Folks who have fallen in love with Bedfords can now use the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout to enjoy a post-purchase, 3% off-statement credit (excluding taxes and shipping charges) on orders paid with a credit card. The 3% credit will be refunded to the card you used for your purchase. Be sure, also, to check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. This offer does not apply to purchases of Classes, Gift Cards, or to any prior purchases.

Money Saving Reminder

Many have learned that if you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H and would like to enjoy getting 3% back on your credit card along with free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex Air shipping, your best bet is to click here, place an order with Bedfords, and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If an item is out of stock, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592 (Central time). Be sure to mention the BIRDSASART coupon code and check the box for Free Shipping. That will automatically upgrade to free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H and everywhere else. The waitlists at the big stores can be a year or longer for the hard-to-get items. Steve will surely get you your gear long before that. For the past year, he has been helping BAA Blog folks get their hands on items like the SONY a 1, the SONY 200-600 G OSS lens, the Canon EOS R5, the Canon RF 100-500mm lens, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is personable, helpful, and eager to please.

Important Note

As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small percentage when you purchase from Amazon after using any of the Amazon links on the blog (including the logo-link on the right side of each blog post page). My affiliate link works fine with Amazon Prime and using it will not cost you a single cent. Huge thanks, BTW 🙂

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are — out of ignorance — using the wrong gear, especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads. And the same is true in spades when ordering new camera bodies or lenses. My advice will often save you some serious money and may help you avoid making a seriously bad choice. Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. If you are desperate, you can try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.

Click on the screen capture to view a larger version. Diagram #1 image

Know the Wind. Think Fast. And Act Fast

Fifteen minutes after creating the Vulture Trees sunrise silhouette bird-scape image featured in yesterday’s blog post here, I was at “A” driving slowly heading north and looking for birds. Looking to my right, I saw a Bald Eagle (at “C”) gliding south in flat flight toward the nest tree. At times, the human brain can process information as fast as a computer. With the north wind, I knew that the bird would need to fly well past the nest tree, make a U-turn, make its way to the nest, and land (at “X.”.)

I was aware that I had the 2X on the 400mm f/2.8 GM lens. I had been creating some Sandhill Crane head portraits at 1/1000 second. Realizing that I needed a lot more shutter speed, I turned the Index Finger Dial a few clicks clockwise. Next, I turned the Thumb Wheel several clicks clockwise to increase the ISO. I did not have time to check the exposure as I needed to quickly make a U-turn and wind up at “B” with my SUV facing southwest so that I could photograph out the lowered driver’s side window with the brightest sky behind the nest tree.

That done, I grabbed the lens, hit the Set button to get to Tracking: Zone AF, and stuck the lens out the window. With one second to spare, I had no time to check for Zebras, so I acquired focus and fired off about fifteen frames as the big bird braked to land. I kept three, all with the wings swept back. The last keeper was my favorite.

There is no substitute for experience, fast thinking, and fast acting.

Click on the screen capture to view a larger version. Image #1: The Photo Mechanic screen capture for the Bald Eagle backlit landing at nest tree image

The Photo Mechanic Screen Capture

With significant space to the right of the end of the histogram, I knew that the image was under-exposed. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file brightness was determined to be 2/3-stop too dark. Had I not made the changes that I did, the image would not have been sharp. And the exposure was not terrible. Note that you can see the eagle’s white head in the original above.

This image was created on 9 December 2022 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. While seated in the driver’s seat of my SUV, I used the handheld Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined by guessing. 1/2000 sec. at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode/ISO 2000. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file brightness was determined to be 2/3-stop too dark. AWB at 7:29:52am on a partly sunny morning. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy the high-res version. Image #1A: Bald Eagle backlit landing at nest tree

The Optimized Version

I knew the moment that I stuck the lens out the window that I would process this image as a silhouette even though I could make out the adult eagle’s white head in the raw file. That’s why I positioned my vehicle with the bright sky behind the eagle tree.

Aside from the small crop and juicing up the sky color, what major change was made in Photoshop?

The BAA Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide You can purchase your copy here in the BAA Online Store.

The BAA Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide

126 pages, 87 photographs by Joe Przybyla and Arthur Morris.
The PDF for this e-Guide is an electronic download sent via e-mail.

Purchase your copy here in the BAA Online Store.

I had thought about doing a guide to some of the great but little-known photo hotspots around central Florida for about a decade, but those plans never came to fruition. I met Joe online in the Avian Forum at BirdPhotographer’s.Net about two years ago. Joe’s photography has improved tremendously over the past few years; he credits the BAA blog, my books and PDFs, and his participation on BPN. The one thing that I learned right from the get-go about Joe is that he is a hard and tenacious worker, always striving to improve his skills and to grow his knowledge base. As he knew of more than a few good spots in central Florida, I broached the idea of us doing a photographic site guide that covered many of the little-known photographic hotspots from Brandon to Lakeland to Joe Overstreet Road to Indian Lake Estates (my Florida home for the past 20 years or so). After more than many, many dozens of hours of effort, The BIRDS AS ART Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide is now a reality. Thanks to Joe’s wife Dottie for her review of our writing. We all learned once again that writing is a process, a back and forth process. All thanks to the white pelicans of Lakeland. Here are the locations that are detailed in this e-Guide:

• Indian Lake Estates: Sandhills Cranes with chicks and colts, lots of vultures, and Ospreys up the kazoo!
• Gatorland, Kissimmee: Learn to make great images of wading birds in a cluttered rookery.
• The Brandon Rookery: Great for nesting Wood Storks, Great Egrets, and more.
• Circle Bar B Reserve, Lakeland: Here you will find a great variety of avian subjects in a great variety of habitats.
• Lake Morton, Lakeland: There are lots of silly tame birds here including and especially American White Pelican during the colder months.
• Lake Mirror, Lakeland: Tame Anhingas, Limpkins, and a zillion White Ibises at times.
• West Lake Parker, Lakeland: Here you will have a chance for two difficult birds, Snail Kite, and Purple Gallinule.
• Joe Overstreet Road, Kenansville: Crested Caracara, meadowlarks, Loggerhead Shrike, and much more on the fenceposts and barbed wire.

Each location includes a map, a detailed description of the best spots, best season, light and time of day instructions, the expected species, and an educational and inspirational gallery that is designed to open your eyes as to the possibilities.

You can purchase a copy here in the BAA Online Store.

Typos

With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.

Typos

With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.