Photographing Pelicans in Southern California with Arthur Morris

A B&H Event Space Program

Photographing Pelicans in Southern California with Arthur Morris

On Tuesday Nov 22, 2022, I will be presenting another B&H Event Space program from 5:00pm – 6:00pm ET.

Arthur Morris, one of the world’s premier photographic educators, has been photographing the spectacular Brown Pelicans in San Diego, CA for more than three decades. The Pacific-race pelicans in La Jolla are much more colorful than their eastern relatives; they sport fire-engine red, olive-green bill pouches in winter. In addition to his favorite pelican images, Artie will share images of many of the other species that frequent Southern California each winter.

During this live-streamed presentation. Artie will share his thoughts on the best gear, on designing pleasing images, on capturing all types of pelican behaviors, on seeing and using the light, and on getting the right exposure in varying lighting conditions. He will share photos ranging from tight head portraits to small-in-the-frame bird-scapes. There will be lots of great flight photography tips as well.

Using Canon, Nikon, and Sony gear, photographing birds has been Artie’s passion for the past forty years.

Register for this free, online-only presentation here.

What’s Up?

I’ve been feeling a bit better each day. Half of the final bit of work on the NANPA issue was completed yesterday. The initial job should be finished by the time you read this today. Please leave a comment and let us know which of todays’ two featured images is your favorite, and why you made your choice.

Speaking of which, today is Saturday 19 November 2022. Most of the day will be spent working on the San Diego B&H Event Space program. This blog post took about 90 minutes to prepare and makes two hundred thirty-seven days in a row with a new one. 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.

Oldie But Goodie #1

This image was created on 29 May 2005 at Fort DeSoto Park. I used the Wimberley V2 Head supported Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS USM lens with the 1.4X TC and the EOS-1D Mark II. ISO 400. 1/640 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open). AWB at 7:14:24am on a sunny morning. Image #1: Adult dark morph Reddish Egret displaying image

Reddish Egret Action Photography Tip

If you are photographing a single Reddish Egret and another one flies in, get ready for action. Ninety-nine times out of a hundred, there will be an altercation. Zooming out or moving back and switching to a Zone or wide screen AF pattern may save the day. With Image #1, I was able to go to vertical and photograph one of the two combatants.

Oldie But Goodie #2

This image was created on 9 January 2006 at San Diego, CA. I used the Wimberley V2 Head supported Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS USM lens with the 1.4X TC and the EOS-1Ds Mark II. ISO 250. 1/640 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open). AWB at 7:56:49am on a sunny morning. Image #2: Brown Pelican — Pacific race in mega breeding plumage image

Those Distant Pacific-Blue Backgrounds

Ever since I found the best place in San Diego to photograph the Pacific-race Brown Pelicans I have been in love with the distant, Pacific Blue backgrounds. Utilizing them there is child’s play. The lower you get, the farther away and more defocused the ocean becomes. And the best news is that it is sunny most mornings in La Jolla. Recently I learned that you can sweeten, lighten, and soften the blues by moving the Luminosity slider under the Color Mixer tab in Photoshop to the right. Lightroom and Capture One have similar controls. Consider joining me on a San Diego IPT or for an In-the-Field session in La Jolla this winter. I will be there for five weeks arriving on 19 December 2022.

birds as art: The Avian Photography of Arthur Morris/The Top 100 The companion e-book to the solo exhibit at TheNat, San Diego, California The new e-book on CD is available here.

birds as art: The Avian Photography of Arthur Morris/The Top 100

This e-book was created on a wing and a prayer in less than two weeks–see the “Harebrained Scheme” blog post here–includes the 67 spectacular images that hung in the Ordover Gallery at the San Diego Natural History Museum in a career-retrospective solo exhibition in 2017. In addition, there are an additional 33 images in the spectacular e-book that barely missed making the show.

This exhibition companion e-book makes it possible for everyone to “visit” TheNAT gallery retrospectively and retroactively, and, in addition, to enjoy seeing my then-top one hundred bird photographs under one roof. Each image includes a title, the species name, the location, relevant EXIF data, and an anecdotal caption.

birds as art: The Avian Photography of Arthur Morris/The Top 100: $23 for the professionally produced CD (includes shipping to US addresses only)

Please click here to purchase the CD. As above, your purchase price includes shipping to all US addresses. If you would like your CD signed on the inside cover with a black Sharpie, you will need to place your order by phone and request a signed copy: 863-692-0906. For our Canadian friends we are offering the CD for $28 with shipping to Canada via phone orders only: 863-692-0906. Those who purchase the CD are advised to copy the file to their computers and then archive the CD.

To purchase via convenient download for $20, click here.

Oldie But Goodie #3

Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS USM Lens (with extras)

Multiple IPT veteran Doug West is offering a Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS USM L lens in Good condition for a very low $1999.00. The front element is perfect. The lens is is mechanically perfect and thus still produces sharp images in competent hands. It is, however, obvious that the lens has been well-used. There are numerous scratches, paint chips, and blemishes on the lens and specially on the lens foot. Descriptive photos of the lens are available upon request. The sale includes the rear lens cap, the original front lens cover, a ReaTree LensCoat (a $75.00 value but without the strip that covers the tripod ring), a LensCoat Hoodie (a $24.95 value), a Wimberley P-50 lens plate (a $55.00 value), and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower 48 US addresses.

Please contact Doug via e-mail.

The 600mm f/4 lenses have been the state of the art super-telephotos for birds, nature, wildlife, and sports for many decades. Whenever it is feasible for me to get a 600mm f4 to a location, it is almost always my go-to weapon. They are fast and sharp and deadly bare or with either TC. With the latest 600mm f/4 lenses going for anywhere from $13,000 to $15,500, grabbing Doug’s oldie but goodie lens can get you into the big glass game cheaply! As it is priced to go out the door quickly so do not tarry if you are fit and eager to go long. Both of today’s featured images were created with the very same model lens that Doug is offering. artie

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

The 2022/23 San Diego Brown Pelicans (and more!) IPTs

San Diego IPT #1. 3 1/2 DAYS: WED 21 DEC thru the morning session on Saturday 24 DEC 2022. $2099.00. Deposit: $699.00. Limit: 6 photographers/Openings: 5.

San Diego IPT #2. 4 1/2 DAYS: SAT 7 JAN thru the morning session on WED 11 JAN 2023: $2699.00. Deposit: $699.00. Limit: 6 photographers/Sold Out.

San Diego IPT #3: 4 1/2 DAYS: THURS 19 JAN thru the morning session on MON 23 JAN 2023: $2699.00. Deposit: $699.00. Limit: 6 photographers.

Please e-mail for information on personalized pre- and post-IPT sessions.

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.

Did I mention that there are lots of great birds and natural history subjects in San Diego in winter? Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

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.

Variety is surely the spice of life in San Diego. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

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.

Photographing Pelicans in Southern California with Arthur Morris

A B&H Event Space Program

Photographing Pelicans in Southern California with Arthur Morris

On Tuesday Nov 22, 2022, I will be presenting another B&H Event Space program from 5:00pm – 6:00pm ET.

Arthur Morris, one of the world’s premier photographic educators, has been photographing the spectacular Brown Pelicans in San Diego, CA for more than three decades. The Pacific-race pelicans in La Jolla are much more colorful than their eastern relatives; they sport fire-engine red, olive-green bill pouches in winter. In addition to his favorite pelican images, Artie will share images of many of the other species that frequent Southern California each winter.

During this live-streamed presentation. Artie will share his thoughts on the best gear, on designing pleasing images, on capturing all types of pelican behaviors, on seeing and using the light, and on getting the right exposure in varying lighting conditions. He will share photos ranging from tight head portraits to small-in-the-frame bird-scapes. There will be lots of great flight photography tips as well.

Using Canon, Nikon, and Sony gear, photographing birds has been Artie’s passion for the past forty years.

Register for this free, online-only presentation here.

What’s Up?

Too much work, too little play. I swam 48 lengths in the early afternoon and walked and putted 3.1 miles on the golf course just before dusk. The rest of the day was work, work, and more work.

Today is Thursday 17 November 2022. I may try to get down to the lake for a bit in the morning. This blog post took about an hour to prepare and makes two hundred thirty-five days in a row with a new one. 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 the 24 January 2022 on a San Diego IPT. Seated on a rock on the upper shelf at La Jolla and working off the tilted rear monitor, I used the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter (at 840mm) with The One, the Sony a1 Mirrorless Camera ISO 640. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the Thumb Wheel: 1/1000 sec. at f/10 (stopped down 1/3 stop). RawDigger showed that the exposure was dad-solid perfect. AWB at 9:56:58am on a sunny morning. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird Eye/Face Detection enabled performed perfectly. Brown Pelican — Pacific race, head portrait

The Skinny on the Down Low

I was sitting on the edge of the upper shelf hoping to photograph some of the pelicans on the lower level without having to climb down. Unexpectedly, a gorgeous pelican molting into breeding plumage landed right in front of me on a rock just above the lower shelf. When I raised the lens to my eye, I had pelicans in the background. When I rested the lens on my bent left knee and — with my reading glasses on — worked off the tilted rear monitor, I still had pelicans in the background. I leaned forward as far as I could without falling off the rock and — with my reading glasses on — worked off the tilted rear monitor. Both feet were hanging down, my heels against the rock I was sitting on, and I braced both elbows on my knees. In addition to eliminating the distracting pelicans from the lower background, it effectively moved the ocean farther away from the subject thus yielding the gorgeous, out-of–focus Pacific-blue backgrounds that I love working with at La Jolla. While this is certainly not the most stable set-up ever, 1/1000 second was fast enough to yield sharp images.

This handsome bird is just about finished molting into full breeding plumage. In another week, the entire hind-neck with be a rich dark-brown color often with a bit of a reddish tint.

Success in bird photography is often a matter of inventing new techniques in the field, techniques that innovatively solve problems that pop up on an almost daily basis. See yesterday’s blog post for a recent example. Consider joining me on an Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT) and get to see how that works in person.

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

The 2022/23 San Diego Brown Pelicans (and more!) IPTs

San Diego IPT #1. 3 1/2 DAYS: WED 21 DEC thru the morning session on Saturday 24 DEC 2022. $2099.00. Deposit: $699.00. Limit: 6 photographers/Openings: 5.

San Diego IPT #2. 4 1/2 DAYS: SAT 7 JAN thru the morning session on WED 11 JAN 2023: $2699.00. Deposit: $699.00. Limit: 6 photographers/Sold Out.

San Diego IPT #3: 4 1/2 DAYS: THURS 19 JAN thru the morning session on MON 23 JAN 2023: $2699.00. Deposit: $699.00. Limit: 6 photographers.

Please e-mail for information on personalized pre- and post-IPT sessions.

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.

Did I mention that there are lots of great birds and natural history subjects in San Diego in winter? Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

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.

Variety is surely the spice of life in San Diego. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

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?

Again, not much. I swam a mile — 44 lengths in the morning, and then 44 more in the afternoon.

Many wonder why I spend so much time watching every NFL game on TV (courtesy of Direct TV’s NFL Package). The ending of the Buffalo Bill/Minnesota Vikings game was far beyond remarkable. The Vikings had trailed 27-10 in the third quarter. With two minutes to go and the Vikings trailing by only four, Justin Jefferson made one of the all-time great catches, stealing the ball from a Bills’ cornerback with one hand while crashing to the ground and controlling the ball. You can see that catch at the beginning of the video here. On the ensuing Minnesota drive, Justin Jefferson apparently won the game with a catch that was ruled a touchdown. But they ruled him down just short of the goal line.

It looked as if the Vikings would score to win the game, but the Bills stuffed a quarterback sneak from the 1/2-yard line. The Bills win! Or not? Bill’s QB Josh Allen fumbled the snap on the next play and a Minnesota player fell on it for the game-winning touchdown. Or not? After the kickoff, Kelly moved the Bills down the field in less than forty seconds for a game-tying field goal (benefitted by a bad call on a bobbled catch). In overtime, the Vikings drove the length of the field on a six-minute 16-second drive that stalled on the 15-yard line. They kicked the go-ahead field goal with 3:44 left in overtime. The Bills answered with a drive of their own and were in position on the 20-yard line to win the game with a touchdown or settle for a game-tying field goal. Watch the video to the end to see the stunning conclusion to the NFL game of the year.

Yesterday’s Post

Of yesterday’s featured images, I’d have to agree with Jim Saxon:

James Saxon/November 14, 2022 at 3:37pm

I don’t think I can pick a favorite considering that from the beginning to end they all tell a story about survival. I like the sequence and feel you need all images to tell the story. #3 is my favorite because of the amount of snake still visible which provides a sense of scale with the heron’s prey. Thanks for sharing the entire sequence.

Today is Tuesday 15 November 2022. I got lots accomplished yesterday but still have tons more work to do on the urgent and ongoing problems at NANPA (North American Nature Photography Association). This blog post took about 90 minutes to prepare and makes two hundred thirty-three days in a row with a new one. 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.

Some days are stones. Except when they are not!

Wednesday past was totally boring as compared to Tuesday past. I walked for almost three hours without much to show for my efforts. Then, at the four-trail intersection, I came across the great blue that fishes there regularly. And then the fun began.

This image was created on 9 November 2022 at Circle Bar B Preserve in Lakeland, FL. I used the Robus RCM-439 4-Section Carbon Fiber Monopod, 65/Wimberley MonoGimbal Head-supported Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens 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 640. 1/1000 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 9:39:22am on a then partly sunny morning. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed to perfection. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Great Blue Heron subduing armored catfish

Why the Rig Change?

On the previous day, I had killed with the lighter albeit slower by four clicks Sony 200-600mm lens on a lightweight tripod. Yet the next day, I switched tracks and carried the heavier 400mm f/2.8 GM lens with the 1.4X TC and the monopod. Why the change? On Wednesday, the first morning, the skies were partly cloudy with hints of blue. So, I knew that I would have a decent amount of light to work with. On that excellent morning I had one GBH with the armored catfish carcass, and one with the snake. In between, I added the 1.4X TC to work two different backlit Anhingas. But on Thursday, 9 November, the skies were solidly cloudy when I arrived. Therefore, going with the 400 f/2.8 and the 1.4X TC, I would have four clicks more light: f/4 as compared to f/6.3. That yields four clicks less ISO. Again, my instincts turned out to be perfect.

Armored Catfish

There are three invasive species of Armored Catfish in Florida. They are almost impossible to exterminate. They displace native species, can cause severe bank erosion, and harass and cause problems for the manatees.

Living and Learning from Mistakes

On 8 November, I went with 1/500 sec as my minimum shutter speed when working the GBH subduing the snake. That was not fast enough to freeze the action when the bird shook the snake violently. So, the next day, with a faster rig, I upped that to 1/1000 second when photographing the great blue trying to kill and swallow the catfish. The change in strategy paid off with one very special image (out or more than 200).

The Background Clean-Up

During the raw conversion I upped the Luminosity of the GREENs and the YELLOWs on the Color Mixer tab. That had the effects of softening the background. But I found some of the stuff in background around the prey item to be distracting. To clean those up, I used my usual cadre of clean-up tools and techniques. Those included the Clone Stamp Tool (used in conjunction with Divide and Conquer), the Patch Tool, the Spot Healing Brush, Content-Aware Fill, a series of small Quick Masks refined by the addition of a Regular Layer Mask, and Protect and Defend Cloning on a Layer. (The latter is found only in the original Digital Basics.)

Lastly, I applied a layer of Gaussian Blur to the whole image, added a Hide-All (Black, or Inverse layer mask), and painted in the effects at 33% increments as needed to smooth over my clean-up efforts.

While the optimized version maintains the natural history of the moment, it looks a heck of a lot better to me.

The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II). You can order your copy from the BAA Online Store here, by sending a PayPal for $40 here, or by calling Jim or Jennifer weekdays at 863-692-0906 with your credit card in hand. Be sure to specify Digital Basics II.

The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II)

The techniques mentioned above and tons more great Photoshop tips and techniques — along with my complete digital workflow, Digital Eye Doctor Techniques, and all my personalized Keyboard Shortcuts — are covered in detail in the BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II), an instructional PDF that is sent via e-mail. Note: folks working on a PC and/or those who do not want to miss anything Photoshop may wish to purchase the original Digital Basics along with DB II while saving $15 by clicking here to buy the DB Bundle.

Folks who learn well by following along rather than by reading can check out the complete collection of MP 4 Photoshop Tutorial Videos by clicking here. Note: most of the videos are now priced at an amazingly low $5.00 each.

You can learn how and why I converted all of my Canon digital RAW files in DPP 4 in the DPP 4 RAW Conversion Guide here. More recently, I became proficient at converting my Nikon RAW (NEF) files in Adobe Camera Raw. About three years ago I began converting my Nikon and Sony RAW files in Capture One and did that for two years. You can learn more about Capture One in the Capture One Pro 12 Simplified MP4 Video here. The next step would be to get a copy of Arash Hazeghi’s “The Nikon Photographers’ Guide to Phase One Capture One Pro e-Guide” in the blog post here. Today, I convert my Sony raw files in Photoshop with Adobe Camera Raw.

You can learn advanced Quick Masking and advanced Layer Masking techniques in APTATS I & II. You can save $15 by purchasing the pair.

Typos

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

What’s Up?

I swam on Saturday morning and drove over to Lakeland in the afternoon under clear skies with a nice breeze from the west. There were about a zillion Anhingas at Lake Parker, but very few parking spots so I headed over to Lake Morton. There, I learned that it is much better in the morning than in the afternoons.

Please be so kind as to leave a comment letting us know which of today’s two featured images you like best and why you made your choice.

Today is Sunday 13 November. I may head back to Circle Bar B in the morning and hope for some clouds. This blog post took about an hour to prepare and makes two hundred thirty-one days in a row with a new one. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you have also 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 11 November 2022 at Sebastian Inlet, FL. While seated on dry sand (with an already very wet butt), I used knee-pod technique with the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 353mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 1600. 1/500 second at f/6.3 (wide-open) in Manual Mode. AWB at 5:03:23pm with the sun behind a big cloud on the western horizon. RawDigger showed the exposure to be less than 1/3-stop too dark. Tracking: Upper Center Zone/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #1: Wood Stork — adult head portrait in soft light

Loving the Soft Light on the Atlantic Ocean

The Wood Stork that had been at the base of the jetty walked ahead of me on the beach toward the path back to the pullout where I had parked. There were two guys fishing off the beach there. Some kids frolicked in the surf near them. The young Reddish Egret that had been at the jetty was standing among the humans, the bird without a care in the world. As I got closer, a second Wood Stork flew in. I sat on the beach and began photographing. The quality of the soft light as it came through the clouds was lovely, as were the varied ocean backgrounds. The success of today’s two images was due in part to exposing well to the right. Even the most sophisticated camera meter would under-expose both images here by close to two full stops.

This image was also created on 11 November 2022 at Sebastian Inlet, FL. While seated on dry sand (with an already very wet butt), I used knee-pod technique with the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 547mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 1250. 1/400 second at f/6.3 (wide-open) in Manual Mode. AWB at 5:05:05pm with the sun behind a big cloud on the western horizon. RawDigger showed the exposure to be less than 1/3-stop too dark. Tracking: Upper Center Zone/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #2: Reddish Egret in heaven

The In-heaven Motif

To create images with the in-heaven look, you need something close to you in the bottom of the frame to create the soft, out-of-focus foreground as you focus on the subject beyond and above and under it sharply. We first figured this motif out in the mid-1908s while photographing shorebirds on a beach where small ridges of sand provided the de-focused foregrounds. I have made a few decent images using the body of a closer bird to provide a soft, o-o-f foreground. So, when the Wood Stork stepped between me and the young reddish, I saw the opportunity. At first the reddish did not cooperate as it looked away from me out to sea. When the stork took two steps to the right, I schooched right to re-establish the juxtaposition. This time, the egret posed for me with a perfect head angle.

Don’t Be Scared

Note that I was fine with a minimum shutter speed of 1/400 or 1/500 second while handholding the Sony 200-600mm G lens. With the incredible image quality of files from today’s mirrorless camera bodies, there is no reason to be scared of the higher ISO settings. When you do encounter high ISO noise, Topaz DeNoise will eliminate it easily even for some ridiculously high ISO settings.

Click on the image to better see the green eye-AF boxes in action. Sony Alpha 1 Flight Photography AF Points!

The SONY Alpha a1 Set-up Guide and Info Group: $150.00 (or Free)

The SONY Alpha a1 Set-up Guide and Info Group is going great guns as more and more folks chime in with thoughtful questions and experience-based answers. As the a1 is becoming more readily available, more and more folks are getting their hands on this amazing body. The group is now up to up to an astounding 131 lucky and blessed folks, and more than a few folks own two or more a1 bodies! Early on, we discussed the myriad AF options. I gave my opinion as to the best one for flight and general bird photography. The best news is that everyone in the group receives an e-mail that includes a .DAT file with my a1 settings on it, and explicit directions on how to load my settings onto your a1; talk about convenience! I am now offering a .DAT file compatible with firmware update 1.20. Your entry into the group includes a consolidated Sony a1 CAMSETA2 INFO & GUIDE. New a1 folks will now receive six e-mails instead of the previous 28! You will receive new e-mails as they are published. Simply put, this e-mail guide is an incredible resource for anyone with an a1.

All who purchased their Alpha 1 bodies via a BAA affiliate link — B&H or Bedfords — will receive a free Sony Alpha a1 Set-Up Guide and free entry into the Info Updates group after shooting me their receipts via e-mail. (Note: it may take me several days to confirm B&H orders.). Others can purchase their guide 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.

What’s Up?

On Thursday, the storm fizzled with only a drizzle in the morning. I swam 48 lengths in the morning and walked 2.8 miles on the golf course in the afternoon. If you missed the B&H Event Space program — Photographing Bald Eagles at Kachemak Bay, Homer, Alaska, you can see it online here.

If you have a favorite image below, please leave a comment and let us know what you liked about it.

Today is Friday 11 November 2022. It is clear with a southwest breeze. I am planning to try Sebastian Inlet for Ospreys this afternoon. This blog post took three hours to prepare and makes two hundred twenty-nine days in a row with a new one.

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.

Some Days are Diamonds: Part I — Spanish Moss-scape

Tuesday at Circle Bar B was quite excellent. Wednesday? Not so much. Because it was dark and totally cloudy, I walked 3.5 miles with the 400mm f/2.8 on the monopod. Carrying the big lens as shown in the monopod video is actually easier than carrying the lighter 200-600 and the light tripod. In any case, there were very few birds on Wednesday. Some days are stone. I did, however, have one very good chance near the end of my 3.5-mile walk — a handsome adult Great Blue Heron posed with an armored catfish and eventually swallowed it.

This image was created on 8 November 2022 at Circle Bar B Preserve in Lakeland, FL. I used the no-longer available Induro GIT 204 tripod/Levered-clamp FlexShooter supported-Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 430mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with Exposure Compensation (EC) on the Thumb Dial. Multi-metering -.07 stops. AUTO ISO set ISO 1600: 1/200 sec. at f/6.3 (wide open) in Shutter Priority mode. AWB at 7:07:50am on a cloudy morning. RawDigger showed the exposure to be 1/6-stop short of perfect. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #1: Great Blue Heron holding dried-out catfish carcass

The Start of the Story

I was about to walk by the Great Blue Heron on the bank across the creek when it began stabbing at something on the ground. Curious, I stopped. The bird picked up a dried-out, long-dead Armored Catfish that was a stiff as a board and was covered with twigs and bits of that looked like dried-out Spanish Moss. I thought, “Is this bird planning on eating this fish?”

Why Shutter Priority Mode?

Again, I had been hoping to create some pleasing blurs of birds in flight against the white skies. Thus, I found it easier to dial in some negative EC until there were faint Zebras on the white than to make the many changes needed to get back to Manual mode.

This image was created on 8 November 2022 at Circle Bar B Preserve in Lakeland, FL. I used the no-longer available Induro GIT 204 tripod/Levered-clamp FlexShooter supported-Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 559mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 1250: 1/200 sec. at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual Mode. AWB at 7:15:09am on a cloudy morning. RawDigger showed the exposure to be 1/6-stop short of perfect. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #2: Great Blue Heron bringing the dried-out catfish carcass down to the creek

The Plan

After dropping and picking up and holding and shaking the dried-out catfish for a while, the bird held the catfish carcass in its bill, walked down to the creek, and dunked it in the shallow tea-colored water to soften it up. The whole process was repeated several times. Another photographer joined me and quickly said, “That bird will never swallow that dried-up fish!” I disagreed.

This image was created on 8 November 2022 at Circle Bar B Preserve in Lakeland, FL. I used the no-longer available Induro GIT 204 tripod/Levered-clamp FlexShooter supported-Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 559mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 1250: 1/200 sec. at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual Mode. AWB at 7:15:25am on a cloudy morning. RawDigger showed the exposure to be 1/6-stop short of perfect. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #3: Great Blue Heron holding the cleaned-up catfish carcass

Making Progress

More than ten minutes after it first began stabbing at the long dead catfish, the great blue had succeeded in cleaning and softening up the fish.

This image was created on 8 November 2022 at Circle Bar B Preserve in Lakeland, FL. I used the no-longer available Induro GIT 204 tripod/Levered-clamp FlexShooter supported-Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 362mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 1600: 1/250 sec. at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual Mode. AWB at 7:18:49am on a cloudy morning. RawDigger showed the exposure to be 1/6-stop short of perfect. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #4: Great Blue Heron beginning to swallow the catfish carcass

Almost

After this first attempt at swallowing the reconditioned catfish, the bird dropped the fish to the ground. Two minutes later the GBH picked the fish up again and began swallowing it.

This image was created on 8 November 2022 at Circle Bar B Preserve in Lakeland, FL. I used the no-longer available Induro GIT 204 tripod/Levered-clamp FlexShooter supported-Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 444mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 1600: 1/250 sec. at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual Mode. AWB at 7:21:21am on a cloudy morning. RawDigger showed the exposure to be 1/6-stop short of perfect. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #5: Great Blue Heron beginning to swallow the catfish carcass

Finally, with a Squirrel!

More than 16 minutes after the Great Blue Heron began messing with the stiff, dead catfish, it managed to get it down the hatch. When I saw the squirrel walking through the frame, I made a dozen or so images.

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.

Your Call

Which version of today’s featured image do you like best, Image #1, the full frame original, or Image #2, the tall, skinny crop? Leave a comment and let us know why you made your choice.

Click on the image to better see the green eye-AF boxes in action. Sony Alpha 1 Flight Photography AF Points!

The SONY Alpha a1 Set-up Guide and Info Group: $150.00 (or Free)

The SONY Alpha a1 Set-up Guide and Info Group is going great guns as more and more folks chime in with thoughtful questions and experience-based answers. As the a1 is becoming more readily available, more and more folks are getting their hands on this amazing body. The group is now up to up to an astounding 131 lucky and blessed folks, and more than a few folks own two or more a1 bodies! Early on, we discussed the myriad AF options. I gave my opinion as to the best one for flight and general bird photography. The best news is that everyone in the group receives an e-mail that includes a .DAT file with my a1 settings on it, and explicit directions on how to load my settings onto your a1; talk about convenience! I am now offering a .DAT file compatible with firmware update 1.20. Your entry into the group includes a consolidated Sony a1 CAMSETA2 INFO & GUIDE. New a1 folks will now receive six e-mails instead of the previous 28! You will receive new e-mails as they are published. Simply put, this e-mail guide is an incredible resource for anyone with an a1.

All who purchased their Alpha 1 bodies via a BAA affiliate link — B&H or Bedfords — will receive a free Sony Alpha a1 Set-Up Guide and free entry into the Info Updates group after shooting me their receipts via e-mail. (Note: it may take me several days to confirm B&H orders.). Others can purchase their guide 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.

Photographing Bald Eagles (and more) at Kachemak Bay, Homer, Alaska

A B&H Event Space Program

Photographing Bald Eagles (and more) at Kachemak Bay, Homer, Alaska

Today, Wednesday Nov 9, 2022, I will be presenting a B&H Event Space program from 5:00pm – 6:00pm ET.

I have been photographing bald eagles (and lots more) in Homer, Alaska for more than two decades with Canon, Nikon, and Sony gear. Photographing birds has been my passion for the past four decades. I will share my favorite images from more than 20 visits to Homer along with my thoughts on the best gear, on designing pleasing images, on seeing and using the light, and on getting the right exposure for these challenging black and white subjects. I will also share photos ranging from tight head portraits to small-in-the-frame bird-scapes, and, in addition, there will be lots of great flight photography tips.

Learn more or register for this free, online-only presentation here.

The Homer IPTs

If you are considering attending one of these great trips, please contact me via e-mail and I will do my very best to make it happen.

All images from Homer or Kachemak Bay, AK

2023 Homer/Kachemak Bay Bald Eagle IPTs

IPT #1: MON 20 FEB 2023 through the full day on FRI 24 FEB 2023. Five full days/20 hours on the boat: $5500.00. Limit 5 photographers/Openings: 2.

IPT #2: SAT 25 FEB 2023 through the full day on THURS 2 MAR 2023. Six full days/24 hours on the boat: $6600.00. Limit 5 photographers/Openings: 3.

IPT #3: FRI 3 MAR 2023 through the full day on TUES 7 MAR 2023. Five full days/20 hours on the boat: $5500.00. Limit 5 photographers. Openings: 2.

Save $1,500.00 by doing back-to-back trips. Save $2500 by doing all three trips.

These trips feature non-stop flight photography as well as many opportunities to create both environmental and point-blank portraits of one of North America’s most sought-after avian subjects: Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus). Other reliable subjects will include Sea Otter, Glaucous-winged and Short-billed (formerly Mew) Gulls.

In addition, we should see Common Murre, Black Guillemot, Pelagic Cormorant, two or three species of loons, and a smattering of ducks including two species of merganser, all three scoters, Common and Barrow’s Goldeneyes, Bufflehead, Harlequin, and Long-tailed Ducks. Close-range photographic chances for these species will require a ton of good luck. Some of these species, especially when in flocks, can, however, often be used effectively when creating bird-scapes.

If we need to be out early, we will be the first boat out. If conditions are great, we will stay out. And when there is a chance for sunset silhouettes, we will stay out and be in the right spot.

We will be traveling through gorgeous wilderness country; landscape and scenic opportunities abound.

Also featured is a professional leader, often referred to as the world’s most knowledgeable bird photography trip leader, who is conversant in Canon, Nikon, and Sony.

All images from Kachemak Bay in 2022!

What You Will Learn

You will learn practical and creative solutions to everyday photographic problems. You will learn to see the shot, to create dynamic images by fine-tuning your compositions, to best utilize your camera’s AF system, and how to analyze the wind, the sky conditions, and the direction and quality of the light. This is one of the very few trips Homer trips available where you will not be simply put on the birds and told to have fun. You will learn to be a better photographer. But only if that is what you want.

You will learn to get the right exposure when it is sunny, when it cloudy-bright, when it is cloudy, when it is cloudy-dark, or when it is foggy. Not to mention getting the right exposure when creating silhouettes.

You will learn to make pleasing blurs working in manual mode and to create silhouettes working in Shutter Priority mode.

Most importantly you will learn to pick your best flight images from tens of thousands of images.

You will enjoy working with the two best and most creative boat captains on their sturdy, photography-spacious, seaworthy, open-deck crafts.

The second and third IPTs are the only Bald Eagle workshops that feature an incredibly helpful first mate.

Only five photographers (not the usual six), plus the leader.

Small group Photoshop, Image Review, and Image Critiquing sessions.

All images from Homer or Kachemak Bay, AK

What’s Included

One four-hour or two two-hour(+/-) boat trips every day (weather permitting), all boat fees and boat-related expenses (excluding tips), ground transportation to and from the dock and back to the hotel each day, in-the-field instruction and guidance, pre-trip gear advice, small group post-processing and image review sessions, and a thank you dinner for all well-behaved participants. Airport pickup if possible)

What’s Not Included

Your airfare to and from Homer, AK (via Anchorage), the cost of your room at Land’s End Resort, all personal items, all meals and beverages, and tips for the boat captain and/or the first mate.

Please Note

On great days, the group may wish to photograph for more than four hours. If the total time on the boat exceeds 20 hours for the five-day trips, or 24 hours for the second trip, the group will share the additional expense at a rate of $225/hour.

Some folks may wish to rent their own vehicle to take advantage of local photographic opportunities around Homer.

Deposit Information

A $3000 non-refundable deposit/trip is required. You may pay your deposit with credit card or by personal check (made out to BIRDS AS ART) and sent via US mail only to Arthur Morris. PO Box 7245. Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855. Your balance, due 90 days before the date of departure, is payable only by check as above.

In Closing

I have been going to Homer off and on for close to two decades. Every trip has been nothing short of fantastic. Many folks go in mid-March. The earlier you go, the better the chances for snow. The only way to assure that you are on the best of the three trips is to sign up for all three. Can you keep up with me? If you have any questions, or are good to go for one, two, or all three trips, please let me know via e-mail or give me a call on my cell phone at 863-221-2372.

What’s Up?

I had a great morning at Circle B Bar Preserve in Lakeland on Tuesday. The party cloudy weather was perfect for the walk that I chose. I opted to go with the 200-600 and the small, lightweight (no longer available) Induro GIT 204L topped by a Levered-clamp FlexShooter Mini. It turned out to be the perfect combo with the sun peeking in and out. Images and the full story here soon,

My photo walk was three miles, I swam 66 lengths after brunch. And walked the back-nine before sunset for another 2.3 miles. Needless to say, it was a great blood sugar day. Today is Wednesday 9 November 2022. I had so much fun yesterday that I am heading back to Circle B Bar Preserve this morning. This blog post took 90 minutes to prepare and makes two hundred twenty-seven days in a row with a new one.

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 26 February 2022 on a Homer/Kachemak Bay IPT. Seated on gravel beach, I used handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600m) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 2000. 1/1000 second at f/8 (stopped down 2/3-stop) in Manual Mode. AWB at 3:17:50pm on a cloudy afternoon. RawDigger showed the raw file brightness to be 1/3-stop to dark. That knowledge allows me to properly set the Exposure slider as the first step in the raw conversion. Tracking: Spot S 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: Bald Eagle — adult on beach with far wing raised.

Heard to Believes

Hard to Believe I

It is hard to believe that I had not optimized today’s very fine featured image until yesterday.

Hard to Believe II

It is hard to believe that several clients from the 2020 and the 2022 Homer Eagle IPTs have told me that they still have thousands of images to go through from their trips.

Hard to Believe III

It is hard to believe how versatile the Sony 200-600 gm is

Hard to Believe IV

It is hard to believe how effective Topaz DeNoise is on Sony A1 high ISO AWR files.

Of Note:

I went from f/6.3 to f/8 for a bit more depth of field at point-blank range.

My choice of 1/1000 second as a minimum handholding shutter speed for possible action was perfect as it created a sharp on the eye image as the eagle lunged forward.

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.

What’s Up?

It was cloudy-dark when I got to Sebastian Inlet at about 7:00am. Several dozen Osprey were in the air north of the bridge fishing. Because of the low light, I went with the 400mm f/2.8 GM lens with the 1.4X TC and an a1. None dove. I moved out on the jetty. The sun came out and there were several dozen Osprey and dozens of Royal Terns fishing. None dove. After2 1/2 hours of handholding the 400 f/2.8, I decided to take a short break for brunch. When I returned with the lighter, more versatile 200-600, several photographers told me that I had missed many diving Osprey and that more than a few of them had come up with a fish. Bummer. The hungry birds continued to patrol the inlet. None dove. It was that kind of day.

I got some more work done on the Homer/Bald Eagle Event Space program in the afternoon while catching up on NFL games on Tivo.

Today is Monday 7 November 2022. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about 90 minutes to prepare and makes two hundred twenty-five days in a row with a new one.

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 6 November 2022 at Sebastian Inlet, FL. I used the handheld Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens, 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. 1/4000 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 more). AWB at 8:21:22am on a then-sunny morning. Tracking: Zone/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: Osprey fishing

Not in the Zone

I did not have my A-game on Sunday. With the changing light and the light meter in my brain just a bit off, I wound up over-exposing many otherwise good images. This one was right on the borderline. The big lesson overall for me was that the top of an Osprey’s head is a very bright white. To think that it only took me 39 years to realize that.

This image was also created on 6 November 2022 at Sebastian Inlet, FL. For this one, I used the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 220mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 800. 1/6400 second at f/6.3 (wide-open) in Manual Mode. AWB at 10:27:57am on a mostly sunny afternoon. RawDigger showed the exposure to be perfect. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #2: Royal Tern fishing

f/6.3 on Sunny Days

On sunny flight photography days, f/6.3 is not at all a handicap. For Ospreys on sun angle, ISO 800, 1/3200 sec. at f/6.3 will generally be right on. For the brighter whiter terns, I’ll go two or three clicks faster on the shutter speed to 1/5000 for the young birds or 1/6400 sec. for the adults. As the young Laughing Gulls are darker overall than the Ospreys, I’ll open up 1/3 stop to 1/2500 sec. When a cloud covers the sun, I’ll go four clicks higher on the ISO all around.

The Lesson

When doing flight photography, get the right exposure for the most common subject and then learn to adjust your exposures depending on the differences in tonality with lighter or darker subjects.

This image was also created on 6 November 2022 at Sebastian Inlet, FL. Again, I used the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 275mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ) The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 800. 1/3200 second at f/6.3 (wide-open) in Manual Mode. AWB at 10:37:52am on a then-sunny morning. RawDigger showed the exposure to be perfect. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #3: Osprey fishing

The T-Shot

When photographing birds that are directly or almost directly overhead on sunny days, pressing the shutter button when their wings are completely flat, as they are when the birds are gliding, is the only way to go. Why? You want the underwings to be lit evenly. When birds are flapping the wings are always curved to some degree and there will be ugly shadows on the underwings. Trust me on this one.

Sony 200-600 Versatility!

Note the focal lengths used for Images #2 and #3: 220mm and 275mm respectively. Folks with fixed focal length lens like the 600 f/4s and the 400 2.8s would have been dead in the water. My mind is exploring the possibility of using the Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 GM II lens with either TC at Sebastian. You might be short on reach at times but would surely enjoy using the much lighter rig for long shooting sessions.

Your Call?

After clicking on each image, please leave a comment letting us know which of the three featured images you like best and why you made your choice.

Typos

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

A Blog Post to Inspire Your Compositional Creativity

While I am proud of every blog post, I am especially proud of today’s offering.

When we head out with our gear, everyone is on the same playing field. We get to choose our subjects. We all have the same light and wind and weather to work with. We consider the same subject or subjects, the same sky, the same water, the same land, and the same vegetation at hand. By carefully choosing a lens and our perspective, we determine exactly what we want to include in our images. Then we utilize our camera’s AF system and our knowledge of exposure to create the image we envisioned. To me, this represents the great challenges and rewards of nature photography. In addition, your post-processing skills determine the success of the optimized image.

So, I am especially proud of today’s post and the eight featured images because they show what you can do with the same rig and a creative mind. Each image below was created with the 400mm f/2.8, a 1.4X TC, a Sony a1, and a good measure of creativity and skill. Consider joining me on an Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT) to live and learn the concepts illustrated below. In any case, I hope that you are inspired.

What’s Up?

I got lots done on Friday. Working with Eric Bowles, we are just about finished with our letter to concerned NANPA members; it should be going out on Monday. I have also been working on my Homer/Kachemak Bay Bald Eagle B&H Event Space program. I was glad to learn that the sale of Bill Wingfield’s Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II lens is pending.

Today is Saturday 5 November. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about 3 1/2 hours to prepare including the time spent on the eight image optimizations and makes two hundred twenty-three days in a row with a new one.

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 3 November 2022, the wonderful fourth morning of the third DeSoto IPT. While standing at full height, I used the Robus RCM-439 4-Section Carbon Fiber Monopod, 65″/Wimberley MonoGimbal Head-supported Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens the Sony FE 1.4x 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 +2.3-stops. AUTO ISO set ISO 3200. 1/250 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file brightness was determined to be about 1/3-stop too dark. AWB at 7:43:52am with the sun behind me obscured by early morning clouds. Tracking: Zone/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: American White Pelicans in pink/purple/blue early morning light

A Pink/Purple/Blue Predawn Bird-scape

With some clouds on the eastern horizon, I was surprised by the pink/purple/blue early morning light as this light occurs most often on dead-clear mornings. The plan, that I call out to the group, was to get some pelicans floating in the still water near the lee-shore where the pre-dawn color was brightest. The east breeze being was somewhat blocked by the vegetated shoreline creating the still water.

The monopod enabled me to work at a fairly-slow-for-560mm shutter speed. Had I been handholding, all else being equal, sharpness would surely have suffered. Having been in Shutter Priority mode for pre-dawn blurs, I opted to stay with that for a while.

This image was also created on 3 November 2022, the wonderful fourth morning of the third DeSoto IPT. While seated on a hard-sand path, I used the shortened Robus RCM-439 4-Section Carbon Fiber Monopod, 65″/Wimberley MonoGimbal Head-supported Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens the Sony FE 1.4x 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 +1.7-stops. AUTO ISO set ISO 800. 1/40 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file brightness was determined to be about 1/6-stop too dark. AWB at 8:02:58am as the sun broke through the early morning clouds. Tracking: Zone/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: American White Pelican swimming with o-o-f marsh grass foreground

Image Design Via Perspective

I wanted to get lower but with the tide fully high, I was reluctant to sit in almost a foot of water. So, I shortened the monopod, sat on the path, and included the out-of-focus grasses in the foreground. Note that in Shutter Priority mode I needed less plus compensation because the green vegetation — darker than the light blue water, influenced the meter toward a lighter exposure.

This image was also created on 3 November 2022, the wonderful fourth morning of the third DeSoto IPT. While standing at full height, I used the Robus RCM-439 4-Section Carbon Fiber Monopod, 65″/Wimberley MonoGimbal Head-supported Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens 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 320. 1/1000 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file exposure was determined to be perfect. AWB at 8:09:59am on a then sunny morning. Tracking: Zone/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: American White Pelican swimming with reflection

Up-In-the-Frame

When you wish to include the full reflection, you must use your camera’s AF system to place the bird higher in the frame than you would when creating a filed-guide portrait. With Sony, that is easy, as long as you remember to do it. Note that as the sun got higher in the sky that I (properly) abandoned Shutter Priority and went to Manual mode.

This image was also created on 3 November 2022, the wonderful fourth morning of the third DeSoto IPT. While standing at full height, I again used the Robus RCM-439 4-Section Carbon Fiber Monopod, 65″/Wimberley MonoGimbal Head-supported Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens 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. 1/2000 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file exposure was determined to be perfect. AWB at 8:13:44am on a sunny morning. Tracking: Zone/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: American White Pelican squadron in flight — incoming

Keeping Your Eyes Open. And Moving.

All successful bird and wildlife keep their eyes open and scanning in all directions unless they are actively photographing something great. In this case, everyone in the group noticed the large flocks of pelicans flying in from behind us. There was no shot when the long lines were coming in to join the large flock on the sandbar, but when this group turned back to the east (into the wind), to land, I liked what I saw.

This image was also created on 3 November 2022, the wonderful fourth morning of the third DeSoto IPT. Again, while standing at full height, I used the Robus RCM-439 4-Section Carbon Fiber Monopod, 65″/Wimberley MonoGimbal Head-supported Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens 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 1250. 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 8:15:37am on a sunny morning. Tracking: Spot S/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #5: American White Pelican swimming — coy look-back pose

Sony a1 Tracking: Spot S/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye Detection

The performance of Tracking: Spot S/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled borders on science-fiction like. In addition to detecting the bird’s eye with a tiny green square even before you half-press the shutter button, you can place the bird anywhere in the frame as the AF tracks the eye. I began by moving the AF point in the center up a few clicks, acquired the eye, and the recomposed left or right as needed depending on which way the bird was facing.

This image was also created on 3 November 2022, the wonderful fourth morning of the third DeSoto IPT. While seated in six inches of water, I used the knee-pod technique with the handheld Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens 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 640. 1/2000 sec. at f/4 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file exposure was determined to be perfect. AWB at 8:31:40am on a sunny morning. Tracking: Spot S/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #6: American White Pelican swimming — battleship pose

Getting Lower

As the tide dropped, I opted to sit in the water and use the knee-pod technique (while ditching the monopod). When these huge pelicans are swimming toward you, they remind me of one of the now obsolete WW II-vintage battleships.

From r/Ask Historians on the Reddit.com website here:

u/ilikedota5 asked:

Why are battleships obsolete since world war two?

thefourthmaninaboat/Moderator wrote:

Battleships have become obsolete because in the modern threat environment they are not as capable at dealing damage as other possible options. Aircraft were the battleship’s main competitor at dealing damage immediately after WW2. Compared to a battleship, aircraft could deliver a heavier strike, over a longer distance, and much quicker. For example, for a target 300 miles away, it would take the typical fast battleship 10 hours at full speed to reach it. Aircraft would take a tenth of the time. The typical carrier aircraft cost tens of thousands of pounds, while a battleship cost closer to ten million. Hundreds of aircraft could be produced, maintained and flown for the cost of a battleship, and together those aircraft packed a bigger punch. Aircraft were more versatile than a battleship, and could project power over a much larger radius – including inland. A battleship can really only contest only the sea within range of its guns, while aircraft can contest anywhere they can fly to.

Battleships also represent a major liability – in a threat environment where everything is vulnerable, having a single, large, expensive target making up the majority of your combat power is foolish. If you lose a single aircraft, or small warship, then you have lost comparatively less than if you lose a battleship. Modern weaponry, especially nuclear weapons (as demonstrated at Bikini Atoll) make battleships just as vulnerable as any other ship or aircraft.

This image was also created on 3 November 2022, the wonderful fourth morning of the third DeSoto IPT. While seated in six inches of water, I used the foot-pod technique (with some trepidation) with the handheld Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens 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 400. 1/2500 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 8:37:22am on a sunny morning. Tracking: Spot S/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #7: American White Pelican flock on sandbar

Getting a Lot Lower With Some Trepidation

When sitting in the water using the foot-pod technique, the wavelets may at times lap against the lens hood. One needs to work carefully to avoid dunking their rig. But for me, the ultra-low perspective, as seen in Images #7 and 8, is well worth the risk.

My Favorite Bird?

Which is my favorite bird in the flock?

Despoiled Wilderness

The natural wilderness that is Outback Key at Fort DeSoto Park is spoiled by a proliferation of large signs as well as by the stakes, strings, and ribbons that protect the Least Tern colonies in spring. At nearly all beach-breeding bird colonies, the strings and ribbons (at least) are removed when the nesting birds have left the colony. Important signs might be lowered and reduced in size and number to better persevere the wild aspects of the key. It took me more than thirty minutes to remove the posts, strings, and ribbons that marred the raw file for Image #7.

This image was also created on 3 November 2022, the wonderful fourth morning of the third DeSoto IPT. Again, while seated in six inches of water, I used the foot-pod technique (with some trepidation) with the handheld Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens 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 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 8:37:22am on a sunny morning. Tracking: Spot S/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #8: American White Pelican — small-in-the-frame swimming with its reflection

Your Call?

Which of today’s eight featured images is your favorite? Please enlarge each image, make your choice, and leave a comment letting us know why you made your choice. I have two that I really love and will share those here with you on Tuesday.

The Jackpot Question

Which two of today’s eight featured images have something that bugs me? Leave a comment noting those two and the thing in each that bugs me.

Click on the image to better see the green eye-AF boxes in action. Sony Alpha 1 Flight Photography AF Points!

The SONY Alpha a1 Set-up Guide and Info Group: $150.00 (or Free)

The SONY Alpha a1 Set-up Guide and Info Group is going great guns as more and more folks chime in with thoughtful questions and experience-based answers. As the a1 is becoming more readily available, more and more folks are getting their hands on this amazing body. The group is now up to up to an astounding 131 lucky and blessed folks, and more than a few folks own two or more a1 bodies! Early on, we discussed the myriad AF options. I gave my opinion as to the best one for flight and general bird photography. The best news is that everyone in the group receives an e-mail that includes a .DAT file with my a1 settings on it, and explicit directions on how to load my settings onto your a1; talk about convenience! I am now offering a .DAT file compatible with firmware update 1.20. Your entry into the group includes a consolidated Sony a1 CAMSETA2 INFO & GUIDE. New a1 folks will now receive six e-mails instead of the previous 28! You will receive new e-mails as they are published. Simply put, this e-mail guide is an incredible resource for anyone with an a1.

All who purchased their Alpha 1 bodies via a BAA affiliate link — B&H or Bedfords — will receive a free Sony Alpha a1 Set-Up Guide and free entry into the Info Updates group after shooting me their receipts via e-mail. (Note: it may take me several days to confirm B&H orders.). Others can purchase their guide 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.

On Getting Better

Consider joining me on a BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT). The San Diego, Homer, and the yet-to-be announced Spring DeSoto IPTs, the July 2023 Jacksonville IPT, and the July 2024 Galapagos Photo-Cruise of a Lifetime, all offer the opportunity for you to dramatically improve your skills both in the field and at the computer and to make some astounding images as well. Click here and see which IPT might be best for you.

What’s Up?

Day 3 of the third DeSoto IPT dawned cloudy. The American White Pelicans were as sedentary as they were on Tuesday — so much for bird behavior being repetitive. We bailed early and headed for the fishing pier with the nice east wind. We had lots of action with diving pelicans, Laughing Gulls, Sandwich Terns, and lots of silly-tame wading birds on the railings and in flight. The variably cloudy sky made getting the exposures perfect difficult even with Sony’s Zebras; we’d go from cloudy dark to full sun in just a moment. I taught the boys and girls to go one or two clicks darker for the Snowy Egrets than for the Sandwich Terns, and one or two clicks lighter for the darker Brown Pelicans. Each click is 1/3-stop.

Mike and Norma stayed in on Wednesday afternoon while Bob Reis and I did another session with the shorebirds at ground level. We began with a juvie Piping Plover that posed right in front of us for what seemed like an eternity. We had some winter Western Sandpipers, two oystercatchers, a Short-billed Dowitcher, two Black Bellied Plovers, and a handsome Willet. We did lots of wide shot bird-scapes as the light was soft and sweet and the breeze created gorgeous patterns in the water. I took the group out for a late thank you dinner to Pia’s Trattoria in Gulfport.

Today is Thursday 3 November 2022, the last morning of the third DeSoto IPT. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about an hour to prepare including the time spent on the image optimizations and makes two hundred twenty-two days in a row with a new one.

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 2 November 2022 on the third morning of the third DeSoto IPT. While standing at full height I used the handheld the Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens 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 2500. 1/3200 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 8:34:00am on a cloudy morning. Tracking: Zone/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: Laughing Gull scolding incoming American Oystercatcher

Just Hanging Around

We were standing around near the base of the pier waiting for the Sandwich Terns to dive and come up with a baitfish when I spotted an incoming oystercatcher. I called it out to the group, but no-one saw it fast enough to get on the bird. I fired off about ten frames and kept four. My two favorites are today’s featured images. I like one better first but changed my mind.

This image was created on 2 November 2022 on the third morning of the third DeSoto IPT. While standing at full height I used the handheld the Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens 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 2500. 1/3200 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 8:34:00am on a cloudy morning. Tracking: Zone/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: Laughing Gull scolding incoming American Oystercatcher

560mm Handheld and Loving It at DeSoto

The 400 f/2.8 GM lens with the 1.4X TC and an a1 has become my primary rig at DeSoto. It is great to head out onto the beach without a tripod. At times, the prime lens alone is even more deadly without the teleconverter. I have been using the 600 with either TC on the flattened tripod in the afternoons for the shorebirds. With great success.

Your Call?

Which of the two images do you like best? Leave a comment and let us know why you made your choice.

Click on the image to better see the green eye-AF boxes in action. Sony Alpha 1 Flight Photography AF Points!

The SONY Alpha a1 Set-up Guide and Info Group: $150.00 (or Free)

The SONY Alpha a1 Set-up Guide and Info Group is going great guns as more and more folks chime in with thoughtful questions and experience-based answers. As the a1 is becoming more readily available, more and more folks are getting their hands on this amazing body. The group is now up to up to an astounding 131 lucky and blessed folks, and more than a few folks own two or more a1 bodies! Early on, we discussed the myriad AF options. I gave my opinion as to the best one for flight and general bird photography. The best news is that everyone in the group receives an e-mail that includes a .DAT file with my a1 settings on it, and explicit directions on how to load my settings onto your a1; talk about convenience! I am now offering a .DAT file compatible with firmware update 1.20. Your entry into the group includes a consolidated Sony a1 CAMSETA2 INFO & GUIDE. New a1 folks will now receive six e-mails instead of the previous 28! You will receive new e-mails as they are published. Simply put, this e-mail guide is an incredible resource for anyone with an a1.

All who purchased their Alpha 1 bodies via a BAA affiliate link — B&H or Bedfords — will receive a free Sony Alpha a1 Set-Up Guide and free entry into the Info Updates group after shooting me their receipts via e-mail. (Note: it may take me several days to confirm B&H orders.). Others can purchase their guide 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.

On Getting Better

Consider joining me on a BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT). The San Diego, Homer, and the yet-to-be announced Spring DeSoto IPTs, the July 2023 Jacksonville IPT, and the July 2024 Galapagos Photo-Cruise of a Lifetime all offer the opportunity for you to dramatically improve your skills both in the field and at the computer and to make some astounding images as well. Click here and see which IPT might be best for you.

What’s Up?

The third DeSoto IPT got off to a great start. Our day began with about 1000 American White Pelican roosting on a sandbar, the largest flock I have every seen anywhere. Half of those flew right at us into the east breeze as the sun came up. There were lots of fishing and flying wading birds, mostly Great and Snowy Egrets. As the morning progressed, we had a tame juvenile American Oystercatcher in still blue water. Early on, I avoided getting my butt muddy but I finally decided to sit down in the water for super-low perspectives. As soon as I placed the lens barrel between my feet, every bird at North Beach took flight in fear as a Merlin streaked by. Since I was already wet, I stayed put and was rewarded when the oystercatcher flew back. A Great Egret joined it, as did the single Greater Yellowlegs in Image #2, below. It was the only one we saw. There were no sightings of the Bar-tailed Godwit.

Today is Tuesday 1 November 2022. Bob Ries will be joining us for two days of the IPT. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about 90 minutes to prepare including the time spent on the image optimizations and makes two hundred-twenty days in a row with a new one.

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 31 October 2022 on the first morning of the third DeSoto IPT. Standing at full height, 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. 1/4000 sec. at f/3.2 (stopped down 1/3-stop) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the exposure was determined to be perfect (ho hum). AWB at 8:04:37am on a sunny morning. Tracking: Zone/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: American White Pelican in flight

Positioning

Bird behavior tends to be repetitive. When the pelicans took off to our right, we moved right. If they took off to our left, we moved left. Most of our moves were of about one hundred yards. We moved several times; most turned out very well. As it got brighter and brighter, the birds quit taking off. We waited fifteen minutes and then headed for greener pastures. As we walked south, dozens of birds began taking off again to the east 🙁

This image was created on 31 October 2022 on the first morning of the third DeSoto IPT. Standing at full height, 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. 1/4000 sec. at f/3.2 (stopped down 1/3-stop) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the exposure was determined to be perfect (ho hum). AWB at 8:04:37am on a sunny morning. Tracking: Zone/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 #1A: A7 INFO AF points for the American White Pelican in flight image

400mm f/2.8 Autofocus

Autofocus needs light and contrast to work. Many do not realize that with all things being equal, an f/2.8 lens — with its huge light gathering capabilities, will focus faster and more accurately than an f/4 lens. In the same vein, an f/4 lens will focus faster and more accurately than an f/5.6 lens. And so on an so forth.

As you can see in the screen capture above, Sony a1 AF performance with 400mmf/2.8 GM lens is superb, This lens has quickly become my favorite DeSoto lens, always used without a tripod, and often with the 1.4X TC.

This image was created on 31 October 2022 on the first morning of the third DeSoto IPT. While seated in six inches of cool water I used the foot-pod technique with the Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens 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 500. 1/5000 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 9:36:04am on a sunny morning. Tracking: Zone/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: Greater Yellowlegs foraging

Perspective Question

Is there such a thing as being too low? Why should I have had the lens on my toes rather than between my feet?

Typos

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