Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

What’s Up?

The Royal Tern/Laughing Gull/Brown Pelican rookery near Jacksonville was breathtakingly amazing. The beach is gorgeous, and there are an estimated 10,000 pairs of nesting birds in the protected dunes. With clear blue skies and a stiff onshore wind from the east (wind against sun …), photography was very difficult at best.

With the same forecast for this morning — 27 June 2021, I told everyone to bring extra cards and lots of batteries. We are gonna kill ’em for sure. 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 and makes 183 consecutive days with a new one. 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 and is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great if you opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to save 3% at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And doing so always earns my great appreciation.

Please Remember

With income from IPTs now close to zero, please, if you enjoy and learn from the blog, remember to use one of my two affiliate programs when purchasing new gear. Doing so just might make it possible for me to avoid having to try to get a job as a Walmart greeter and will not cost you a single penny more. And if you use Bedfords and remember to enter the BIRDSASART code at checkout, you will save 3% on every order and enjoy free second-day air shipping. In these crazy times — I am out at least forty to sixty thousand dollars so far due to COVID 19 (with lots more to come) — remembering to use my B&H link or to shop at Bedfords will help me out a ton and be greatly appreciated. Overseas folks who cannot order from the US because of import fees, duties, and taxes, are invited to help out by clicking here to leave a blog thank you gift if they see fit.

New and Better Bedfords Discount Policy!

You can now save 3% on all of your Bedfords photo gear purchases by entering the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout. Your discount will be applied to your pre-tax total. In addition, by using the code you will get 2nd day air shipping via Fed Ex.

Grab a Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III and save $14.99. Purchase a Canon EOS R5 and your discount will be $116.97. Purchase a Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and save a remarkable $389.94! Your Bedford’s purchase no longer needs to be greater than $1,000.00 for you to receive a discount. The more you spend, the more you save.

Money Saving Reminder

Many have learned that if you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H and would enjoy free second-day 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 use it for your online order to save 3% and enjoy free 2nd-day air shipping. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H and everywhere else. The wait lists 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 a9 ii, 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.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs (remember those?) 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… Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail

This image was created on 14 June 2021 on a beach in Southeast Florida. Standing at full height, I used the Induro GIT 304L/ Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted-Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 1600. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/2000 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 8:20am on a cloudy morning. Wide/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed very well by nailing tern’s cap. As this is another healthy crop, about, the depth-of-field was provided by the distance to the subject. Click on the image to see a larger version. Least Tern chick about three days old with sibling

Tiny Little Ones

These two little chicks on a big beach are about three days old. They were in their eggs for about 21 days and will be starting to fly when they are about three weeks old. Tern chicks are precocious: within an hour of hatching, their feathers are dry and their eyes are open; they are capable of staggering a short distance away from the nest. They leave the nest scrape at about two days old. The coloring is cryptic. The birds are well camouflaged when they flatten themselves on the beach in the face of danger.

This image was created on 14 June 2021 on a beach in Southeast Florida. Standing at full height, I used the Induro GIT 304L/ Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted-Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera (Body Only). ISO 1600. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/640 sec. at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed this exposure to be perfect. AWB at 7:52am on an overcast morning. Wide/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version. Image #2: Least Tern about 7-10 days old

Growing Quickly!

The tiny chicks grow very rapidly, approximately doubling their weight by day four and tripling it when they are six days old. This bird probably weight about 25 grams (less than a single ounce!)

Typos

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

Your Favorite?

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

What’s Up?

I took another morning off from photography on Friday; I got lots of work done, but don’t ask me what I got accomplished. Since my 75th birthday 10 days ago, I have rededicated myself to being more active. I had been doing my bursts and swimming a half-mile most every day. I’ve added a 1 1/2 mile walk and have gotten back to doing the Dr. Eric Goodman Founder Exercises (12 minutes here). If you, like most of us (including and especially me), have been living in the box for several decades — sitting, on the computer, sitting, driving, sitting — you know the drill, you might want to learn a bit more about Eric Goodman here.

My favorite-by-far Anita North African image is #4: Yellow-billed Storks Allopreening. Next up for me would be Image #1: Elephant Contortions. Followed by several others including Image #3: Weaver at Nest, Image #7: Newborn Wildebeest Calf With Mother, and Image #8: Cape Buffalo Adults/Calf Juxtaposition. And several others are not bad either!

Today is Saturday 25 June 2021 and I will likely be staying in to get ready for my trip to Jacksonville tomorrow for the Mini-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 and makes 182 consecutive days with a new one. 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 and is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great if you opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to save 3% at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And doing so always earns my great appreciation.

Please Remember

With income from IPTs now close to zero, please, if you enjoy and learn from the blog, remember to use one of my two affiliate programs when purchasing new gear. Doing so just might make it possible for me to avoid having to try to get a job as a Walmart greeter and will not cost you a single penny more. And if you use Bedfords and remember to enter the BIRDSASART code at checkout, you will save 3% on every order and enjoy free second-day air shipping. In these crazy times — I am out at least forty to sixty thousand dollars so far due to COVID 19 (with lots more to come) — remembering to use my B&H link or to shop at Bedfords will help me out a ton and be greatly appreciated. Overseas folks who cannot order from the US because of import fees, duties, and taxes, are invited to help out by clicking here to leave a blog thank you gift if they see fit.

New and Better Bedfords Discount Policy!

You can now save 3% on all of your Bedfords photo gear purchases by entering the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout. Your discount will be applied to your pre-tax total. In addition, by using the code you will get 2nd day air shipping via Fed Ex.

Grab a Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III and save $14.99. Purchase a Canon EOS R5 and your discount will be $116.97. Purchase a Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and save a remarkable $389.94! Your Bedford’s purchase no longer needs to be greater than $1,000.00 for you to receive a discount. The more you spend, the more you save.

Money Saving Reminder

Many have learned that if you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H and would enjoy free second-day 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 use it for your online order to save 3% and enjoy free 2nd-day air shipping. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H and everywhere else. The wait lists 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 a9 ii, 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.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs (remember those?) 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… Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail

This image was created on 23 June 2021 on my (rarely-mown) front lawn. Working off the splayed Induro GIT 304L topped by a Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Mini, I used the Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro USM lens with the Metabones Canon EF/EF-S Lens to Sony E Mount T Smart Adapter (Fifth Generation) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 800. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/60 sec. at f/9 (stopped down 2 2/3 stops) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed this exposure to be dead-solid perfect. Manual Focus with Focus Magnifier and Focus Peaking as detailed in the SONY Alpha a1 Info and Updates group e-mails. AWB at 8:33 in the shade on a partly sunny morning. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version. Image #1: Small-in-the-frame White-mouth Dayflower — Commelina erecta

Commelina erecta

This flower is not hard to find in Central Florida. It is known as White-mouth Dayflower, Slender Dayflower, or Widow’s Tears. I am blessed to have them blooming profusely in my yard in late spring and early summer each year. Until doing a bit of research for this blog post, I never realized that the flowers in my yard bloom for only one day. Each low-growing plant, however, produces a succession of flowers that keep them blooming for many weeks.

Depth-of-Field Question

Why does Image #1 (made at f/9), have as much d-o-f then Image #2 (made at f/16)?

This image was created on 23 June 2021 on my (rarely-mown) front lawn. Working off the splayed Induro GIT 304L topped by a Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Mini, I used the Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro USM lens with the Metabones Canon EF/EF-S Lens to Sony E Mount T Smart Adapter (Fifth Generation) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 800. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/15 sec. at f/16 (stopped down 4 1/3 stops) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed this exposure to be dead-solid perfect. AWB at 8:36 in the shade on a partly sunny morning. Manual Focus with Focus Magnifier and Focus Peaking as detailed in the SONY Alpha a1 Info and Updates group e-mails. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version. Image #2: Large-in-the-frame White-mouth Dayflower — Commelina erecta

Manual Focus with Focus Magnifier and Focus Peaking

All of the high-end SONY mirrorless camera bodies offer these features. If you do macro, using them properly in combination, is both efficient and fun. After activating Focus Magnifier (as detailed in SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Notes #16), you frame the shot — always working on a tripod. While focusing manually, the areas or sharp focus will be overlaid by the peaking color of your choice. As you turn the focusing ring, you will see the focus peaking move from front to back or back to front across the image. Then you can magnify the image in two steps to ensure critically sharp focus exactly where you want it.

SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Group

The SONY Alpha a1 Set-up 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. With two folks joining yesterday, we are now up to an astounding 62 blessed photographers! Early on, we discussed the myriad AF options. I gave my opinion as to the best one for flight and general bird photography. More recently, we have been in contact with folks at SONY sharing our thoughts, experiences, and frustrations with the EVF blackout problem.

All who purchased their Alpha a1 bodies via a BAA affiliate link will receive a free subscription to the Sony Alpha a1 Set-Up and Info Updates after shooting me their receipts via e-mail. (Note: it may take me several days to confirm B&H orders.) This same service may be purchased by anyone with an a1 body via a $150.00 PayPal sent to birdsasart@verizon.net indicating payment for Alpha a1 Info Updates. Alternatively, folks can call Jim weekdays at 1-863-692-0906 to pay via credit card. New members will receive composite e-mails that summarize all previous discussions.

Image #2A: Topaz DeNoise on the Large-in-the-frame White-mouth Dayflower — Commelina erecta

Topaz DeNoise

Be sure to click on the screen capture to see the complete elimination of noise in the after image on our right. And note that if anything, the fine details are sharper than in the original.

As regular readers know, I run DeNoise on virtually every image that I process immediately after executing the crop with the Delete Cropped Pixels box checked. For images made in sunny conditions, I used Standard. For images made in low light, I use Low Light. You can check all four methods by using the Comparison View but I rarely do that any more as I am confident as noted above.

Great Topaz News!

Folks who use the BAA Topaz link to purchase Sharpen AI, DeNoise AI, or the Utility Bundle (or any other Topaz plug-ins), will receive a 15% discount by entering the ARTHUR15 code at checkout. If the stuff is on sale (as it usually is), you save 15% off of the sale price! To get the discount you must use my link and you must enter the discount code. Be sure to start with this link.

Those who purchase Sharpen AI, DeNoise AI, or any other Topaz plug-ins using my link and then entering the ARTHUR15 code at checkout can e-mail to request a short Getting Started with Topaz e-Guide. Please include a copy of your Topaz receipt that shows the discount. Aside from the basics, the guide explains how to install the plug-ins so that they appear in the Photoshop Filter Menu.

Typos

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

What’s Up?

Wednesday dawned totally overcast and dark. It brightened up by 8:00am, so I grabbed the macro lens and tooled around in the butterfly garden for a while without much success. So I headed to the front yard and spent a half hour sitting on the wet grass with the White-mouthed Dayflowers. I worked on the Speedy Picking Your Keepers in Photo Mechanic Video, and — after sending out e-mail #17 to the Alpha 1 Info and Updates Group, began work on #18. I did my bursts and my swim and another cool walk after another late thunderstorm.

I was thrilled to learn that Owen Schmidt sold his Canon EOS-1DX Mark III for the full asking price of $3999.00 one hour after it was listed.

The forecast for today is mostly cloudy and still with more afternoon thunderstorms. As it has been raining long and hard almost everyday, I will be staying away from the lake in fear of getting stuck in the soft, rain-slicked fields. I am getting excited about heading up to Jacksonville on Sunday for the sold-out 4-DAY JAX Mini IPT. I am expecting great things, as long as we do not get stuck in the sand! Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.

This blog post took more than two hours to prepare and makes 180 consecutive days with a new one. 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 and is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great if you opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to save 3% at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And doing so always earns my great appreciation.

The SONY 200-600 G Lens in Low Light! Part II

Follow along in today’s blog post to see how I used many of the great plug-ins, programs, and Photoshop features to pretty much create a useable image from a pretty bad, high ISO original … Again, the 2-6 has advantages even in low light; those include: light weight, ease of use, hand hold-ability, and great versatility. Not to mentiion that it kills on sunny days as well.

Image #1: Active AF points screen capture for the Black-necked Still nest distraction display image

Alpha a1 AF

As detailed in the Alpha a1 Info and Updates e-mails, Wide AF will sometimes revert to zone-like AF when it cannot detect a bird’s eye or face. That is what happened here with excellent results.

Sony Alpha a1 AF

Barring operator error, the performance of the Sony Alpha a1 AF system at any focal length — including at 1200mm as seen in recent blog posts — is, when the a1 is set up properly as detailed in the in e-mails to the Sony Alpha a1 Info & Updates group, more than remarkable. Early on, there was lots of discussion within the group with many preferring multiple back button approaches. For me a simple shutter button approach with the right AF settings that yield 99% sharp-on-the-eye images is best. By far. It is super-simple and mega-effective. In recent SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Group e-mails, I shared what I have learned as to when and it what situations it is best to abandon Wide. And with what. The group has already learned to limit the AF Area choices and to switch AF Areas quickly and conveniently. The default method of switching AF points with the C2 button is both slow and cumbersome. In addition, recent e-mails have detailed the best program to use to pick your a1 keepers and the big problem with the Camera Set. Memory menu item.

SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Group

For me, today’s featured image would not have been possible without my Sony Alpha a1. The speed of initial focusing acquisition is amazingly quick as is the tracking accuracy. And all of that will be even truer for tomorrow’s featured image.

The SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Group is going great guns as folks chime in with thoughtful questions and experience-based advice. We are now up to an astounding 60 blessed folks! Early on, we discussed the myriad AF options. I gave my opinion as to the best one for flight and general bird photography. More recently, we have been in contact with folks at SONY sharing our thoughts, experiences, and frustrations with the EVF blackout problem.

All who purchased their Alpha a1 bodies via a BAA affiliate link will receive a free subscription to the Sony Alpha a1 Set-Up and Info Updates after shooting me their receipts via e-mail. (Note: it may take me several days to confirm B&H orders.) This same service may be purchased by anyone with an a1 body via a $150.00 PayPal sent to birdsasart@verizon.net indicating payment for Alpha a1 Info Updates. Alternatively, folks can call Jim weekdays at 1-863-692-0906 to pay via credit card. New members will receive composite e-mails that summarize all previous discussions.

Image #1A: RawDigger screen capture for the Black-necked Still nest distraction display image

Another Small Over-exposure

The RawDigger screen capture shows a total of 1991 OvExp pixels in the two G channels. You can see the PINK Ov-Exp warning on a small area of the bird’s tail. I tried the suggestions that Cliff Beittel left as a comment on the blog post here, but they did not exactly work. The RGB #s in the over-exposed areas showed well less than 255, 255, 255, but there was no detail at all. The WHITEs were just greyed out. I am sure that his suggestion would work well in some situations. Keep reading to learn how I dealt with the small area of detail-less, over-exposed WHITE feathers.

Via e-Mail from Geri George

Hi Artie, Thanks for the RawDigger e-Guide. With many of my flower images, DPP 4 shows lots of over-exposure on the petals, but RawDigger shows only a smattering (less than a hundred). They all converted perfectly in DPP 4 simply by pulling down the Highlight slider a bit. RawDigger has some really cool stuff!

Thanks and best, Geri

RawDigger e-Guide with Two Videos

The RawDigger e-Guide with Two Videos

by Arthur Morris with Patrick Sparkman

The RawDigger e-Guide was created only for serious photographers who wish to get the absolute most out of their raw files. It is not for the faint-of-heart who are happy to go through life under-exposing every raw file they create.

Patrick and I began work on the guide in July 2020. At first we struggled. We asked questions. We learned about Max-G values. We puzzled as to why the Max G values for different cameras were different. IPT veteran Bart Deamer asked lots of questions that we could not answer. We got help from RawDigger creator Iliah Borg. We learned. In December, Patrick came up with an Adapted Histogram that allows us to evaluate the exposures and raw file brightness for all images created with all digital camera bodies from the last two decades. What we learned prompted three complete beginning to end re-writes.

The point of the guide is to teach you to truly mega-Expose-to-the-Right so that you will minimize noise, maximize image quality, best utilize your camera’s dynamic range, and attain the highest possible level of shadow detail in your RAW files in every situation. In addition, your properly exposed RAW files will contain more tonal information and feature the smoothest possible transitions between tones. And your optimized images will feature rich, accurate color.

We teach you why the GREEN channel is almost always the first to over-expose. We save you money by advising you which version of RawDigger you need. We teach you how to interpret the Max G values for your Canon, Nikon, and SONY camera bodies. It is very likely that the Shock-your-World section will shock you. And lastly — thanks to the technical and practical brilliance of Patrick Sparkman — we teach you a simple way to quickly and easily evaluate your exposures and raw file brightness using an Adapted RawDigger histogram.

The flower video takes you through a session where artie edits a folder of images in Capture One while checking the exposures and Max-G values in RawDigger. The Adapted Histogram video examines a series of recent images with the pink histograms and covers lots of fine points including and especially how to deal with specular highlights. The directions for setting up the Adapted Histogram are in the text.

If we priced this guide based on how much effort we put into it, it would sell it for $999.00. But as this guide will be purchased only by a limited number of serious photographers, we have priced it at $51.00. You can order yours here in the BAA Online Store.

This image was created on 30 May 2021 in the marsh at the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates. I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 200mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 2000. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/1000 sec. at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 4:40pm on a very cloudy afternoon. Wide/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed very well. See the AF point screen capture below. Image #1B: The original before rotation and cropping for the Black-necked Still nest distraction display image

Image Rotation Trick from Digital Basics II

Scroll Down for DB II Details

I used the Ruler Tool to draw a line from the center of the bird’s eye through the center of the bird’s eye in the (very dingy) reflection. Then I used to Keyboard Shortcut to bring up Rotation > Arbitrary. That showed that I needed 3.28 degrees of CW rotation. I knew that I would be executing a big crop to eliminate the very ugly reflection. After the crop, I needed to fill in a small triangle of canvas upper right. I did that using John Heado Content-Aware Fill. Yes, I know that that should be done automatically using Content-Aware Crop, but sometimes it does not work so I had do it the old-fashioned way.

Considering the original, I think that you must agree that it is pretty bad. The light was horrific, the background like dishwater, and the bird’s eye barely visible. Did I forget to mention the YELLOW color cast?

Image #1C: Topaz DeNoise on the Black-necked Still nest distraction display image

Topaz DeNoise

Be sure to click on the screen capture and note the superb job of eliminating the noise in the dark, almost black wing in the after version on your right while retaining feather detail. I run DeNoise after leveling and cropping on virtually every image that I process. By cropping first with the box for “Delete Cropped Pixels” checked, there is less work for DeNoise to do. As with most images created in lousy light, I used Low Light on Auto. Note also that the entire eye was very dark with little sign of the ruby red iris you would see on a sunny day. More on that below.

Great Topaz News!

Folks who use the BAA Topaz link to purchase Sharpen AI, DeNoise AI, or the Utility Bundle (or any other Topaz plug-ins), will receive a 15% discount by entering the ARTHUR15 code at checkout. If the stuff is on sale (as it usually is), you save 15% off of the sale price! To get the discount you must use my link and you must enter the discount code. Be sure to start with this link.

Those who purchase Sharpen AI, DeNoise AI, or any other Topaz plug-ins using my link and then entering the ARTHUR15 code at checkout can e-mail to request a short Getting Started with Topaz e-Guide. Please include a copy of your Topaz receipt that shows the discount. Aside from the basics, the guide explains how to install the plug-ins so that they appear in the Photoshop Filter Menu.

This image was created on 30 May 2021 in the marsh at the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates. I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 200mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 2000. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/1000 sec. at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 4:40pm on a very cloudy afternoon. Wide/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed very well. See the AF point screen capture below. Image #1D: This is the optimized version of the Black-necked Stilt nest distraction display image

The Optimized Version

After DeNoise, I brought the image into Viveza, brightened the water, and got it looking somewhat blue. Anyhoo, it is a huge improvement over the original. Next was some extensive Eye Doctor work. That involved lightening and saturating the iris. I eliminated some of the crud in the water, ran a Gaussian Blur on the whole image, covered that with a Black (Inverse or Hide-All Mask), and painted the effect in as needed, mostly on the upper background. Last, I needed to add some detail to a small section of over-exposed WHITEs. I did the via a small, transformed Quick Mask of an area of detailed breast feathers.

Is this image a prize winner? Not by any means. But it is a decent image that shows some neat behavior and is fine for web presentation.

The Situation

I checked the 4-egg nest with my binoculars from the South Field. The bird was not on the nest. I got close enough to see that the four eggs were intact and headed South in the marsh. One of the adults landed in front of me and performed a nest distraction display to lead me away from the nest. I kept walking slowly to the south. When I turned around I was pleased to see the bird on the nest incubating its eggs.

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)

Everything mentioned above and dozens more Photoshop tips and techniques — along with all of 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. Learn more and check out the free excerpt in the blog post here. While the new e-Guide reflects my MacBook Pro/Photo Mechanic/DPP 4/Photoshop workflow, folks using a PC and/or BreezeBrowser will also benefit greatly by studying the material on DB II. 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: all 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 two years ago I began converting my Nikon and Sony RAW files in Capture One Pro 12 and continue to do so today.

To purchase Capture One, please use this link. Then 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.

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.

Your Fave?

Please be so kind as to leave a comment and let us know which of Clemens three featured 1DX Mark III images you think is the strongest. And why.

What’s Up?

I enjoyed my morning off from photography and was thinking of making it two in a row. But the sky to the east was clear for the first time in more than two weeks, so I will be heading down to the lake early for a short drive-around. I did get tons of work done yesterday.

Today is Tuesday 22 June 2021. The forecast states that more clouds are coming along with a high of 90 degrees followed by thunderstorms. It absolutely poured late yesterday afternoon. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.

This blog post took more than an hour to prepare and makes 178 consecutive days with a new one. 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 and is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great if you opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to save 3% at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And doing so always earns my great appreciation.

Sarah Vaughan – Broken-Hearted Melody

Words by Hal David

I heard this 1959 record on Sirius Satellite Radio on Sunday. The music and words are fantastic and I am not sure if you will every hear a sweeter voice than that of the late-Sarah Vaughan. She was an American jazz singer nicknamed “The Divine One.” She won four Grammy Awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award. She was given an NEA Jazz Masters Award in 1989. Critic Scott Yanow wrote that she had “one of the most wondrous voices of the 20th century.”

Canon EOS-1DX Mark III

Owen Schmidt is offering a Canon EOS-1DX Mark III in like-new condition for a BAA record-low $3999.00. Less than 4,000 shutter actuations. The sale includes the original box and everything that came in it, a second battery, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Owen via e-mail.

The Canon 1Dx bodies have been solid performers under challenging conditions for many years. The autofocus performance of the 1Dx and 1Dx MkII had been lacking as compared to Nikon or lately Sony (A9) especially when it comes down to dynamic focusing using the whole sensor array or specific zones. on the 1DX Mark II, the Automatic AF area selection never did a great job of acquiring and tracking the subject; thus, that mode was pretty much useless for photographing birds in flight. Single-point AF or AF Expand (4 or 9 points) with the tracking sensitivity set at -2 often produced good results for me with flying birds, but the fact that you were limited as far as image design always bothered me. Nikon’s dynamic focusing and Sony’s tracking capabilities provided extra compositional flexibility. As a result, many bird photographers decided to leave Canon and switch to Nikon or a Sony a9 series body. I decided to stay the course with Canon for two reasons: my collection of great Canon lenses, and the fact that the development of sensor and AF technology is like an arms race: one day Nikon is ahead, the next day Canon is ahead. I was lucky enough to get the new Canon 1DX Mark III camera body from Steve Elkins just in time for my trip to Alaska to photograph the Bald Eagles. It was the perfect place to test the improved AF capabilities of the new Canon flagship body, the EOS-1D X Mark III DSLR with CFexpress Card and Reader.

The 1Dx Mk III is a hybrid camera with an Optical Viewfinder (OVF) and Live-View shooting making it a mirrorless camera at the same time that it is a rugged dSLR. There are a ton of other great new features, but I focused primarily on testing the new enhanced AF system. I was especially interested to see if the new dynamic 191-point Automatic AF selection and the AF zones would perform better than the previous versions of the 1Dx. The conclusion is that even under difficult circumstances — the first two days with heavy winds and heavy snow) — the camera had no issue focusing on the subject and keep tracking it with the Automatic AF selection mode. I used the center point to acquire focus and as soon as it locked the focus on the bird, it did a great job keeping multiple AF points on the subject and tracking it through the frame and through the snowflakes. The same applied for the Zones — smaller AF areas with multiple AF points active. Even with busy backgrounds, the AF stayed locked on the subject. The AF modes have been reduced to 4 compared to 5 in the previous 1Dx models. I primarily used Mode 2 (Continue to Track Subjects, Ignoring Possible Obstacles) and Mode 4 (For Subjects That Accelerate or Decelerate Quickly) but was not able to see a significant difference between the modes. Even with trying the “Deep Learning” Automatic setting (Tracking Automatically Adapts to Subject Movement) I did not notice a significant difference. They all performed really well. The conclusion is that Canon has produced a camera that is now on-par or even better than its competitors with respect to AF performance. Although I did not test the mirrorless capabilities yet, other tests show that this function is also equal to or better than the Sony A9 performance, the only difference is that you can not use the OVF in mirrorless-mode with the 1DX III and have to use the display on the back of the camera (the rear monitor) instead. Due to the fact you have to keep the camera away from your eye, this is somewhat awkward for photographing birds in flight. I am very happy with the AF performance as compared to the previous Canon models and am looking forward to testing it further on Florida birds this coming spring. Clemens van der Werf

The 1DX III sells new right now for $6,499.00. Grab Owen’s almost new body, save $2500.00, and get an extra battery to boot! I remember how thrilled Clemens was with his then brand-new 1DX III in Homer. You can see some of his eagle images made with the 1DX iii in the Field-testing the New Canon EOS-1DX Mark III at Homer: World-Class Nature Photographer Clemens Van der Werf Shares the Skinny on Canon’s New Flagship Camera Body post here. artie

Only at BAA: Levered-Clamp FlexShooters in Stock!

We have just one Levered-clamp Flex-shooter Minis left in stock. They are available in the US only from BAA. I ordered another dozen yesterday …

Folks with a big lens should, of course, be working with the Levered-clamp Flex-shooter Pro. This new head on just about any decent tripod like the Induro GIT 304L or the Induro 204L (for travel), is dead-solid-perfect for those whose intermediate telephoto or telephoto zoom lenses are their workhorse lenses for bird and nature photography, for all macro lenses with a tripod collar, and for wide angle lenses with a Wimberley P-5 Plate on the camera body. The levered-clamp is super-fast and secure. Though it weighs only 1lb., 2.4 ozs, this elegantly manufactured head is rock-solid. It takes only seconds to level all FlexShooter heads for smooth, square-to-the-world panning, and these innovative and patented spring-counterbalanced double ballheads will completely eliminate ballhead-flop.

We have lots of Levered-clamp Flex-shooter Pro heads in stock. Though they are the best head around for long lenses and for general purpose nature, B&H does not even carry them! I use and rely on mine most ever day that I am out there.

Please Remember

With income from IPTs now close to zero, please, if you enjoy and learn from the blog, remember to use one of my two affiliate programs when purchasing new gear. Doing so just might make it possible for me to avoid having to try to get a job as a Walmart greeter and will not cost you a single penny more. And if you use Bedfords and remember to enter the BIRDSASART code at checkout, you will save 3% on every order and enjoy free second-day air shipping. In these crazy times — I am out at least forty to sixty thousand dollars so far due to COVID 19 (with lots more to come) — remembering to use my B&H link or to shop at Bedfords will help me out a ton and be greatly appreciated. Overseas folks who cannot order from the US because of import fees, duties, and taxes, are invited to help out by clicking here to leave a blog thank you gift if they see fit.

New and Better Bedfords Discount Policy!

You can now save 3% on all of your Bedfords photo gear purchases by entering the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout. Your discount will be applied to your pre-tax total. In addition, by using the code you will get 2nd day air shipping via Fed Ex.

Grab a Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III and save $14.99. Purchase a Canon EOS R5 and your discount will be $116.97. Purchase a Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and save a remarkable $389.94! Your Bedford’s purchase no longer needs to be greater than $1,000.00 for you to receive a discount. The more you spend, the more you save.

Money Saving Reminder

Many have learned that if you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H and would enjoy free second-day 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 use it for your online order to save 3% and enjoy free 2nd-day air shipping. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H and everywhere else. The wait lists 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 a9 ii, 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.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs (remember those?) 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… Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail

This image was created on 11 March 2021 down by the lake near my home at ILE. Standing at full height, Clemens Van der Werf used the tripod-mounted Canon 600mm f/4L IS II lens (now replaced by the Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM lens), the Canon Extender EF 2X III, and the Canon EOS-1D X Mark III DSLR camera body. ISO 5000: 1/1600 sec. at f/9 in Manual mode. AWB at 7:32pm with some haze on above the western horizon. Face Detection + Tracking/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly. Click on the image to see a larger version. Image #1: Ospreys Fighting at Sunset Image Courtesy of and copyright 2021: Clemens Van der Werf

Ospreys Fighting at Sunset

When folks visit ILE in winter and early spring, we head down to the lake to photograph the wading birds coming into their roost on the far edge of the marsh. At times, vultures, eagles, and Ospreys fly by. I was standing right next to Clemens when he made this image. Please do not ask me where I was as I never saw the squabble!

As for sharp flight photography at 1200mm, I can only say that the 1DX III is right up there with the mirrorless bodies.

This image was created on 17 June 2021 on a beach in Southeast Florida. Standing at full height, Clemens Van der Werf used the tripod-mounted Canon 600mm f/4L IS II lens (now replaced by the Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM lens), the Canon Extender EF 1.4X III, and the Canon EOS-1D X Mark III DSLR camera body. ISO 2000: 1/2000 sec. at f/8 (stopped down one stop) in Manual mode. AWB at 8:46am on a slightly overcast morning. Face Detection + Tracking/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly. Click on the image to see a larger version. Image #2: Least Tern feeding chick in nest scrape with sibling Image Courtesy of and copyright 2021: Clemens Van der Werf

Standing at Full Height?

It is difficult to figure out how Clemens was standing at full height when he made this low-perspective image. Here is the explanation: the beachfront in Southeast Florida is severely eroded. When you stand with your back to The Atlantic, you are a bit above the level of the birds that are nesting and hanging out close to the ropes. And the beach where the birds have set up their dry successful colony, slopes up a bit to the dunes and the condos. So by adding a TC to work the birds that are slightly upslope, you can produce lovely, intimate images that feature ground-level perspectives. And don’t forget that Clemens is 6′ 6″ tall!

This image was created near Homer, AK by Clemens Van der Werf. He used the handheld Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II (now replaced by the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III (at 170mm) with his brand-new latest greatest Canon body, the 20 fps Canon EOS-1D X Mark III DSLR with CFexpress Card and Reader. ISO 800: 1/3200 sec. at f/4. Click on the image to see a larger version. Image #3: Bald Eagle striking at breaking wave top with sunset color. Image courtesy of and copyright 2020 Clemens Van der Werf.

Creative Vision plus Extra Effort Pay Off Bigtime

To get low enough to make this image, Clemens first envisioned it. Then laid down on the lowered gangway of the workboat. The bay was pretty darned rough. Need I say more?

What’s Up?

There was not a lot going on on Saturday morning. I saw both two-young crane families, but did not stop to photograph them. I did photograph a goldenrod blossom that I had spotted on an afternoon walk. I headed home and photographed a somewhat strange, green and reddish brown Sea Grape leaf that I picked up off the sidewalk on my trip to Southeast Florida.

I answered a ton of e-mails, got started on e-mail #17 for the SONY a1 Info and Updates Group, did more than a dozen critiques and posted the Least Tern chick Food Fight image here in the Avian Gallery on BirdPhotographers.Net (Honest critiques done gently: It ain’t just birds!) BPN is the best place on the planet to improve your nature photography.

Today is Sunday 20 June 2021. I hope to finish the aforementioned e-mail #17 and will be working on a Photo Mechanic Picking Your Keepers video after I get back from the lake. The forecast is for cloudy with a southwest breeze so it is likely to be a short trip. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.

This blog post took more than an hour to prepare and makes 176 consecutive days with a new one. 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 and is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great if you opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to save 3% at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And doing so always earns my great appreciation.

Only at BAA: Levered-Clamp FlexShooters in Stock!

We have just three Levered-clamp Flex-shooter Minis left in stock. They are available in the US only from BAA.

Folks with a big lens should, of course, be working with the Levered-clamp Flex-shooter Pro. This new head on just about any decent tripod like the Induro GIT 304L or the Induro 204L (for travel), is dead-solid-perfect for those whose intermediate telephoto or telephoto zoom lenses are their workhorse lenses for bird and nature photography, for all macro lenses with a tripod collar, and for wide angle lenses with a Wimberley P-5 Plate on the camera body. The levered-clamp is super-fast and secure. Though it weighs only 1lb., 2.4 ozs, this elegantly manufactured head is rock-solid. It takes only seconds to level all FlexShooter heads for smooth, square-to-the-world panning, and these innovative and patented spring-counterbalanced double ballheads will completely eliminate ballhead-flop.

We have lots of Levered-clamp Flex-shooter Pro heads in stock. B&H does not even carry them! I use and rely on mine most ever day that I am out there.

Please Remember

With income from IPTs now close to zero, please, if you enjoy and learn from the blog, remember to use one of my two affiliate programs when purchasing new gear. Doing so just might make it possible for me to avoid having to try to get a job as a Walmart greeter and will not cost you a single penny more. And if you use Bedfords and remember to enter the BIRDSASART code at checkout, you will save 3% on every order and enjoy free second-day air shipping. In these crazy times — I am out at least forty to sixty thousand dollars so far due to COVID 19 (with lots more to come) — remembering to use my B&H link or to shop at Bedfords will help me out a ton and be greatly appreciated. Overseas folks who cannot order from the US because of import fees, duties, and taxes, are invited to help out by clicking here to leave a blog thank you gift if they see fit.

New and Better Bedfords Discount Policy!

You can now save 3% on all of your Bedfords photo gear purchases by entering the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout. Your discount will be applied to your pre-tax total. In addition, by using the code you will get 2nd day air shipping via Fed Ex.

Grab a Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III and save $14.99. Purchase a Canon EOS R5 and your discount will be $116.97. Purchase a Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and save a remarkable $389.94! Your Bedford’s purchase no longer needs to be greater than $1,000.00 for you to receive a discount. The more you spend, the more you save.

Money Saving Reminder

Many have learned that if you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H and would enjoy free second-day 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 use it for your online order to save 3% and enjoy free 2nd-day air shipping. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H and everywhere else. The wait lists 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 a9 ii, 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.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs (remember those?) 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… Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.

This image was created on 11 June 2021 on my pool deck. I used the Induro GIT 304L/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Mini-mounted Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro USM lens with the Metabones Canon EF/EF-S Lens to Sony E Mount T Smart Adapter (Fifth Generation) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 800. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/3 sec. at f/14 (stopped down 3 2/3 stops) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed this exposure to be dead-solid perfect (as below). AWB at 8:13 on a cloudy morning. Manual Focus with Magnification and Focus Peaking as detailed in the SONY Alpha a1 Info and Updates group e-mails. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version. Image #1: a super-tight view of a Swamp Rosemallow Hibiscus grandiflorus blossom

Bud Strategy …

Last year in the marsh, I tried to photograph down-the-throat of some of the large, somewhat floppy Swamp Rosemallow blossoms. But they would not stay still even on a windless morning. And as soon as they open, they are covered inside and out with all manner of small bugs.

In the Hey Bud, Does Viveza Work? And lots more on exposing to the right … blog post here, I shared an image of a picked and Plamped bud that was improved nicely by Viveza. Anyhoo, I brought the bud home and stuck it in a glass of water. It opened the next day in pristine condition with not a bug anywhere in sight. I placed the glass on the arm of a deck chair and went to work. Zero wind and nice cloud cover made things a pleasure.

It almost goes without saying that you should pick buds (or flowers) only from places where such activity is permitted and then only when the plant is abundant. Or from your own garden.

What Do You Think?

What do you like about this image?

What don’t you like?

Depth-of-Field

Note: I bracketed the exposures here while shooting the bud at f/3.5, f/5, f/7.1, and f/14 without moving the lens. I am still not sure which one I like best … If you’d like to see the four raw files as screen captures, shoot me an e-mail requesting same.

This image was created on 11 June 2021 on my pool deck. I used the Induro GIT 304L/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Mini-mounted Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro USM lens with the Metabones Canon EF/EF-S Lens to Sony E Mount T Smart Adapter (Fifth Generation) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 800. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/3 sec. at f/14 (stopped down 3 2/3 stops) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed this exposure to be dead-solid perfect (as below). AWB at 8:13 on a cloudy morning. Manual Focus with Magnification and Focus Peaking as detailed in the SONY Alpha a1 Info and Updates group e-mails. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version. Image #1A: This is the unprocessed image converted at the default setttings blossom

What Do You Think II?

Now that you’ve seen what the raw file looked like, what do you think of the image processing (as seen in Image #1 above)? Please be as honest as you wish.

Typos

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

What’s Up?

I enjoyed one last session at the thriving Least Tern colony on Thursday morning. I was home just before 1pm with 7609 raw files to edit. I got through 4758 of those, keeping 362 after the first edit. I will be doing a Picking-Your-Keepers video on the last file of 2851 images soon. Understand that the photography was neither great nor easy; it was beyond extremely challenging as the adults with fish in their bills would land for an instant while searching for their chick. (Don’t ask me how they know which one is theirs …) When they do find the right chick, the fish is passed to the young in a fraction of a second. Then that lucky chick is attacked by several others unless another adult has swooped in and stolen the fish. In the meantime you are trying to find the action at 840 or 1200mm, acquire focus, and make a series of in-focus images. So at times, I may be able to go through a long series of 50-100 images without tagging a single one.

At times, you are focused on a single chick in a nice situation hoping that it will begin to beg. That takes intense concentration. After a minute or two, you really want to take your eye from the viewfinder. And with all the white sand, you are squinting to begin with. In short order, your temples hurt, as do the eye muscles that help you focus. As I said, challenging. BTW, Clemens killed me on the classic begging chick images; I will be featuring some more of his work here soon.

As the Sony Alpha a1 is becoming more readily available, the Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Group has grown to an astounding 58 folks! Most folks have earned free entry into the group by getting their bodies from Bedfords or from B&H. Two BAA folks got their a1-s yesterday!

The Mini-JAX IPT is now a sell out. I expect to be visiting this site regularly each summer. Though this will be my first visit I am very confident that we will have an amazing trip. As long as I do not get my X5 stuck in the sand …

Today is Friday 18 June 2021. The weather is calling for a brief period of sunshine at dawn quickly turning cloudy. I will be heading down to the lake to check things out. 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 and makes 174 consecutive days with a new one. 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 and is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great if you opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to save 3% at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And doing so always earns my great appreciation.

Levered-Clamp FLexShooters in Stock!

We have just three Levered-clamp Flex-shooter Minis left in stock. They are available in the US only from BAA.

Folks with a big lens should, of course, be working with the Levered-clamp Flex-shooter Pro. This new head on just about any decent tripod like the Induro GIT 304L or the Induro 204L (for travel), is dead-solid-perfect for those whose intermediate telephoto or telephoto zoom lenses are their workhorse lenses for bird and nature photography, for all macro lenses with a tripod collar, and for wide angle lenses with a Wimberley P-5 Plate on the camera body. The levered-clamp is super-fast and secure. Though it weighs only 1lb., 2.4 ozs, this elegantly manufactured head is rock-solid. It takes only seconds to level all FlexShooter heads for smooth, square-to-the-world panning, and these innovative and patented spring-counterbalanced double ballheads will completely eliminate ballhead-flop.

We have lots of Levered-clamp Flex-shooter Pro heads in stock. B&H does not even carry them! I use and rely on mine most ever day that I am out there.

Please Remember

With income from IPTs now close to zero, please, if you enjoy and learn from the blog, remember to use one of my two affiliate programs when purchasing new gear. Doing so just might make it possible for me to avoid having to try to get a job as a Walmart greeter and will not cost you a single penny more. And if you use Bedfords and remember to enter the BIRDSASART code at checkout, you will save 3% on every order and enjoy free second-day air shipping. In these crazy times — I am out at least forty to sixty thousand dollars so far due to COVID 19 (with lots more to come) — remembering to use my B&H link or to shop at Bedfords will help me out a ton and be greatly appreciated. Overseas folks who cannot order from the US because of import fees, duties, and taxes, are invited to help out by clicking here to leave a blog thank you gift if they see fit.

New and Better Bedfords Discount Policy!

You can now save 3% on all of your Bedfords photo gear purchases by entering the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout. Your discount will be applied to your pre-tax total. In addition, by using the code you will get 2nd day air shipping via Fed Ex.

Grab a Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III and save $14.99. Purchase a Canon EOS R5 and your discount will be $116.97. Purchase a Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and save a remarkable $389.94! Your Bedford’s purchase no longer needs to be greater than $1,000.00 for you to receive a discount. The more you spend, the more you save.

Money Saving Reminder

Many have learned that if you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H and would enjoy free second-day 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 use it for your online order to save 3% and enjoy free 2nd-day air shipping. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H and everywhere else. The wait lists 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 a9 ii, 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.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs (remember those?) 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… Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.

This image was created on 23 May 2021 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates. I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 489mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 1250. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/2500 sec. at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:28am on a sunny morning. Wide/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed as expected: perfectly. Click on the image to see a larger version. Osprey braking to land with nesting material

Wind and Sun Together

This image was possible because I knew exactly how the bird would approach the nest with a brisk northeast wind: birds will always fly and land into the wind. I positioned myself right on sun angle to the nest. The bird had to fly past some telephone wires and past another telephone pole to get to its platform nest. There was a very small zone of success, but everything worked out as planned. Learning to read the wind and the light is a hugely important skill for bird photographers. For a landing shot at this nest only good northeast wind will work. The bird only had one way to go. And with the sun rising in the northeast in May, conditions were dead-solid perfect.

Superb When the Sun Shines: the Hand Held SONY 200-600

As noted here recently and often, when the sun is shining, the SONY 200-600 is at its best, even doing well with the 1.4X TC. In low light, I will often turn to the 600mm f/4 GM to save 1 1/3 stops of ISO. See tomorrow’s blog post for a great example of that.

A 200-600 Relevant e-Mail Conversation with Multiple IPT Veteran Geri Georg

AM: gg,

Is there an “e” at the end of your last name???

gg: No!

AM: Re:

gg: I just got my order confirmation for a Sony a1 and 200-600mm lens from Bedford’s. I’ve attached a pdf of the email receipt. Can you please give me access to the a1 information group?

AM: Huge thanks, and yes. I will send the first 16 e-mails today. I will be working on and sending #17 this weekend.

gg: Bedford didn’t have the metabones lens adapter you use with your Canon 180mm macro, so I had to order that from B&H.

AM: I hope that you used the link 🙂

gg: Neither of them have the 1.4x teleconverter in stock, so I just ordered it from Bedford and hopefully it will come soon.

AM: Great and thanks and good luck.

gg: I was looking through several screens of your older blogs, and none of the images seemed to use the 2x teleconverter with the 200-600mm lens. I assume that this is because of losing 2 f-stops, but in bright sun (most of our hiking falls in this category), do you think a 2x might be useful with the 200-600mm lens?

AM: Yes, the wide open aperture at 1200mm drops to a rather penal f/13. I have, however, posted a least a few images made with that combo. One was a sunset silhouette (with lots of light as I was pointing near the setting sun), and the other — I think, was a head shot of a Red-shouldered Hawk made from Clemens’ flats boat. In bright light, it is a viable combination. The optics are sharp — the problem is getting a fast-enough shutter speed and properly framing the image. Though both of the images that I mentioned were hand held, a decent Induro tripod with a Levered-clamp Flex-shooter Mini would be much better. Folks with a big lens should, of course, be working with the Levered-clamp Flex-shooter Pro.

gg: If you’ve covered this question in the a1 info group, I’ll look for it there.

AM: I will include this conversation in the next mail.

artie

Sony Alpha a1 AF

Barring operator error, the performance of the Sony Alpha a1 AF system at any focal length — including at 1200mm as seen in recent blog posts — is, when the a1 is set up properly as detailed in the in e-mails to the Sony Alpha a1 Info & Updates group, more than remarkable. Early on, there was lots of discussion within the group with many preferring multiple back button approaches. For me a simple shutter button approach with the right AF settings that yield 99% sharp-on-the-eye images is best. By far. It is super-simple and mega-effective. In recent SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Group e-mails, I shared what I have learned as to when and it what situations it is best to abandon Wide. And with what. The group has already learned to limit the AF Area choices and to switch AF Areas quickly and conveniently. The default method of switching AF points with the C2 button is both slow and cumbersome. In addition, recent e-mails have detailed the best program to use to pick your a1 keepers and the big problem with the Camera Set. Memory menu item.

SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Group

For me, today’s featured image would not have been possible without my Sony Alpha a1. The speed of initial focusing acquisition is amazingly quick as is the tracking accuracy. And all of that will be even truer for tomorrow’s featured image.

The SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Group is going great guns as folks chime in with thoughtful questions and experience-based advice. We are now up to an astounding 57 blessed folks! Early on, we discussed the myriad AF options. I gave my opinion as to the best one for flight and general bird photography. More recently, we have been in contact with folks at SONY sharing our thoughts, experiences, and frustrations with the EVF blackout problem.

All who purchased their Alpha a1 bodies via a BAA affiliate link will receive a free subscription to the Sony Alpha a1 Set-Up and Info Updates after shooting me their receipts via e-mail. (Note: it may take me several days to confirm B&H orders.) This same service may be purchased by anyone with an a1 body via a $150.00 PayPal sent to birdsasart@verizon.net indicating payment for Alpha a1 Info Updates. Alternatively, folks can call Jim weekdays at 1-863-692-0906 to pay via credit card. New members will receive composite e-mails that summarize all previous discussions.

Typos

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

What’s Up?

On Tuesday morning Clemens and I enjoyed another challenging morning of Least Tern photography in Southeast Florida. Mostly cloudy bright sky conditions were just about perfect. A breeze from the west/southwest? Not so much. But again, we both made some very good ones. The Nikonians webinar went very well, in part thanks to Clemens killer internet.

Today is Wednesday 16 June. I will be on my own at the beach as Clemens has an early morning 30-mile bike ride with his regular cycling group scheduled that followed by a Zoom meeting. The forecast is for more of the same mostly cloudy skies with a breeze from the south. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.

This blog post took more than an hour to prepare and makes 172 consecutive days with a new one. 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 and is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great if you opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to save 3% at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And doing so always earns my great appreciation.

Still Need One for Jax In-the-Field

If you are interested in four days (two 1/2 days and three full days) of In-the-Field Instruction at a great new spot in the Jacksonville, FL area — the afternoon of Sunday 27 June through the morning session on Thursday 1 July 2021, please get in touch ASAP via e-mail for details, or call me on my cell at 863-221-2372. If you have a four-wheel drive truck or an SUV that would do well on the beach, that would be an amazing plus. Inexpensive lodging at a gorgeous AirBnB just 25 minutes from our shooting location is available. We only have room for one more in the 4 bedroom home.

We will be going to the beach in my vehicle (unless you have a 4WD vehicle) for all eight sessions at Huguenot Memorial Park. We will have thousand of birds to photograph. Mainly nesting Royal Terns with chicks of all sizes and Laughing Gulls with large chicks and fledglings. There are nesting Brown Pelicans as well. We will have tons of flight photography. The terns will be carrying all sorts of fish and shrimp and other prey items for the young. There may be less action for the afternoon sessions, but with any luck at all we will have the larger Royal Tern chicks (and possibly recently fledged young) swimming in the surf (along with lots of handsome young laughing gulls).

An Interesting Comment here.

Duncan Groenewald/June 9, 2021 at 8:59pm

Hi Artie, just looking at some of the images you post from the 600f4/a1 and they don’t appear to be that sharp on my monitor (LG 5K Display), well no significantly more so that ones I take with the a1/200-600 combo – do you post the full resolution images or are they downsampled ? Just interested in seeing the difference in feather detail between the 600f4 and say the 200-600. Obviously lots of benefit in f4 over v6.3 in terms of background blur and shutter speeds but I would have expected a reasonable step up in fine detail/sharpness as well. Is this the case ? Perhaps you can show some comparative examples – or link to the page if you have done so previously. More often than not I find I am shooting the 200-600 at 840mm to better fill the frame and that seems to still deliver pretty sharp images with not too much loss of IQ. Nevertheless I would have thought the primes would deliver a considerable improvement in sharpness.

Best regards and stay safe – we’re all back in lockdown here in Melbourne!

My Reply

Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART/June 13, 2021 at 9:03am:

Hi Duncan, Sorry for being tardy on responding. Your comment has been on my to-do list for a while 🙂

#1: The JPEG that I use on the blog are 1200 pixels on the long side. With the file limited to less than 395 KB. I would expect that they look pretty lousy on a large, quality monitor. Therefore, the stuff that you see on the blog has been downsized tremendously. So you are comparing apples with oranges. In addition, as noted in the post, that JPEG was a huge crop. Unusual for me it represented only 11% of the original images. I can assure you that the master files for everything I post are either sharp or mind-bogglingly sharp.

#2: Both Patrick Sparkman and I feel that the SONY 200-600 lens, though it is “only” a G (Good???) lens rather than a GM (Grand Master) lens, is incredibly sharp, pretty much as sharp as the 600 f/4GM. As stated on the blog often, I do not have the greatest eye for fine detail. Folks on BPN are often pointing that out with my images, and they are almost always right. Patrick on the other hand has an excellent eye for fine detail. I’ll see if I can get Arash to comment on this issue.

#3: Here is a relevant comment from Sunday’s blog post:

On a related note, if you are a serious bird photographer without any physical limitations, and can afford a top of the line 600mm or 500mm f/4 along with a high-end mirrorless body and both teleconverters, but do not presently own that gear, I can only ask, “what are you waiting for?” 1200mm and 1000mm are deadly weapons ever for those who live in areas with silly tame birds, and they have never been more effective than they have ever been before. And yes thanks, please use the links.

And here is a recent e-mail exchange with David Pugsley:

DP: Hi Artie, Hope all is well. I’m having quite the debate in my head over whether or not to pull the trigger on the Sony 600. I’ll summarize my current thoughts via bullet points, and would love your thoughts.

AM: For me it’s a no-brainer …

DP:

Reportedly superior optics, even wide open

AM: They are both very sharp. Even wide open.

DP More light gathering allowing lower ISO and/or faster shutter speeds (I’m finding my 200-600 with the 1.4 is noticeably sharper stopped down to f/10 which is really making me push the ISO.)

AM: Yes, and that is when the sun is shining. The 600 f/4 shines when the sun is not shining. With the 200-600 and a 1.4X TC, you will yourself at ISOs from 4000 to 12800 in low light situations. That is not a nice place to be (no matter how great Topaz DeNoise is …) You will always save four clicks of ISO (1 1/3 stops) with the 600 f/4.

DPBetter bokeh

AM: Bokeh is mainly a factor of the distance from the subject to the BKRG. The Boken of the 2-6 is just fine in nearly all situations. Gorgeous, in fact.

DPPlays well with the 2x TC.

AM: Not well. Amazingly mind-bogglingly well. Imagine making razor-sharp images at 1200mm without giving it a second thought. Not to mention that you will have incredible AF across the (almost) entire frame.

DP:

The MFD (Minimum Focusing Distance) of 600 f/4 GM is nearly 15′. The 200-600 focuses focuses down to less than 8 feet and will put more pixels on the subject at anything inside of 15’ which is often the case at Fort DeSoto.

AM: Almost correct. But you need to factor in focus breathing with the 200-600. That said, aside from the fishing pier, it is rare to be inside of 15 feet even with tame birds. On sunny days I will almost always grab the 200-600 when working with silly tame birds.

DP: The million dollar question is whether all the advantages outweigh the MFD concern.

AM: For a serious photographer that is not even a question. See all of my a1 stuff on the blog at 1200mm. Hell, Arash kills on flight with small shorebirds and raptors at 1200mm.

ps: Thanks for the good wishes!

Like yesterday’s featured This image was created on 14 June 2021 on a beach in Southeast Florida. Standing at full height, I used the Induro GIT 304L/ Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 2000. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/2500 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 7:37am in cloudy, fairly bright conditions. Wide/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed very well by nailing tern’s cap. As this is another healthy crop, about, the depth-of-field was provided by the distance to the subject. Click on the image to see a larger version. Adult Least Tern with halfbeak for chick

The Quest for Different: Birthday Gift #2

As we discuss here often, the big challenge in nature photography is to create something different, to create something unique. It is fairly easy to create perfect field guide type portraits of the tern chicks in sweet light (though we did not have any on Monday morning). The challenge is to make sharp images of the birds in action. With that standard in mind, the image above works very well for me. I am adding it to tomorrow webinar program.

Least Tern Adult in flight with halfbeak for chicks

Trying to make images of adults in flight with food for the chicks concentrating on portraits and action shots of the chicks of all sizes is beyond a huge challenge. Most of the background is condos. The adults fly in, land briefly, and then take flight again all in an effort to find their chick. Today’s featured image was a 100% grab shot. I had told myself, this is so difficult that if you see even part of the bird in the frame press the shutter button. I got on the bird late, just after it took off, so the first two images had the bird in the frame but were not sharp. Remarkably, the next few frames in the series were razor sharp on the eye without my having bumped the focus!

Bumping the focus is a technique where you release the shutter button so that the camera stops focusing and the press it again to acquire (hopefully sharp) focus. I have never had any camera do that before. Score another one for the Sony Alpha a1. And chalk up a second birthday gift for me.

Thanks to Dr. Fish, blog regular David Policansky for identifying the prey item as a halfbeak. To be absolutely sure, he sent the image to his friend Kate Bemis for confirmation. It just so happens that Kate is one of the co-authors of Part 10 of The Fishes of the Western Atlantic: Order Beloniformes: Needlefishes, Sauries, Halfbeaks, and Flyingfishes. From Yale University Press by Bruce B. Collette, Katherine E. Bemis, Nicolay V. Parin, and Ilia B. Shakhovskoy. You can check it out here.

Thanks again, David and thanks, Kate! Don’t you love it when you can find great help?

The Relevance of the Conversation with Duncan Groenewald to Today’s Featured Image

The smaller, lighter 200-600 would make it easier to get on the action more quickly and to move in position to be on sun angle (if it had been sunny). But when you are shooting action in cloudy conditions using the 200-600 is usually just not feasible. Had I been using the 200-600 with the 1.4X teleconverter, I would have needed to raise the ISO from 2000 to 5000 in order to attain the fast-enough shutter speed used to create today’s sharp image: 1/2500 second. ISO 5000 is not a place where you want to spend a lot of time … In addition, initial focusing acquisition would be quite a bit slower at f/9 with the 2-6/1.4X TC combo than at f/5.6 with the 600 GM/1.4X TC rig. But, you need to be able to afford the 600 GM (or any 600mm f/4 lens) and you need to be able to manage it in the field …

You must click on the image here to see the stunning sharpness and fine detail. 200% crop of the Adult Least Tern with halfbeak for chick image

Razor-sharp on the Eye!

After seeing that the first two images in this series were not sharp, I pretty much gave up hope. When several sharp ones followed, I pretty much jumped for joy and sang happy birthday to myself! The a1 came through in a situation that was rife with operator error. The master file for this image included about half the pixels in the original image capture. As we have seen here before, sharp a1 raw files allow for substantial crops.

Sony Alpha a1 AF

Barring operator error, the performance of the Sony Alpha a1 AF system at any focal length — including at 1200mm as seen in recent blog posts — is, when the a1 is set up properly as detailed in the in e-mails to the Sony Alpha a1 Info & Updates group, more than remarkable. Early on, there was lots of discussion within the group with many preferring multiple back button approaches. For me a simple shutter button approach with the right AF settings that yield 99% sharp-on-the-eye images is best. By far. It is super-simple and mega-effective. In recent SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Group e-mails, I shared what I have learned as to when and it what situations it is best to abandon Wide. And with what. The group has already learned to limit the AF Area choices and to switch AF Areas quickly and conveniently. The default method of switching AF points with the C2 button is both slow and cumbersome. In addition, recent e-mails have detailed the best program to use to pick your a1 keepers and the big problem with the Camera Set. Memory menu item.

SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Group

For me, today’s featured image would not have been possible without my Sony Alpha a1. The speed of initial focusing acquisition is amazingly quick as is the tracking accuracy. And all of that will be even truer for tomorrow’s featured image.

The SONY Alpha a1 Set-up and Info Group is going great guns as folks chime in with thoughtful questions and experience-based advice. We are now up to an astounding 56 blessed folks! Early on, we discussed the myriad AF options. I gave my opinion as to the best one for flight and general bird photography. More recently, we have been in contact with folks at SONY sharing our thoughts, experiences, and frustrations with the EVF blackout problem.

All who purchased their Alpha a1 bodies via a BAA affiliate link will receive a free subscription to the Sony Alpha a1 Set-Up and Info Updates after shooting me their receipts via e-mail. (Note: it may take me several days to confirm B&H orders.) This same service may be purchased by anyone with an a1 body via a $150.00 PayPal sent to birdsasart@verizon.net indicating payment for Alpha a1 Info Updates. Alternatively, folks can call Jim weekdays at 1-863-692-0906 to pay via credit card. New members will receive composite e-mails that summarize all previous discussions.

Typos

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

What’s Up?

I left the house at 6:00am on Sunday morning and headed west on SR 60 in hopes of some color sunrise tree silhouettes. That fizzled quickly so I gassed up at Jimmy’s and headed back to ILE and down to the lake. As expected, I came across the crane family at the north end of the North Field. But there was only one chick with the two adults … The young cranes often nestle down to rest in the grass where they are well camouflaged. But they had mowed that field the other day … When my careful search came up empty, it seemed that one of the two chicks had perished. I walked to end of Palmetto to check on a huge dead oak to see if there were any photo possibilities. There were not.

It was not yet seven am and I was ready to head home. But when I turned around to head back to the car, there were the adults feeding their two chicks! Hooray. I got out the 600 and the tripod and made images of the chicks — now almost half as large as their parents, for about 45 minutes working off the rear monitor and the splayed, ground-level tripod. No matter how much I practice that technique, I know that I still need lots more practice to get the perfect framing every time … IAC, I was home well before eight.

Today is Monday 14 June, 2021. Happy Flag Day to you. And a happy 75th birthday to me. To celebrate, I got to bed at 6:30pm, set the alarm for 3:00am, but woke at 1:55am. I packed the car and was headed to Clemens Van der Werf’s home in Fort Lauderdale by 2:55am. I’ll have time for a short nap if I need to stop on the way down. I will be staying two nights. We will be photographing at a Least Tern colony in Southeast Florida for three mornings. I will head home after the morning shoot on Wednesday.

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 and makes 170 consecutive days with a new one. 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 and is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great if you opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to save 3% at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And doing so always earns my great appreciation.

Still Need One for Jax n-the-Field

If you are interested in four (two 1/2 and three full) days of In-the-Field Instruction at a great new spot in the Jacksonville, FL area — the afternoon of Sunday 27 June through the morning session on Thursday 1 July 2021, please get in touch ASAP via e-mail for details, or call me on my cell at 863-221-2372. If you have a four-wheel drive truck or an SUV that would do well on the beach, that would be an amazing plus. Inexpensive lodging at a gorgeous AirBnB just 25 minutes from our shooting location is available. We only have room for one more in the 4 bedroom home.

We will be going to the beach in my vehicle (unless you have a 4wD vehicle) for all eight sessions at Huguenot Memorial Park. We will have thousand of birds to photograph. Mainly nesting Royal Terns with chicks of all sizes and Laughing Gulls with large chicks and fledglings. There are nesting Brown Pelicans there as well. We will have tons of flight photography. The terns will be carrying all sorts of fish and shrimp and other prey items for the young. There may be less action for the afternoon sessions, but with any luck at all we will have the larger Royal Tern chicks (and possibly recently fledged young) swimming in the surf (along with young laughing gulls).

Sony a9 ii Mirrorless Digital Camera Body

Price reduced $103.00 12 JUNE 2021
BAA Record-low Price

Multiple IPT veteran Larry Master is offering a Sony a9 ii mirrorless digital camera body in near-mint condition (with a very low shutter count of 2340) for $2895.00 (was $2998.00). There is a single, almost microscopic scratch on the rear monitor. The sale includes the original box and everything that came in it, along with insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your new camera will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Larry via e-mail or by phone at 1-518-645-1545 (Eastern time zone).

As things turned out, the a9 and then the a9 ii turned out to be life-changers for me. From the moment I tracked that first incoming Brandt’s Cormorant, I knew that SONY a9 series bodies featured the world’ best AF. I upgraded to the a9 ii as soon as it was released for the slightly larger body size. At one point I owned two a9 ii bodies. A new a9 ii sells for $4,498.00 so you can save a very nice $1603.00 by grabbing Larry’s a9 ii ASAP. Not to mention that the new Sony A1 sells for $6498.00 … artie

This image was created on 2 June 2021 in the marsh on the edge the lake near my home. While seated in the wet mud, I used the hand held Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 524mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 1000. Exposure determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/12500 sec. at f/6.3 (wide open) in Manual mode. (I had been set up for a potential fly-by Osprey.) AWB at 7:08am on a dead-clear morning. Wide/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed as expected: perfectly. Click on the image to see a larger version. Image #1: Black-necked Stilt female on vegetation-covered mud bar

Mommy Long-legs

The stilts liked the vegetation-covered mud bar seen in today’s featured image. And they visited it often. It was midway between the two original nests. The day before, when neither bird had been on eggs (I always check with my binoculars before heading down), I took ten minutes to clean up the bar. I picked up several dozen clam and mussel shells along with more than a few shed feathers. The next day my clean-up efforts paid off in spades. I often do the same thing at the beach. If there is a nice stretch of sand with a few distracting shells, I will tidy up, take a seat, and wait for the shorebirds to return to that stretch of beach.

If anyone knows the name of the fresh-water ground-cover vegetation — it grows below the water and does well as things dry up — please leave the name in a comment. Comments on the image are welcome as well. BTW, how did I do on sun angle?

Lastly …

Do you think that this image needs some to be leveled? If yes, CW or CCW? And if yes, how did you know?

Image #1A: AF point for the Black-necked Stilt female on vegetation-covered mud bar image

More of the Same a1 AF Magic

Nothing new here as far as a1 AF is concerned.

The Image Optmization

The screen capture above shows you what the original looked like. Despite my previous in-the-field clean-up efforts, I needed to do a bit more in Photoshop. The clean-up was one with my usual cadre of clean-up tools. Those include the Patch Tool, the Spot Healing Brush, and Content Aware Fill. Note that I did not use the Clone Stamp at all. I rarely do. A small crop from the left and below eliminated some crud along the lower frame edge. In addition, I eliminated all of the larger specular highlights and then smoothed the upper background with a Gaussian blur painted in after applying an Inverse (Black, Hide-all) Layer Mask.

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 clean-up techniques mentioned above and tons more great Photoshop tips and techniques — along with all of 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. Learn more and check out the free excerpt in the blog post here. While the new e-Guide reflects my MacBook Pro/Photo Mechanic/DPP 4/Photoshop workflow, folks using a PC and/or BreezeBrowser will also benefit greatly by studying the material on DB II. 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: all 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 two years ago I began converting my Nikon and Sony RAW files in Capture One Pro 12 and continue to do so today.

To purchase Capture One, please use this link. Then 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.

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.

Your Fave?

Please be so kind as to leave a comment and let us know which of Clemens four featured images you think is the strongest. And why.

What’s Up?

I never made it down to the lake on Saturday morning. I worked on flowers in the butterfly garden for an hour, and then beat my way through the bushes to the creek behind the house and did some more. It was gloriously still with not even a hint of breeze and for that I was thankful. I spent a good part of the day doing image critiques in the Avian Forum at Bird Photographer’s.Net. BPN, where honest critiques are done gently.

I was about to get into the pool for my almost daily swim at about 3:15pm on Saturday afternoon. As I walked out onto the pool deck there was a loud thunderclap so I decided to postpone for a bit. Ten minutes later a huge blast of thunder and lightning shook the house violently. We lost lights and TV. It poured so hard that in two minutes the pool deck was flooded. Neither Jim nor I had ever seen anything like that before. I was able to get safely into the pool at 5:00pm. By the time I finished, the sun was out.

Today is Sunday 13 June 2021. The forecast for today is for mostly cloudy with a light southwest breeze, isolated and scattered thunderstorms, and an afternoon high of 90 degrees. I’ll probably go down to the lake and wind up doing flowers again. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.

If you are interested in four (two 1/2 and three full) days of In-the-Field Instruction at a great new spot in the Jacksonville, FL area — the afternoon of Sunday 27 June through the morning session on Thursday 1 July 2021, please get in touch ASAP via e-mail for details, or call me on my cell at 863-221-2372. If you have a four-wheel drive truck or an SUV that would do well on the beach, that would be an amazing plus. Inexpensive lodging at a gorgeous AirBnB just 25 minutes from our shooting location is available. We only have room for one more in the 4 bedroom home.

This blog post took well more than an hour to prepare and makes 169 consecutive days with a new one. 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 and is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great if you opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to save 3% at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And doing so always earns my great appreciation.

Get on Line Now for the Canon EOS R3!

How to be one of the first to get yours. Seriously.

The specs below are quite impressive. If you are a serious Canon shooter who loves your R5 but are not enthralled by it, you will surely want to be among the first on your block to get your hands on the new Canon EOS R3. Right now this body is not available for pre-order. That tells us that it will be a while till it gets here. So what’s the secret, shoot Steve Elkins of Bedfords an e-mail and let him know that you would like to be placed on his R3 list and will be using the BIRDSASART discount code to save 3%. Act now and you will be #2 on his list; today’s guest photographer, Clemens Va der Werf, is #1.

The Canon EOS R3 will soon join the current lineup of EOS R full-frame mirrorless series cameras. This camera will usher in a new category to the EOS R system, positioned squarely between the EOS R5 and EOS-1D X Mark III cameras. The camera will put great emphasis on superb AF performance and speed with fast-moving subjects. It is being designed to meet the reliability and durability demands of professionals, even when working in challenging conditions.

The camera will also feature a multi controller to help you easily select the AF point, quickly change Menu settings, and more. And, the R3 will also be equipped with a smart controller-similar to that on the EOS-1D X Mark III, which lets you quickly shift AF point locations, or a starting point for Servo AF tracking. A vari-angle LCD will make it easy to compose shots at virtually any angle, and the touchscreen will enable you to access menus, change settings, and more, all on the fly.. Canon USA

Cover Image courtesy of and Copyright 2021 Brian Sump (Sump scores!) The BIRDS AS ART Canon EOS R5 Camera User’s e-Guide

The BIRDS AS ART Canon EOS R5 Camera User’s e-Guide: $75.00

The first thing that Clemens did when he got his R-5 was to set it up exactly as detailed in the R5 e-guide. The guide is 82 pages long: 21,458 words. There are more than 50 DPP 4 Autofocus-depicting screen captures. And a 31 minute 44 second educational video. This guide took three and a half months of hard work and a ton of help from at least seventeen very helpful and generous folks.

The guide covers — in great detail — all Menu Items that are relevant to bird, nature, and wildlife photography. It does not cover video. The section on AF methods and the AF Gallery has been expanded from the R5/R6 AF e-guide. It remains the one of the great strengths of this guide. I share my thoughts on what I am sure is the single best AF Method for photographing birds in flight. As most of you know, the guide includes a simple and easy way to change AF Methods that was introduced to me by Geoff Newhouse. In the AF Gallery you will see exactly how Face Detection plus Tracking AF works. In the Educational R5 Gallery video, I share my favorite R5 images along with dozens of bird photography tips and techniques.

In addition, I teach you how to get the best exposures with your R5. Detailed instructions on using the great In-camera HDR and Multiple Exposure features will be appreciated by creative folks who like to have fun. The three shutter modes are explained in detail as well. Bruce Dudek solved the can’t-get-to-Auto ISO problem that had stumped everyone at Canon. This information is of course shared in the guide. You will learn how to set up your EVF (Electronic Viewfinder) and Screen toggle options. Not to mention that the mysterious performance of the Q Button is revealed and simplified. Brian Sump’s images reveal how well you can do when using the R5 with EF lenses using one of the three Canon EF-EOS R Mount Adapters (as Donna did with Image #1 below). You will learn how I use Customize Dials to put either ISO or EC on the Thumb Dial and how to set up and save Custom Shooting Modes (C1-C3) that can remember both your Customize Dial and Customize Button settings! That is something that none of the SONY bodies do. 🙁 Near the end of the guide I share my all-important MY MENU items with you.

Like all BAA educational materials, the R5 guide is written in my informal, easy-to-follow style. I am quite proud of this guide and look forward to hearing your thoughts on our hard work.

You can purchase your copy of the BIRDS AS ART Canon EOS R5 Camera User’s e-Guide for $75.00 here in the BAA Online Store or by calling Jim in the office weekday afternoons at 863-692-0906 with your credit card in hand.

From the late Luis Grunauer via e-mail

I’ve watched the R5 gallery video. I LOVE THE PHOTOS and the stories behind them, not to mention that the EXIF data is displayed in Photo Mechanic. Your explanations of the settings and the processes are very helpful. Your comments on framing and composition (both the great ones and the ones you refer to as “created by operator error”) were enlightening. It gives folks a chance to learn from someone with lots of in-the-field hands on experience with the R5! Well done and thanks so much for sharing it with me. There is some awesome teaching in the video to say the least!

From Ron Santini via e-mail

I have an R5 and purchased your “The BAA R5/R6 AF Guide” about a month ago. It has been a game-changer for me. I previously used back button focus (BBF), but after following your guide, that is a thing of the past. You truly simplified the process and I just want to thank you.

This image was created on 29 May 2021 at Fort DeSoto by Clemens Van der Werf. Lying flat on the ground, he used the tripod-mounted Canon 600mm f/4L IS II lens (now replaced by the Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM lens), the Canon Extender EF 2X III, and the Canon EOS R5 Mirrorless Digital Camera Body. ISO 800: 1/2000 sec. at f/10 (stopped down 2/3-stop) in Manual mode. AWB at 8:29am on a slightly overcast morning. Face Detection + Tracking/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly. Click on the image to see a larger version. Image #1: Snowy Plovers squabbling Image Courtesy of and copyright 2021: Clemens Van der Werf

The 600 mm f/4 + a 2xTC Rocks with Canon and SONY Systems

Both Canon and SONY now offer amazing, astounding, science-fiction-like, nearly full frame autofocus at 1200mm with their 600mm f/4 lenses and a 2X TC. Skilled, young, strong photographers are even shooting hand held flight at 1200mm. With small subjects. And sharp 1200mm images from both the R5 (45MP) and the a1 (51MP) can easily stand up to healthy crops. We are indeed living in a world that is vastly different from even two years ago.

On a related note, if you are a serious bird photographer without any physical limitations, and can afford a top of the line 600mm or 500mm f/4 along with a high-end mirrorless body and both teleconverters, but do not presently own that gear, I can only ask, “what are you waiting for?” 1200mm and 1000mm are deadly weapons ever for those who live in areas with silly tame birds, and they have never been more effective than they have ever been before. And yes thanks, please use the links.

This image was also created on 29 May 2021 at Fort DeSoto by Clemens Van der Werf. He used the tripod-mounted Canon 600mm f/4L IS II lens (now replaced by the Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM lens), the Canon Extender EF 2X III, and the Canon EOS R5 Mirrorless Digital Camera Body. ISO 500: 1/2000 sec. at f/9 (stopped down 1/3-stop) in Manual mode. AWB at 9:12am on a then fairly bright overcast morning. Face Detection + Tracking/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly. Click on the image to see a larger version. Image #2: Yellow-crowned Night-Heron with ghost crab Image Courtesy of and copyright 2021: Clemens Van der Werf

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron at Fort DeSoto

This species used to be quite common at DeSoto but I have seen very few over the past few years and none on many visits this year. On the morning of the 29th I mentioned to Clemens that it was strange that we had not seen one at North Beach or anywhere else. An hour later, Clemens ran into the holy grail yellow-crowned with a whole ghost crab. That’s what happens when you work hard. As the bird was uncharacteristically on the timid side, 24X magnification was just the ticket.

This image was created on 3 June 2021 on Lake Blue Cypress by Clemens Van der Werf while we were aboard his flats boat. He used the hand held (yes, hand held!) Canon 600mm f/4L IS II lens (now replaced by the much lighter Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM lens), the Canon Extender EF 2X III, and the Canon EOS R5 Mirrorless Digital Camera Body. ISO 1000: 1/1600 sec. at f/11 (stopped down one-stop) in Manual mode. AWB at 8:13am on a then fairly bright overcast morning. Face Detection + Tracking/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly. Click on the image to see a larger version. Image #3: Baby Osprey staring Image Courtesy of and copyright 2021: Clemens Van der Werf

Tall and Taller, Strong and Stronger …

Here Clemens was standing precariously on the rear platform of his flats boat and thus, was pretty much at eye level with the very low Osprey nest. In addition to his height (6′ 6″), Clemens’ strength is a huge asset. The Canon 600 II is a beast to hand hold.

This image was created on 4 June 2021 at Fort DeSoto by Clemens Van der Werf. Lying flat on the ground, he used the tripod-mounted Canon 600mm f/4L IS II lens (now replaced by the Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM lens), the Canon Extender EF 2X III, and the Canon EOS R5 Mirrorless Digital Camera Body. ISO 640: 1/2000 sec. at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 8:44am on a slightly overcast morning. Face Detection + Tracking/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly. Click on the image to see a larger version. Image #1: Snowy Plover chick Image Courtesy of and copyright 2021: Clemens Van der Werf

Perseverance Helps Too!

Blessed by a somewhat cloudy morning, Clemens set out in search of a Snowy Plover chick. He lay on his belly for close to two full hours and was eventually rewarded with some very good chances. I love that he caught the little guy on top of the beach vegetation.

Designing and Creating Pleasing and Dramatic Natural History Images A Video Webinar: $30 by electronic download Order your copy by clicking here.

Designing and Creating Pleasing and Dramatic Natural History Images

A Video Webinar

In this 1 hour 28 minute plus video you will learn and be inspired. We cover everything from the very basics to the fine points. After a brief bio, the topics include Behavior, Action, Diagonal Lines, and the Cuteness Factor; Birds in Flight — The Holy Grail of Bird Photography; Mis-Framing!; Basic Image Design/HORIZONTALS: Get the subject out of the center of the frame. Basic Image Design/VERTICALS: The center of the frame is generally fine; The Importance of BACKGROUND; Isolating the Subject; Other Elements of Composition; On Getting Low; Going Wide for Bird-scapes; Super-tight!; Working in Sunny Conditions; Working in Cloudy Conditions; Working in Foggy Conditions; Working in the Shade; Working in Bad Weather; Creating Back-lit Images; Creating Silhouettes; and Creating Pleasing Blurs.

Each segment of the program consists of an average of about 15 images that will drive home the points being made, educate you, and inspire. The instructions and advice, given clearly and concisely, are based on my near-38 years of experience photographing birds with telephoto and super-telephoto lenses. And on several decades of creating educational blog posts.

This presentation is based on the webinar that I did for the South Shore Camera Club in April. You can find some of the comments below along with comments from two of the folks who viewed the webinar the night before the DeSoto IPT began.

You can order your copy of Designing and Creating Pleasing and Dramatic Natural History Images/A Video Webinar by clicking here or by calling Jim with your credit card in hand at 863-692-0906.

Typos

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