Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

What’s Up?

Bird photography here at ILE has been slow the past few mornings. On Tuesday, I tried and failed on some Wild Turkey hens with three poults. This morning — Wednesday 8 JULY 2020 — I created a few frames of the Mother’s Day crane family and headed home early.

It has poured here for the past three afternoons with thunder and lightning keeping me out of the pool until about 7pm; my late swims have been a delight.

With two folks signed up, I decided that with discretion being the better part of valor to cancel the Fort DeSoto Fall 2020 IPT due to my concerns about COVID 19.

If you have any questions on focus breathing please leave a comment. If you have a great SONY 200-600 image or two that you would like to share with me, please shoot it or them (1200 pixels on the long side) to me via e-mail.

Four of the five flash cards that I listed two days ago sold on the first day. Only this one remains:

San Disk Extreme Pro 128GB Compact Flash Card

I am offering a brand new in the unopened sleeve San Disk Extreme Pro 128GB Compact Flash Card (Up to 160 MB/s: 1067X) for a very low $89.99. Save $30.00 as these sell new for $119.00. The sale includes insured UPS Ground Shipping. PayPal plus 4% (to birdsasart@verizon.net) or credit card plus 4% is preferred to a check so that we can ship your card same day. To pay with a credit card plus 4% call 863-692-0906 after 9am on Monday.

Please contact artie via e-mail or on his cell at 863-221-2372 before 4pm Eastern time. Please leave a message or text if no answer.

Don’t Let The Old Man In – Toby Keith (Clint Eastwood) 2019

Thanks to long-time friend Alan Levine for sharing this with me. This short video (4 minutes, 2 seconds) is beautiful, wonderful, and inspiring for folks of all ages. The backstory here is quite interesting as well.

BIRDS AS ART

BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

SONY e-Guide Discount Program

Purchase a (new) qualifying SONY camera body (a7r iii, a7r iv, a9, a9 ii) from Bedfords or using a BIRDS AS ART B&H affiliate link, and you will receive a $40 discount on the SONY e-guide. Purchase a (new) SONY 200-600mm G lens from Bedfords or using a BIRDS AS ART B&H affiliate link, and you will receive a $25 discount on the SONY e-guide. Purchase a (new) SONY 600mm f/4 GM lens from Bedfords or using a BIRDS AS ART B&H affiliate link, and you will receive a free SONY e-guide with one or two videos.

Please send your Bedford’s or B&H receipts to me via e-mail to receive your discount and your ordering instructions. Folks purchasing from Bedfords and using the BIRDSASART code will save $50. Folks sending their B&H receipts may need to wait a few days to have their purchases confirmed. Folks using Bedfords will have their purchases confirmed immediately.

101 sold to rave reviews. The SONY e-Guide by Patrick Sparkman and Arthur Morris

The Sony Camera User’s e-Guide (and Videos)

Click here to purchase the guide with one Camera Set-up Video. Be sure to e-mail us by clicking here to specify your camera body so that we can send you a link for the correct video.

Click here to purchase the guide with two Camera Set-up Videos. Be sure to e-mail us by clicking here to specify your two camera bodies so that we can send you links for the correct videos.

Click here to learn more about the SONY e-Guide.

Money Saving Reminder

If you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H, would enjoy free overnight shipping, and would like a $50 discount on your first purchase over $1000.00, click here to order and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If you are looking to strike a deal on Canon or Nikon gear (including the big telephotos) or on a multiple item order, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell at (479) 381-2592 (Eastern time) and be sure to mention your BIRDSASART coupon code and use it for your online order. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H. Those include the SONY a7r IV, the SONY 200-600, the SONY 600mm f/4 GM, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is eager to please.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are–out of ignorance–using the wrong gear especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads… Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. Those questions might deal with systems, camera bodies, accessories, and/or lens choices and decisions.

New Listings

Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM Telephoto Lens (with extras!)

BIRDS AS ART Record-low Price!

Long-ago IPT veteran Art Leyenberger is offering a Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM Telephoto lens in near-mint condition for a BAA record-low $2349.00. The sale includes the original box, the front lens cover, the lens trunk, the rear lens cap, a brand new Canon PL-C 52 Drop-in Circular Polarizing filter, a RRS Lens Plate 63A, 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 Art via e-mail or by phone at 973-476-6559 (Eastern time zone).

The 500mm f/4 lenses have been the world’s most popular telephoto lenses for birds, nature, wildlife, and sports for many decades. I owned and used and loved my “old five” for many years. If you use Canon and don’t have the cash for a 500 II and can handle the additional 1 1/2 pounds, then this is your best super-telephoto option. Most everyone can produce sharp images with this lens and a 1.4X TC. Folks with good to excellent sharpness techniques can do the same with a 2X TC. A new 500 II sells right now for $8,999.00 so you can save an amazing $6,650.00 by grabbing Art’s original version 500mm f/4 IS lens right now. artie

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

BIRDS AS ART Record-low Price!

Long-ago IPT veteran Art Leyenberger is also offering a Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS USM zoom lens in near-mint condition for a BIRDS AS ART record low $449.00. The sale includes the original box, both lens caps, the lens hood, the LZ1324 Lens Case, a RRS lens plate #86, 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 Art via e-mail or by phone at 973-476-6559 (Eastern time zone).

The original 100-400 is a sharp, amazingly versatile telephoto zoom lens. When I used Canon, I made hundreds of great images and saleable with this lens (including the front cover of Scott Weidensaul’s book, “Return to Wild America.” Denise Ippolito loved hers also. Art’s lens would make a great starter lens for a beginning bird or nature photographer, especially when paired with a 7D Mark II … artie

Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 USM Lens

BIRDS AS ART Record-low Price!

Long-ago IPT veteran Art Leyenberger is also offering a Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 USM zoom lens in near-mint condition for a BIRDS AS ART record low $99.00. The sale includes the original box, both lens caps, 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 Art via e-mail or by phone at 973-476-6559 (Eastern time zone).

This compact lenses features a versatile 4X telephoto range and a fast, quiet AF motor and is characterized by its light weight. It is well-suited for a variety of subjects, including portraiture, nature, sports, and travel. A Super Spectra coating has been applied to individual elements to reduce lens flare and ghosting in order to achieve high contrast and accurate colors. Additionally, it features a seven-blade diaphragm to produce smooth and pleasing bokeh. It is designed for full-frame Canon EF-mount DSLRs but can also be used with APS-C models where it provides a 120-480mm equivalent focal length range. If you are looking for an inexpensive starter lens for a child or grandchild, you will have struck gold with Art’s 75-300! B&H

Canon EF Extender 2X II (teleconverter)

Sold first day of listing!

Multiple IPT veteran Patricia Fishburne is offering a Canon EF Extender 2X II (teleconverter) in near-mint condition for a very low $129.00. The sale includes the front and rear lens caps, 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 Pat via e-mail or by phone at 1 (239) 236-5207 (Eastern time zone).

Regular readers know that I have long depended on both teleconverters for much of my bird photography. The series III TCs were designed for the series II super-telephoto lenses but if you have an older lens (like Art Leyenberger’s\ above), the series II TCs will perform well for you. artie

Canon EF Extender 2X II (teleconverter)

Sold first day of listing!

Multiple IPT veteran Patricia Fishburne is offering another Canon EF Extender 2X II (teleconverter), this one in excellent condition for a BAA record-low $99.00. The sale includes the front and rear lens caps, 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 Pat via e-mail or by phone at 1 (239) 236-5207 (Eastern time zone).

Regular readers know that I have long depended on both teleconverters for much of my bird photography. The series III TCs were designed for the series II super-telephoto lenses but if you have an older lens (like Art Leyenberger’s above), the series II TCs will perform well for you. artie

This image was created on the morning of 6 JULY 2020 at Indian Lake Estates. I used the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm) and the 61MP monster, the Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless Digital camera body ISO 400. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/800 sec. at f/7.1 in Manual mode; the exposure was confirmed as perfect by RawDigger. AWB at 7:53am on a sunny morning. Tracking Flexible Spot M AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed superbly. Sandhill Crane adult studio head portrait

Sandhill Crane Adult Studio Head Portrait

For this one, the “studio” setting was provided by the concrete driveway where the bird stood. I got out of my vehicle to get higher and avoid the house in the background … Learning to recognize such situations can provide great rewards.

Focus Breathing

I have heard the term focus breathing for many years and possibly for several decades. I thought that it applied only to zoom lenses that zoomed internally, that is, lenses did not extend when you zoomed to a longer focal length). Arash Hazeghi mentioned that the SONY 200-600 does not give you 600mm when you are working close (as with today’s featured image). My first response was that I had never really noticed nor did I consider it a problem. But I owed it to myself to learn more about focus breathing. I found an article on the PhotographyLife website by Nasim Mansurov and read it carefully. I learned that I was wrong in my understanding of focus breathing (but only 100% wrong!). Interested folks can learn a lot from Nassim’s Understanding Focus Breathing article here. I urge all who use a telephoto zoom lens and those who do focus stacking when shooting macro, landscape or architecture photography to study this article.

Here is a direct quote from the beginning of the piece:

Focus breathing is a term that describes the change in focal length that occurs as a result of adjusting the focusing distance of a lens. It is a common issue that occurs on many photographic lenses. As focus is adjusted from close focus to infinity, focus breathing causes noticeable changes in both angle of view and magnification.

These changes are often clearly visible to the photographer during the process of focusing, with different lenses exhibiting varying levels of focal length changes. Focus breathing issues can occur on both prime and zoom lenses. (Italics mine.)

Focus Breathing and the SONY 200-600 G Lens

Tuesday evening I grabbed my 200-600, zoomed to 600mm, turned AF off, walked as far from my house as I could, and focused manually on one window. As I turned the focus ring to closer focus, the window obviously got smaller in the frame. As regular readers know, I am not a big fan of testing, but I am 100% positive that at minimum focusing distance the SONY 200-600 GM zoomed out to 600mm will actually give you something like 550mm of reach (or possibly a bit less).

Focus Breathing and MFD Info for the SONY 200-600 G Lens (and others)

Nasim concludes with this:

Is focus breathing a big problem that every photographer needs to be aware of? Not really. Most photographers aren’t even going to notice any differences in angle of view and magnification when using most lenses at close distances.

For me, that about sums it up. I never noticed the focus breathing/shorter focal length issue with the 200-600 until Arash Hazeghi pointed it out.

Folks need to understand that the MFD of the 200-600 is a very superb 7.87 feet. That compares quite favorably with the MFD of the SONY 600mm f/4 GM at 14.8 feet, and the Nikon 500mm f/5.6 PF lens at 9.84 feet.

The magnifications work out to .2X for the 200-600, .18X for the 500 PF, and a still respectable .14X for the weapon of mass destruction, the SONY 600mm f/4 GM.

Therefore, even with the focus breathing issues significantly reducing the focal length of the SONY 200-600 for close work, it is still the clear winner when it comes to working tight (again, as with today’s super-sharp featured image …)

Just for the record book, the MFD for the SONY (and the Canon) 100-400 lenses is an amazing 3.22 feet that results in magnification as great as 0.35X (depending on the focal length).

The a7R iv and the SONY 200-600 G Lens

In the SONY e-Guide (by Patrick Sparkman and Arthur Morris), we state clearly that for flight photography the a7r iv/200-600 g combo is less than ideal. The a7r iv with the 200-600 is, however, perfect for close work and for general bird and nature photography; with good technique and a decent shutter speed the huge a7r iv files are incredibly sharp. And the a7r iv does well with flight photography on the 600mm f/4 GM both alone and with either TC. AF, however, is not as good as it is with the a9 ii.

Both Patrick and I have trouble distinguishing sharp 200-600 G images from sharp 600mm f/4 GM images despite the fact that the GM lenses are supposed to be of much better quality than the SONY G lenses. Or not!

Arash recently replaced his Nikon 600mm f/4 VR lens/D5 or D850 combination with the SONY 600mm f/4/a9 ii and is now routinely posting super-sharp flight images made at 1200mm in the Avian Forum on BPN …

Strangely, Arash trashed the SONY 200-600 over the course of several e-mails last week. He finally realized that it was possible that he had received a damaged lens. I am happy to report that he had the lens replaced and is now making some very sharp images with his new 200-600 and the a9 ii.

If In Doubt …

If you are in doubt about using the BAA B&H affiliate link correctly, you can always start your search by clicking here. Please note that the tracking is invisible. Web orders only. Please, however, remember to shoot me your receipt via e-mail.

Please Remember to use my Affiliate Links and to Visit the BAA Online Store 🙂

To show your appreciation for my continuing efforts here, we ask, as always, that you get in the habit of using my B&H affiliate links on the right side of the blog or Bedfords, for all of your photo and electronics purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially the Mongoose M3.6 tripod head, Wimberley lens plates, Delkin flash cards and accessories, and LensCoat stuff.

As always, we sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And please remember that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.

I would, of course, appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links or Bedfords for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above, and for everything else in the new store, we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and those who regularly visit the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.

Facebook

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Typos

In all blog posts and Bulletins, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors. Just be right :).

What’s Up?

On Saturday morning I found a nearby home with extensive flowering plantings. I have close to zero interest in photographing non-native flowers, but there was a gorgeous tropical heliconia species and I could not resist doing some abstracts. There were some neat wildflowers across the road near a drainage ditch but by the time I spotted them it had gotten breezy. I returned this early morning — Sunday 5 JULY 2020 — and spent a solid hour with the Sigma 150mm/Vello adapter/a7r IV combo.

I headed down to the lake by 7:30am and found and photographed the Mother’s Day crane family. I saw the surviving chick, hatched on 9 or 10 May, fly about 15 yards. More good news: Old Gnarly’s surviving colt is alive and well. The family must have crossed the canal a few weeks ago to Avocado where they have been happily dining in a corn-feeder-equipped backyard. Thanks to my new neighbor/friend Ron who alerted me to the family’s location.

BIRDS AS ART

BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Flash Card Sale

San Disk Extreme Pro 128GB Compact Flash Card

I am offering a brand new in the unopened sleeve San Disk Extreme Pro 128GB Compact Flash Card (Up to 160 MB/s: 1067X) for a very low $89.99. Save $30.00 as these sell new for $119.00. The sale includes insured UPS Ground Shipping. PayPal plus 4% or credit card plus 4% is preferred to a check so that we can ship your card on Monday. To pay with a credit card plus 4% call 863-692-0906 after 9am on Monday.

Please contact artie via e-mail or on his cell at 863-221-2372 before 4pm Eastern time. Please leave a message or text if no answer.

Delkin 240GB Premium XQD Memory Card

Sold 2nd day of listing

I am offering a brand new (out of the sleeve but never used) Delkin 240GB Premium XQD Memory Card for a very low $299.00. Save a cool $136.00 as these sell new for $435.00. The sale includes insured UPS Ground Shipping. PayPal plus 4% or credit card plus 4% is preferred to a check so that we can ship your card on Monday. To pay with a credit card plus 4% call 863-692-0906 after 9am on Monday.

Please contact artie via e-mail or on his cell at 863-221-2372 before 4pm Eastern time. Please leave a message or text if no answer.

SONY 128GB XQD Memory Card

Sold 2nd day of listing

I am offering a lightly used SONY 128GB XQD Memory Card (R:440 MB/s, W: 400MB/s) USB for a very low $89.99. Save $89.00 as these sell new for $169.99. The sale includes insured UPS Ground Shipping. PayPal plus 4% or credit card plus 4% is preferred to a check so that we can ship your card on Monday. To pay with a credit card plus 4% call 863-692-0906 after 9am on Monday.

Please contact artie via e-mail or on his cell at 863-221-2372 before 4pm Eastern time. Please leave a message or text if no answer.

Delkin 128GB XQD Premium Memory Card

Sold 2nd day of listing

I am offering a near-mint Delkin 128GB XQD Premium Memory Card for a very low $99.99. Save $90.01 as these sell new for $190.00. The sale includes insured UPS Ground Shipping. PayPal plus 4% or credit card plus 4% is preferred to a check so that we can ship your card on Monday. To pay with a credit card plus 4% call 863-692-0906 after 9am on Monday.

Please contact artie via e-mail or on his cell at 863-221-2372 before 4pm Eastern time. Please leave a message or text if no answer.

Delkin 128GB XQD Premium Memory Card

Sold 2nd day of listing

I am offering a lightly used Delkin 128GB XQD Premium Memory Card for a very low $69.99. Save $120.01 as these sell new for $190.00. The sale includes insured UPS Ground Shipping. PayPal plus 4% or credit card plus 4% is preferred to a check so that we can ship your card on Monday. To pay with a credit card plus 4% call 863-692-0906 after 9am on Monday.

Please contact artie via e-mail or on his cell at 863-221-2372 before 4pm Eastern time. Please leave a message or text if no answer.

SONY e-Guide Discount Program

Purchase a (new) qualifying SONY camera body (a7r iii, a7r iv, a9, a9 ii) from Bedfords or using a BIRDS AS ART B&H affiliate link, and you will receive a $40 discount on the SONY e-guide. Purchase a (new) SONY 200-600mm G lens from Bedfords or using a BIRDS AS ART B&H affiliate link, and you will receive a $25 discount on the SONY e-guide. Purchase a (new) SONY 600mm f/4 GM lens from Bedfords or using a BIRDS AS ART B&H affiliate link, and you will receive a free SONY e-guide with one or two videos.

Please send your Bedford’s or B&H receipts to me via e-mail to receive your discount and your ordering instructions. Folks purchasing from Bedfords and using the BIRDSASART code will save $50. Folks sending their B&H receipts may need to wait a few days to have their purchases confirmed. Folks using Bedfords will have their purchases confirmed immediately.

99 sold to rave reviews. The SONY e-Guide by Patrick Sparkman and Arthur Morris

The Sony Camera User’s e-Guide (and Videos)

Click here to purchase the guide with one Camera Set-up Video. Be sure to e-mail us by clicking here to specify your camera body so that we can send you a link for the correct video.

Click here to purchase the guide with two Camera Set-up Videos. Be sure to e-mail us by clicking here to specify your two camera bodies so that we can send you links for the correct videos.

Click here to learn more about the SONY e-Guide.

This image was created on Wednesday 1 July 2020 at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Working down the slope near the canal, I handheld the Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens (at 181mm) with the blazingly fast AF King, the Sony Alpha a9 II Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 800. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/500 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode. AWB at 7:09am on a morning with aa few clouds in the eastern sky. Wide AF-C was active at the moment of exposure; the system picked an AF point halfway down the colt’s long neck right on the same plane as the eye. Click on the image to view a larger version. Image #1: Sandhill Crane adult and colt

Keep or Delete? Why

In the Keep or Delete? blog post here, I posted:

The image above is a Capture One Screen Capture. After enlarging the image, please leave a comment letting us know whether you would keep this one or delete it. And let us know why you made your decision. If it is a keeper for you, consider letting us know your plans for the image optimization.

Several folks responded stating that they would keep the image and shared reasonable plans for the image optimization.

Image #2: Crop of Sandhill Crane adult and colt

An Insta-Delete for Me

For me, this one is an insta-delete as the colt’s head is turned about two degrees away. BTW, that does not mean the my answer is right for everyone. As someone mentioned, I have a nice collection of about one zillion Sandhill Crane image.

For a complete treatise on head angles, visit the Head Angle Fine Points thread on BPN here. There have been 392 replies and 151,314 views. Who knows, you might learn something. From the Educational Resources Forum (the ER).

Money Saving Reminder

If you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H, would enjoy free overnight shipping, and would like a $50 discount on your first purchase over $1000.00, click here to order and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If you are looking to strike a deal on Canon or Nikon gear (including the big telephotos) or on a multiple item order, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell at (479) 381-2592 (Eastern time) and be sure to mention your BIRDSASART coupon code and use it for your online order. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H. Those include the SONY a7r IV, the SONY 200-600, the SONY 600mm f/4 GM, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is eager to please.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are–out of ignorance–using the wrong gear especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads… Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. Those questions might deal with systems, camera bodies, accessories, and/or lens choices and decisions.

This image was created on 21 JUNE 2020 at Indian Lake Estates. Working from my SUV I used the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 248mm) and the blazingly fast AF King, the Sony Alpha a9 II Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 400. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/1250 sec. at f/10 in Manual mode. AWB at 7:58am on a sunny morning. Tracking Flexible Spot M AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed superbly. Image #3: Great Egret immature standing on dock

Mis-understanding Perspective Changes and Sun Angle

In the Behaviors on the Dock of the Bay. Working a Subject. Eye Replacement. And An H-V AF Tip for All Systems blog post here, I wrote:

I stopped my SUV about a foot or two short of being on sun angle. Note that the shadows of the bird’s legs (and the pole) are angled about 10-15 degrees to the left. Before you scroll down to see today’s four featured images, try to figure out why I did not get right on sun angle and leave a comment.

It seemed like such a simple question, but many folks struggled. Below are some relevant conversations from the Comments section.

With Gary Prestash:

I think that there are 3 reasons why you stopped short of sun angle. (1) the post on the opposite side of the dock would constrain your shooting view of the bird;

(1) is incorrect. As I said elsewhere here, if I pulled forward to get right on sun angle there would have been nothing between the bird and me. And since I was working at 1200mm I would not have been constrained in any way!

(2) that same post would cast a shadow that might cover part of the bird;

(2) is incorrect. As I said elsewhere here (and above!), if I pulled forward to get right on sun angle there would have been nothing between the bird and me.

and (3) you wanted the blue water behind the bird as your b/g, not the darker shadowed water.

(3) is 100% correct and is the answer that I was looking for.

with love, a

With David Policansky

Artie: Thanks for these, and happy Fourth of July.

Thanks and ditto, David. But it’s Groundhog Day here; every day is pretty much the same.

The temperature might have reached 70 here on Nantucket today.

It was 104F in some places in Ontario in the past few days! I’d rather be on Nantucket!

I have two favorites, the scratching egret and the one with the open mouth.

Thanks for sharing those.

The scratching one would be my favorite alone except for the eye; I think, most animals, including birds, close their eye when scratching their face like that, so the wide-open eye looks just slightly odd. I might not have noticed if you’d not mentioned it.

David, David, David. Yes, many animals and birds protect their eyes when scratching. But if you go back and read carefully you will see that I replaced the eye in Image #4 … So at times, they keep their eyes wide open, unprotected by the nictitating membrane. That is one of the reasons that I have no qualms about replacing nictitating-covered-eyes. If you think that I am pulling your foot, I’d be glad to send you the RAW file 🙂

As for why you were off sun angle, first, let me say to Gary Prestash that moving your point of view cannot affect the shadow of a post, so if the post isn’t casting a shadow on the bird from the viewpoint where you took the photo, moving wouldn’t make it cast a shadow on the bird.

First off, changing one’s point of view does affect the shadow cast by the post. If I moved my vehicle forward so that the sun was right behind me and pointed at the post, the shadow of the post would disappear behind the post. If I moved my SUV backwards, the angle between the post and its shadow would increase. As for the second part of your statement, I was confused at first but I believe that if I moved the car back far enough, the shadow of the right hand post would have fallen on the bird (even if our view of the bird would have been blocked by the left-hand post. Whew! That taxed my brain cells 🙂

But it would wreck the composition, I think, by putting the post on the right too close to the bird.

I am confused again 🙂 Please understand that when framing Image #1 I was thinking of it only as an educational image: I was not at all concerned with any compositional or artistic aspects of the photograph.

with love, artie

With J Marr Miller (who almost hit the nail on the head):

Artie, You chose to be slightly off sun angle because you wanted to avoid the tree reflections in your water backgrounds.

My Reply:

Yes sir! More simply put, I wanted the blue water background. Notice that in Images #s 2 & 5 that a some dark reflections crept into the sides of the frame.

Starting from Scratch for Better Understanding

Scroll up and take a good look at Image #3. Put yourself in the driver’s seat. Note that if you pull the car up a foot or two that instead of a blue water background — my heart’s desire for this series of images — you would have had a darker background consisting of the reflections of a tree on the far shore (as stated above by J Marr Miller).

Now try the same exercise while noting what happens to the shadow of the post as you pull forward or move the car back …

Questions are of course quite welcome.

If In Doubt …

If you are in doubt about using the BAA B&H affiliate link correctly, you can always start your search by clicking here. Please note that the tracking is invisible. Web orders only. Please, however, remember to shoot me your receipt via e-mail.

Please Remember to use my Affiliate Links and to Visit the BAA Online Store 🙂

To show your appreciation for my continuing efforts here, we ask, as always, that you get in the habit of using my B&H affiliate links on the right side of the blog or Bedfords, for all of your photo and electronics purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially the Mongoose M3.6 tripod head, Wimberley lens plates, Delkin flash cards and accessories, and LensCoat stuff.

As always, we sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And please remember that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.

I would, of course, appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links or Bedfords for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above, and for everything else in the new store, we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and those who regularly visit the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.

Facebook

Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right.

Typos

In all blog posts and Bulletins, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors. Just be right :).

What’s Up?

Photography at ILE becomes more difficult each day as the heat of summer intensifies. Few flowers are blooming and there are not many birds around. On a more positive note, The Perch has been becoming more active lately.

The forecast for today — Thursday 2 July (can you believe that it is July?), is for sunny to partly cloudy with a high of only 92 degrees along with afternoon thunderstorms. The pool is up to 91 degrees … I will be heading down to the lake before 7am to see what I can find.

This image was created at Indian Lake Estates, FL on 18 JUNE 2020. I used the Induro GIT 404L/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x teleconverter (at 560mm) and the 61-mega-pixel monster, the Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless digital camera body. ISO 400. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear dial (and then bracketed): 1/6 sec. at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode with 2-second timer. AWB at 7:33am on a partly-cloudy morning. Plamped in place. Manual focus using the Focus Magnifier (page 37) and Manual Focus Toggle (page 35) tips and techniques detailed in the SONY e-Guide and Videos. Image #2: Spatterdock bud/BLUER version — I liked this one best

BLACKER OR BLUER?

In the Aquatic Jewels! Which version do you prefer? And More on RawDigger and Exposing to the Right blog post here, I asked if folks preferred the blacker version or the bluer version.

The first folks who commented liked the blacker version. Then Gary Axten wrote this:

I’m going to buck the trend; I prefer the blue version. The blue bleeding into the oof highlight on the blue version looks more natural than the blue into black. Plus I prefer the water colour.

Have you considered focus stacking for images like this?

And then, Adam agreed:

I share Gary’s observations and find the blue version a bit more natural and realistic. The background glow provides balance against the iridescent blue on the edges.

I agree; the bluer version is my favorite by far for the reasons above.

Focus Stacking?

In his comment, Gary Axten asked:

Have you considered focus stacking for images like this?

I have thought about focus stacking for some of my flower photography, but rejected the idea for several reasons:

1- SONY does not offer automatic focus stacking.

2- Doing it manually is too much work for me.

3- With the Sigma 150/Vello adapter combo I am bracketing the exposures like a maniac because Zebras only work (to some degree, at least), when I am wide open. That would mean creating far too many images.

With the (floating) spatterdock image made at a shutter speed of 1/6 second, it is likely that the flower would move at least a bit during the creation of five or ten or 15 images …

BIRDS AS ART

BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Via e-Mail from Chris Latham

I bought the e-guide and videos for my A9 and A7r4 cameras and whilst I initially thought the price was a little steep at $125, I soon realized the amount of work that went into testing the vast array of menu settings that you promote. I made a couple of tweaks to the custom key layout but the instruction on the use of zebras (with both ISO and Exposure Comp) is worth the price of admission alone.

Perhaps we could meet up for a beer in Seahouses next time you’re over for a UK Puffins and Gannets IPT so I could thank you in person for the effort you and Patrick have put into this great guide and the videos. Chris

Via e-Mail from Phillip Bird

As a new user of the Sony A7RIII I ordered your Sony e-Guide as soon as I unpacked the camera. Buying the guide is one of the best camera-related investments I have ever made. I am learning so much and I’m sure that the guide is saving me a great deal of time and frustration in dealing with all of the options available on this amazing camera. Thanks to you and Patrick for putting this guide together. Phill

SONY e-Guide Discount Program

Purchase a (new) qualifying SONY camera body (a7r iii, a7r iv, a9, a9 ii) from Bedfords or using a BIRDS AS ART B&H affiliate link, and you will receive a $40 discount on the SONY e-guide. Purchase a (new) SONY 200-600mm G lens from Bedfords or using a BIRDS AS ART B&H affiliate link, and you will receive a $25 discount on the SONY e-guide. Purchase a (new) SONY 600mm f/4 GM lens from Bedfords or using a BIRDS AS ART B&H affiliate link, and you will receive a free SONY e-guide with one or two videos.

Please send your Bedford’s or B&H receipts to me via e-mail to receive your discount and your ordering instructions. Folks purchasing from Bedfords and using the BIRDSASART code will save $50. Folks sending their B&H receipts may need to wait a few days to have their purchases confirmed. Folks using Bedfords will have their purchases confirmed immediately.

100 sold to rave reviews. The SONY e-Guide by Patrick Sparkman and Arthur Morris

The Sony Camera User’s e-Guide (and Videos)

Click here to purchase the guide with one Camera Set-up Video. Be sure to e-mail us by clicking here to specify your camera body so that we can send you a link for the correct video.

Click here to purchase the guide with two Camera Set-up Videos. Be sure to e-mail us by clicking here to specify your two camera bodies so that we can send you links for the correct videos.

Click here to learn more about the SONY e-Guide.

Selling Your Used Photo Gear Through BIRDS AS ART

Selling your used (or like-new) photo gear through the BAA Blog is a great idea. We charge only a 5% commission. One of the more popular used gear for sale sites charged a minimum of 20%. Plus assorted fees! Yikes. They went out of business. And e-Bay fees are now up to 13%. Please understand that e-Bay prices are bogus. And the same is true of the prices of used gear including my dear friends at B&H and the other mega-outfits. They offer you pennies and then try to sell the stuff to ignorant folks for ridiculously high prices. With their huge international exposure, they occasionally find someone …

The minimum item price here is $500 (or less for a $25 fee). If you are interested please shoot us an e-mail with the words Items for Sale Info Request cut and pasted into the Subject line :). Stuff that is priced fairly — I offer pricing advice to those who agree to the terms — usually sells. With the pandemic and the down economy, the market had been somewhat depressed, but sales have been brisk for the past few weeks. And over the past year, we have sold many many hundreds of items. Do know that prices the used prices of many items have been dropping steadily. The prices garnered for used Canon gear has tanked completely as demand has dropped tremendously. It is ironic that for decades Canon gear had very strong resale value … That said, the prices on used Nikon gear are dropping as well. You can see all the current bargains here on the Used Gear Page.

Note: all BAA Used Gear sales include insured ground shipping via UPS to lower 48 US addresses only. Others who live elsewhere are invited to e-mail the seller for shipping surcharge info. Sellers should charge you only the difference between shipping to the farthest US location from their home and the charge to a non-lower-48 address.

Recent Sales

Patrick Hogue sold his Nikon D500 DSLR Kit in excellent condition and a 16mm-80mm F2.8-4.0 VR Nikkor zoom lens in near-mint condition for a BAA record-low $985.00 and a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR lens in near-mint condition for a very low $3195.00 (was $3450.00), both in mid-JUNE 2020.
Anita North sold her Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR lens in excellent plus condition for a BAA record-low $3045.95 (was $3095.95) in early JUNE 2020.
Arthur Morris sold his Nikon D850 DSLR Camera (Body Only) in excellent plus to like-new condition for a BAA record-low $1,795.95 (was $1995.95) in early JUNE 2020.
Patrick Hogue sold his Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR lens in excellent plus condition for $850.00 (was $896.95) and a Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV Digital Camera in near-mint condition for a BAA record-low $998.00, both soon after being listed in late-MAY 2020.
Carol Anderson, wife of the late Walt Anderson — inventor of the Better Beamer, sold a Canon 200-400 f/4L IS USM lens with internal 1.4X Extender in excellent plus condition for $4998.00 and a Canon EOS-1DX Mark II camera body in like-new condition for $2798.00, both soon after they were listed in early June 2020.
Anita North sold her Nikon D500 DSLR in excellent plus to near-mint condition for a BAA record-low price of $895.95 in mid-June 2020.

Price Drops

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV dSLR

Price Reduced $100.00 on 2 JULY 2020

John Bowden is offering a Canon EOS 5D Mark 4 in near-mint condition for $1599.00 (was $1,699.00) — the shutter count is only 16,172. The sale includes a ProMediaGear universal L-bracket (model PLX3 — an $89.95 value), the original product box, the manuals, the EOS Digital Solution Disk, the EOS Digital Software Instruction Manual, the camera strap, the single battery (with the protective cover), the charger, the front cap, the interface cable, the cable protector, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Photos are available upon request.

Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact John Bowden via e-mail or by phone at 1-919-358-5717 (Eastern time zone).

What can I say? The 5D IV was my favorite-ever Canon digital dSLR. I owned and used three of them while my 1DX II sat on the shelf in my garage for the most part. If you have been dreaming of a 5D IV, grab John’s camera body right now and save a cool $400.00. artie

Anita North’s D-850s

Anita North is a skilled photographer. Over the years, you have seen some of her great images here on the blog. When it comes to pressing the shutter button, she is the most aggressive photographer I have ever run into. Her basic rule is If it’s in the viewfinder, press the shutter button and hold it down! As you might expect, she often gets far behind with picking her keepers.

Anita shoots a ton of frames but her style works well for her. On occasion, she comes up with something magical that most folks — including and especially me — would miss. If you are considering purchasing either of the well-used camera bodies below, do know that the D850 shutters are rated to “200,000 cycles.” As both of Anita’s D850s exceed that (one by miles), that statement is obviously just an estimate. Though I do not shoot nearly as much as Anita, I have never — in my 36 years of photographing birds — had a shutter fail. Neither has Anita. I would not bet against the shutters on either of the camera bodies below might very well outlast the photographer who purchases one of them …

Nikon D850 dSLR #1

Silly Low Price!
Price Reduced $100.00 on 2 JULY 2020

Anita North is offering a Nikon D850 dSLR in excellent plus condition for the silly low price of $1298.95 (was $1398.95) — shutter count 222,223. The rubber eye-cup is missing so there is a bit of wear showing on the metal of the eye-cup. The camera is, however, in perfect working condition. The sale includes the original box, the battery charger, one extra (brand new) Nikon battery, the front body cover, the strap, and insured ground shipping via major courier (to lower-48 US addresses only). Your item will not ship until your check has cleared the bank unless other arrangements are made. (PayPal +4% is fine with same-day shipping).

Please contact artie via e-mail or on his cell at 863-221-2372 before 4pm Eastern time. Please leave a message or text if no answer.

The D-850 was my very favorite Nikon camera body. It has a superb AF system and gorgeous 44MP image files. The D850 sells new for $2,996.95 at B&H so you can save a ridiculous $1900.00 by grabbing Anita’s camera body now. Replacing the shutter if need be will cost you less than $300.00. artie

Nikon D850 dSLR #2

Silly Low Price!
Price Reduced $100.00 on 2 JULY 2020

Anita North is offering a Nikon D850 dSLR in very good condition for the silly low price of $998.95 (was $1098.95) — shutter count 410,710. There are some scuff marks on the corners and the bottom of the camera but otherwise, the camera looks to be in excellent condition. A 1 x 1/8″ strip of the rubber finish is missing on the flash-card door. The sale includes the original box, the battery charger, two extra Nikon batteries, the front body cover, and insured ground shipping via major courier (to lower-48 US addresses only). The camera has the above-mentioned nick on the rear monitor, no battery, and no eye-cup. The camera, however, is in perfect working condition. Your item will not ship until your check has cleared the bank unless other arrangements are made. (PayPal +4% is fine with same-day shipping).

Please contact artie via e-mail or on his cell at 863-221-2372 before 4pm Eastern time. Please leave a message or text if no answer.

The D-850 was my very favorite Nikon camera body. It has a superb AF system and gorgeous 44MP image files. The D850 sells new for $2,996.95 at B&H so you can save a ridiculous $1900.00 by grabbing Anita’s camera body now. Replacing the shutter if need be will cost you less than $300.00. artie

Nikon TC-E17 II (1.7X Teleconverter)

Sold 2 JULY 2020

Anita North is offering a Nikon TC-E17 II (1.7X teleconverter) in like-new condition for a very low $146.95 (was $196.95). The sale includes the front and rear caps, the pouch, and insured ground shipping via major courier (to lower-48 US addresses only). Your item will not ship until your check has cleared the bank unless other arrangements are made. (PayPal +4% is fine with same-day shipping).

Please contact artie via e-mail or on his cell at 863-221-2372 before 4pm Eastern time. Please leave a message or text if no answer.

I used the TC-E-17 II often with both my 600mm f/4 VR and my 500mm f/5.6 PF lenses. It currently sells new at B&H for $396.95 so you can save a nifty $200.00 on this item. artie

Nikon TC-E20 III (2X Teleconverter)

Price Reduced $50.00 on 2 JULY 2020

Anita North is offering a Nikon TC-E20 III (2X teleconverter) in like-new condition for a very low $196.95 (was $246.95). The sale includes the front and rear caps, the pouch, and insured ground shipping via major courier (to lower-48 US addresses only). Your item will not ship until your check has cleared the bank unless other arrangements are made. (PayPal +4% is fine with same-day shipping).

Please contact artie via e-mail or on his cell at 863-221-2372 before 4pm Eastern time. Please leave a message or text if no answer.

I did make some sharp images with the TC-E-20 III with my 600mm f/4 VR lens. This, the third and best version of the Nikon 2X TC, fits well with the 70-200mm f/2.8 VR and the 300mm f/2.8 VRR lenses. It currently sells new at B&H for $496.95 so you can save a smooth $250.00 on this item. artie

Nikon Battery Grip & Charger Kit w/two extra batteries!

Price Reduced $150.00 on 2 JULY 2020

Anita North is offering this virtually impossible-to-find-in-stock kit for a very low $998.00 (was $1148.00). Some folks have been on waiting lists for more than one year. The sale includes the Nikon MB-D18 Multi-Power Battery Pack with EN-EL18c Battery Kit, a Nikon BL-5 Battery Chamber Cover for MB Battery Packs, the Nikon MH-26aAK Adapter Kit (that includes a BT-A10 adapter and an MH-26a dual battery charger), and two extra N-EL18b Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Batteries. Everything is in new condition. The sale includes the original boxes for the Battery Grip & the Charger and insured ground shipping via major courier (to lower-48 US addresses only). Your item will not ship until your check has cleared the bank unless other arrangements are made. (PayPal +4% is fine with same-day shipping).

These items sell new right now for approximately $1488.00 (but only if you are super-lucky enough to find these items in stock) …

Please contact artie via e-mail or on his cell at 863-221-2372 before 4pm Eastern time. Please leave a message or text if no answer.

Helping you achieve the most from your D850 DSLR, the Nikon MB-D18 Multi-Power Battery Pack with EN-EL18c Battery Kit from B&H includes the accessories needed to achieve a 9-fps continuous shooting rate, as well as extended battery life with up to 5140 shots per charge. This kit comprises the dedicated MB-D18 battery grip for the D850, an EN-EL18c rechargeable lithium-ion battery, a BL-5 Battery Chamber Cover, and the MH-26aAK Adapter Kit and Battery Charger. The Nikon MH-26aAK Adapter Kit includes a BT-A10 adapter and an MH-26a dual battery charger and allows you to charge two of the large batteries at the same time. artie & B&H

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4E FL ED VR Lens

BAA Record-low Price!
Price reduced $200.00 on 5-28-20
Price reduced $100.00 on 6-13-20
Price Reduced $100.00 on 2 JULY 2020

Anita North is offering a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4E FL ED VR lens in excellent condition for a BAA record-low $8865.95 (was $9265.95). The front element is immaculate, the finish on the hood is dinged up pretty good but is functionally perfect, and the body of the lens is excellent plus. The sale includes the lens trunk, the strap, the front cover, the rear lens cap, 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 artie via e-mail or on his cell at 863-221-2372 before 4pm Eastern time. Please leave a message or text if no answer.

In all systems, the 600 f/4 lenses are the weapons of mass destruction when it comes to birds and wildlife. I loved my Nikon 600 both alone and with the 1.4X teleconverter. If you use Nikon gear and have been dreaming of moving up to the big leagues, do get in touch with me ASAP to save $3,431.00. This lens sells new for $12,296.95. artie

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR Lens

BAA Record-low Price!
Price reduced 50.00 on 5-28-20
Price reduced 50.00 on 6-13-20
Price reduced 50.00 on 2 JULY 2020

Anita North is also offering a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR lens in like-new condition for a BAA record-low $945.95 (was $1,095.95). The sale includes the original box, the lens bag, the front and rear caps, 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 artie via e-mail or on his cell at 863-221-2372 before 4pm Eastern time. Please leave a message or text if no answer.

This was my workhorse lens on the memorable Emperor Penguin trip. It is amazingly sharp and versatile. And it does well with the TC-E14 when the sun is out. As this one sells new for $2,096.95 you can save an incredible $1,201.00 by being the first to grab Anita’s lens. artie

The Last of artie’s Nikon Gear

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/4G ED VR Lens

BAA Record-low Price!
Price reduced $50.00 on 5-28-20
Price reduced $50.00 on 6-13-20

Arthur Morris is offering a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/4G ED VR lens in like-new condition for a BAA record-low $696.95 (was $796.95). The sale includes the front and rear caps, the original box and lens bag, 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 artie via e-mail or on his cell at 863-221-2372 before 4pm Eastern time. Please leave a message or text if no answer.

This lens is smaller and lighter and costs a lot less than the f/2.8 version. It is relatively fast, very sharp, and extremely versatile. It pairs well with the TC-14E. It sells new right now for $1,396.95. Grab it now to save $700.00 artie

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4 VR Lens

BAA Record-low Price!
Price reduced $50.00 on 5-28-20
Price reduced $10.00 on 5-28-20

Arthur Morris is also offering a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4 VR lens in like-new condition for a BAA record-low $486.95 (was $546.95). The sale includes the front and rear caps, the original box and lens pouch, 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 artie via e-mail or on his cell at 863-221-2372 before 4pm Eastern time. Please leave a message or text if no answer.

I have always loved the lenses in this class. The Nikon version was a lot sharper than the Canon 24-105. It is a versatile multi-purpose lens with a thousand uses. I keep my SONY 24-105 on the front seat of my SUV every day and use it often. The 24-120 sells new right now for $1,096.95. Grab Artie’s pretty much new lens to save a cool $610.00! artie

Money Saving Reminder

If you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H, would enjoy free overnight shipping, and would like a $50 discount on your first purchase over $1000.00, click here to order and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If you are looking to strike a deal on Canon or Nikon gear (including the big telephotos) or on a multiple item order, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell at (479) 381-2592 (Eastern time) and be sure to mention your BIRDSASART coupon code and use it for your online order. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H. Those include the SONY a7r IV, the SONY 200-600, the SONY 600mm f/4 GM, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is eager to please.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are–out of ignorance–using the wrong gear especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads… Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. Those questions might deal with systems, camera bodies, accessories, and/or lens choices and decisions.

This image was created on Wednesday 1 July 2020 at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Working down the slope near the canal, I handheld the Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens (at 181mm) with the blazingly fast AF King, the Sony Alpha a9 II Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 800. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/500 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode. AWB at 7:09am on a morning with aa few clouds in the eastern sky. Wide AF-C was active at the moment of exposure; the system picked an AF point halfway down the colt’s long neck right on the same plane as the eye. Click on the image to view a larger version. Sandhill Crane adult and colt

The Mother’s Day Crane Colt Family

The colt in today’s featured image was hatched on either 9 or 10 MAY of this year. That makes the colt — now almost as tall is its parents, about 7 1/2 weeks old. How fast they grow! Its nest-mate perished about 2 1/2 weeks ago.

Keep or Delete? Why

The image above is a Capture One Screen Capture. After enlarging the image, please leave a comment letting us know whether you would keep this one or delete it. And let us know why you made your decision. If it is a keeper for you, consider letting us know your plans for the image optimization.

If In Doubt …

If you are in doubt about using the BAA B&H affiliate link correctly, you can always start your search by clicking here. Please note that the tracking is invisible. Web orders only. Please, however, remember to shoot me your receipt via e-mail.

Please Remember to use my Affiliate Links and to Visit the BAA Online Store 🙂

To show your appreciation for my continuing efforts here, we ask, as always, that you get in the habit of using my B&H affiliate links on the right side of the blog or Bedfords, for all of your photo and electronics purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially the Mongoose M3.6 tripod head, Wimberley lens plates, Delkin flash cards and accessories, and LensCoat stuff.

As always, we sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And please remember that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.

I would, of course, appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links or Bedfords for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above, and for everything else in the new store, we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and those who regularly visit the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.

Facebook

Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right.

Typos

In all blog posts and Bulletins, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors. Just be right :).

What’s Up?

Saturday moring was still and sunny with a heavy haze to the east the created dead-solid perfect conditions for flower photography. I found and photographed a nice pink (species ?) and an amazing tree totally covered with large yellow blossoms. I need to edit (pick my keepers) from Friday and Saturday today so that I do not fall any further behind.

The forecast for today — Sunay 28 June 2020 — is still and sunny turning partly cloudy with an afternoon high of 95 degrees. Par for the course. With the hot weather, the pool is up to a much too-warm 89 degrees; the nights are too warm and the pool too large for my heater/chiller to keep up. I took a day off from all exercise lasst Thursday as I passed a thankfully small kidney stone. Anyone interested in the alternative medicine tricks that saved me from posssibly major pain and grief is invited to shoot me an e-mail with the words Kidney Stone Alternative Remedy as the subject line.

BIRDS AS ART

BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Via e-Mail from Phillip Bird

As a new user of the Sony A7RIII I ordered your Sony e-Guide as soon as I unpacked the camera. Buying the guide is one of the best camera-related investments I have ever made. I am learning so much and I’m sure that the guide is saving me a great deal of time and frustration in dealing with all of the options available on this amazing camera. Thanks to you and Patrick for putting this guide together. Phill

SONY e-Guide Discount Program

Purchase a (new) qualifying SONY camera body (a7r iii, a7r iv, a9, a9 ii) from Bedfords or using a BIRDS AS ART B&H affiliate link, and you will receive a $40 discount on the SONY e-guide. Purchase a (new) SONY 200-600mm G lens from Bedfords or using a BIRDS AS ART B&H affiliate link, and you will receive a $25 discount on the SONY e-guide. Purchase a (new) SONY 600mm f/4 GM lens from Bedfords or using a BIRDS AS ART B&H affiliate link, and you will receive a free SONY e-guide with one or two videos.

Please send your Bedford’s or B&H receipts to me via e-mail to receive your discount and your ordering instructions. Folks purchasing from Bedfords and using the BIRDSASART code will save $50. Folks sending their B&H receipts may need to wait a few days to have their purchases confirmed. Folks using Bedfords will have their purchases confirmed immediately.

99 sold to rave reviews. The SONY e-Guide by Patrick Sparkman and Arthur Morris

The Sony Camera User’s e-Guide (and Videos)

Click here to purchase the guide with one Camera Set-up Video. Be sure to e-mail us by clicking here to specify your camera body so that we can send you a link for the correct video.

Click here to purchase the guide with two Camera Set-up Videos. Be sure to e-mail us by clicking here to specify your two camera bodies so that we can send you links for the correct videos.

Click here to learn more about the SONY e-Guide.

Selling Your Used Photo Gear Through BIRDS AS ART

Selling your used (or like-new) photo gear through the BAA Blog is a great idea. We charge only a 5% commission. One of the more popular used gear for sale sites charged a minimum of 20%. Plus assorted fees! Yikes. They went out of business. And e-Bay fees are now up to 13%. Please understand that e-Bay prices are bogus. And the same is true of the prices of used gear including my dear friends at B&H and the other mega-outfits. They offer you pennies and then try to sell the stuff to ignorant folks for ridiculously high prices. With their huge international exposure, they occasionally find someone …

The minimum item price here is $500 (or less for a $25 fee). If you are interested please shoot us an e-mail with the words Items for Sale Info Request cut and pasted into the Subject line :). Stuff that is priced fairly — I offer pricing advice to those who agree to the terms — usually sells. With the pandemic and the down economy, the market had been somewhat depressed but sales have been brisk for the past few weeks. And over the past year, we have sold many many hundreds of items. Do know that prices the used prices of many items have been dropping steadily. The prices garnered for used Canon gear has tanked completely as demand has dropped tremendously. It is ironic that for decades Canon gear had very strong resale value … That said, the prices on used Nikon gear are dropping as well. You can see all the currrent bargains here on the Used Gear Page.

Note: all BAA Used Gear sales include insured ground shipping via UPS to lower 48 US addresses only. Others who live elsewhere are invited to e-mail the seller for shipping surcharge info. Sellers should charge you only the difference between shipping to the farthest US location from their home and the charge to a non-lower-48 address.

Very Recent Sales

Patrick Hogue sold his Nikon D500 DSLR Camera in excellent condition and a 16mm-80mm F2.8-4.0 VR Nikkor zoom lens in near-mint condition for a BAA record-low $985.00 and a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR lens in near-mint condition for a very low $3195.00 (was $3450.00), both in mid-JUNE 2020.
Anita North sold her Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR lens in excellent plus condition for a BAA record-low $3045.95 (was $3095.95) in early JUNE 2020.
Arthur Morris sold his Nikon D850 DSLR Camera (Body Only) in excellent plus to like-new condition for a BAA record-low $1,795.95 (was $1995.95) in early JUNE 2020.
Patrick Hogue sold his Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR lens in excellent plus condition for $850.00 (was $896.95) and a Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV Digital Camera in near-mint condition for a BAA record-low $998.00, both soon after being listed in late-MAY 2020.
Carol Anderson, wife of the late Walt Anderson — inventor of the Better Beamer, sold a Canon 200-400 f/4L IS USM lens with internal 1.4X Extender in excellent plus condition for $4998.00 and a Canon EOS-1DX Mark II camera body in like-new condition for $2798.00, both soon after they were listed in early June 2020.
Anita North sold her Nikon D500 DSLR in excellent plus to near-mint condition for a BAA record-low price of $895.95 in mid-June 2020.
Blog regular Fred Innamorato sold his Canon EF 400mm f/4 DO IS II lens in excellent plus condition for $3099.99, a Canon EF 300mm f /2.8L IS II USM lens in excellent plus condition for $2899.00, a Canon EF 100-400mm f /4.5-5.6L IS USM II lens in excellent plus condition for $999.00, an EOS 5D Mark IV camera body in excellent plus condition for $1549.00, a Canon EOS-1DX Mark II camera body in excellent plus condition for $2698.00, a Canon EF Extender 1.4X III (teleconverter) in excellent plus condition for $219.00, a Canon EF Extender 2X III (teleconverter) in excellent plus condition for $219.00, and a Canon Extension Tube Set, the EF 12 II and EF 25 II, in excellent plus condition for $124.90, all on the first day of listing in late-MAY 2020.

New Listing

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV dSLR

John Bowden is offering a Canon EOS 5D Mark 4 in near-mint condition for $1,699.00 — the shutter count is only 16,172. The sale includess includes a ProMediaGear universal L-bracket (model PLX3 — an $89.95 value), the original product box, the manuals, the EOS Digital Solution Disk, the EOS Digital Software Instruction Manual, the camera strap, the single battery (with the protective cover), the charger, the front cap, the interface cable, the cable protector, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Photos are available upon request.

Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact John Bowden via e-mail or by phone at 1-919-358-5717 (Eastern tme zone).

What can I say? The 5D IV was my favorite-ever Canon digital dSLR. I owned and used three of them while my 1DX II sat on the shelf in my garage for the most part. If you have been dreaming of a 5D IV, grab John’s camera body right now and save a cool $300.00. artie

Money Saving Reminder

If you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H, would enjoy free overnight shipping, and would like a $50 discount on your first purchase over $1000.00, click here to order and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If you are looking to strike a deal on Canon or Nikon gear (including the big telephotos) or on a multiple item order, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell at (479) 381-2592 (Eastern time) and be sure to mention your BIRDSASART coupon code and use it for your online order. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H. Those include the SONY a7r IV, the SONY 200-600, the SONY 600mm f/4 GM, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is eager to please.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are–out of ignorance–using the wrong gear especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads… Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. Those questions might deal with systems, camera bodies, accessories, and/or lens choices and decisions.

This image was created at Indian Lake Estates, FL on 18 JUNE 2020. I used the Induro GIT 404L/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x teleconverter (at at 560mm) and the 61-mega-pixel monster, the Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless digital camera body. ISO 400. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear dial (and then bracketed): 1/6 sec. at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode with 2-second timer. AWB at 7:33am on a partly-cloudy morning. Plamped in place. Manual focus using the Focus Magnifier (page 37) and Manual Focus Toggle (page 35) tips and techniques detailed in the SONY e-Guide and Videos. Image #1: Photo Mechanic Screen Capture of Spatterdock bud

Washed Out RAW Files are the Best Exposure

I have always exposed to the right to ensure reduce noise and create large image files. But is was not until recently when Patrick Sparkman introduced me to RawDigger and taught me the fine-points of that app that I have been able to perfect exposing to the right. We hope to have our RawDigger Guide be published in about two to three weeks. Looking at the RED channel in the Photo Mehcanic histogram it seems that the image is mega-over-exposed but in fact RawDigger showed it to be the perfect exposure from a well-bracketed series.

I have long stated that in most instances your images should look washed out on the back of the camera. That was very much the case with today’s featured image. The trick is in the optimizing with most of the heavy lifting done during the RAW conversion (in Capture One for me). See the two versions of the same RAW file below.

Singh-Ray Filters

Singh-Ray filters have been used by the world’s top photographers for many decades. Who? Art Wolfe, Tony Sweet, John Barclay, my friend Ian Plant, my great friend Denise Ippolito, Nevada Weir, Brenda Tharp, Cole Thompson, Chuck Kimmerle, and the late Galen Rowell among others. Singh-Ray has been and is the name in quality filters. For this image I used the Singh-Ray a 77mm warming circualr polarizer set to dark to eliminate the reflectionos on the surface of the water.

No other filter manufacturer comes close to matching the quality of Singh-Ray’s optical glass that is comparable to that used by NASA. And they continue to pioneer the most innovative products on the market like their ColorCombo polarizer, Vari-ND variable and Mor-Slo 15-stop neutral density filters. When you use their filters, you’ll create better, more dramatic images and, unlike other filters, with absolutely no sacrifice in image quality. All Singh-Ray filters are handcrafted in the USA.

Best News: 10% Discount/Code at checkout: artie10

To shop for a Singh-Ray Warming Circular Polarizer (for example), click here. As their website is under-going re-construction, be sure to mention the artie10 discouont code when you call. In addition to enjoying the world’s best filter at 10% off you will be supporting my efforts here on the blog.

This image was created at Indian Lake Estates, FL on 18 JUNE 2020. I used the Induro GIT 404L/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x teleconverter (at at 560mm) and the 61-mega-pixel monster, the Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless digital camera body. ISO 400. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear dial (and then bracketed): 1/6 sec. at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode with 2-second timer. AWB at 7:33am on a partly-cloudy morning. Plamped in place. Manual focus using the Focus Magnifier (page 37) and Manual Focus Toggle (page 35) tips and techniques detailed in the SONY e-Guide and Videos. Image #2: Spatterdock bud/BLUER version

Optimizing Properly Exposed Images

Whatever program you are using to convert a properly expposed washed-out looking image file, you will wish to experiment with the following in no particular order:

1: Set the White Point

2: Pull down the Exposure slider.

3- Move the Highlight slider to the left.

4- Adjust the Brightness — this will always be the last step.

Once you have the TIF file in Photoshop a Curves adjustment can be made to darken the dark tones after pinning the highlights with three dots.

As you can see in Images #2 and 3, the results can be spectacular.

Spatterdock

If this flower looks familar to you, it is likely that you first saw it the What the ? Image #2 Mystery Answer Revealed. Wimberley Plamp II Techniques. A Great Macro Tip. And everything you wanted to know about spatterdock but were afraid to ask … blog post here.

This image was created at Indian Lake Estates, FL on 18 JUNE 2020. I used the Induro GIT 404L/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x teleconverter (at at 560mm) and the 61-mega-pixel monster, the Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless digital camera body. ISO 400. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear dial (and then bracketed): 1/6 sec. at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode with 2-second timer. AWB at 7:33am on a partly-cloudy morning. Plamped in place. Manual focus using the Focus Magnifier (page 37) and Manual Focus Toggle (page 35) tips and techniques detailed in the SONY e-Guide and Videos. Image #3: Spatterdock bud/BLACKER version

The SONY 100-400 GM Lens

The SONY 100-400 GM lens with its .98 meter Minumum Focusing Distance (MFD) can — with or without the 1.4X teleconverter — be great for medium-sized and lager flowers. I’ve been using it almost every day recently. And you can do the same with your Canon 100-400 II as it offers the same great MFD.

Your Call?

Which version do you prefer, the BLUER version of the BLACKER version? Please let us know why you made your choice.

If In Doubt …

If you are in doubt about using the BAA B&H affiliate link correctly, you can always start your search by clicking here. Please note that the tracking is invisible. Web orders only. Please, however, remember to shoot me your receipt via e-mail.

Please Remember to use my Affiliate Links and to Visit the BAA Online Store 🙂

To show your appreciation for my continuing efforts here, we ask, as always, that you get in the habit of using my B&H affiliate links on the right side of the blog or Bedfords, for all of your photo and electronics purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially the Mongoose M3.6 tripod head, Wimberley lens plates, Delkin flash cards and accessories, and LensCoat stuff.

As always, we sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And please remember that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.

I would, of course, appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links or Bedfords for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above, and for everything else in the new store, we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and those who regularly visit the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.

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Typos

In all blog posts and Bulletins, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors. Just be right :).

What’s Up?

I went down to the lake for a bit this morning — Thursday 25 JUNE 2020. I created exactly one dozen images of the surviving Mother’s Day crane colt. All 12 images — made at 1200mm — were super-sharp and featured perfect exposures. Working with RawDigger has made it relatively easy to expose to the right to the max, thus reducing noise.

Those who take the time to follow the BPN links to today’s four featured image and read the threads, will learn a ton. Aside from the great photography and the overwhelmingly excellent critiques, folks can read between the lines to learn even more. There are some folks on BPN who feel that if they do not offer at least one negative or one suggestion for improvement that they are not providing a good critique. When I come across such comments, either on my images or the images of others, I will speak up and push back …

If you are not too busy, please leave a comment and let us know which of these four excellent images is your personal favorite and why you made your choice.

As you enjoy today’s post, don’t forget that good photograpers make good images!

This image was created by BPN Avian Super-Moderator Dan Cadieux. He used the handheld Canon 500mm f/4L IS II lens with the 1.4X TC III and the EOS 7D Mark II. ISO 1600: 1/800 sec. at f5/6. Image courtesy of and copyright 2020: Dan Cadieux. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version. Black and White Warbler

Daniel Cadiuex

That Dan is a phenomenal photographer goes without question. A search for his name in the little white search box will turn up multiple blog posts featuring Dan and his work. Dan joined BPN on 1 JAN 2008 and has done 24,547 posts. Those include his started threads and his excellent critiques of others’ images. You can see more of Dan’s nature photography on his website here.

Learn more about the creations of this image and see what others thought about it in his Black-and-white Nuthatch…uhmm, I Mean Warbler! thread here.

This image was created by BPN Member Will Dickson. He used the handheld Canon 400mm f/4 IS DO II lens with the 1.4X TC III and the EOS-1DX Mark II. ISO 640: 1/3200 sec. at f/7.1. Image courtesy of and copyright 2020: William Dickson. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version. Lesser Black-backed Gull

William Dickson

Will Dickson has been a BPN member since 12 DEC 2013 and has amassed 6,207 posts. Will lives in Scotland and created this image from his balcony! Since I love gulls and I love top shots I fell in love with this image instantly. You can see what others thought about this image in Will’s post here.

This image was created by BPN Limited Member Volkan Akgul. He used the handheld Canon 500mm f/4L IS lens with the EOS-1DX Mark II. ISO 800: 1/2500 sec. at f/5. Image courtesy of and copyright 2020: Volkan Akgul. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version. swift (sp.?)

Volkan Akgul

Volkan Akgul of Turkey has been an active participant on BPN since he signed on as a limited member on 9 APRIL 2020. He has posted some very fine images and learned a lot despite the language barrier — his native tongue is Turkish. There is lots to learn by visiting the thread for this image here.

This image was created by BPN Avian Moderator Gail Bisson. She used the Canon 600mm f/4L IS III lens with the 1.4X TC III and the EOS-1D X. ISO 1600: 1/2O00 sec. at f/8. Image courtesy of and copyright 2020: Gail Bisson. Snowy Owl

Gail Bisson

BPN Avian Moderator Gail Bisson of Nova Scotia first posted in the forum on 5 JUNE 2011. Her stunning images along with her thoughtful 11,991 posts led to her becoming an Avian mod this spring. Gail attended a Southwest Florida IPT about a zillion years ago. You can see what I and other BPN folks had to say about her Frosty Morning Snowy Owl image in Gail’s post here.

What’s Up?

I did more birds on Monday morning: a perched Turkey Vulture and more of my favorite-ever crane family; the colts are almost six weeks old now. To raise my personal RawDigger learning curve, I used Auto Bracketing for the first time ever with digital with an avian subject. The RawDigger Flower (and static subject) e-Guide and Video is almost ready to be published. Both guides will be only for serious photographers who wish to learn to reduce noise to the max by exposing to the right to the nth degree …

It is 8:15pm on Monday evening and another huge thunderstorm continues as I type. We had a few days with just some rains but tonight’s storm is a big one; it has already been pouring for more than an hour. It knocked out Direct TV. During the days it has been in the 90s. More amazingly, there has been a massive heat-wave in Ontario, Canada with temps in the mid-30s C! In other words, hotter than Florida.

Mixed clouds and sun are forecast for this morning, Tuesday 22 JUNE 2020 so I will be heading out for about the hundredth straight morning; life is tough … With all of this rain, flowers will be the likely targets as the fields down by the lake will be too flooded to drive on.

I was glad to learn on Monday of the sale of my Nikon 70-200mm f/4 VR lens.

Arash Hazeghi SONY/Nikon News and Opinions

My friend, skilled avian flight photographer and top-notch BPN Avian Forum moderator, Arash Hazeghi, sold his two Nikon 600 VR lenses recently. And he sold his previously vaunted Nikon D5. He is now handholding the SONY 600mm f/4 GM and an a9 ii (with both TCs even for flight photography!). You can see his 1200mm skimmer flight shot here on BPN. In that thread I wrote, Most gear in Arash’s hands is great for flight photography because of his superior skills and his superior strength, hand-eye coordination, stamina, and determination.

Arash continues to own and use the Nikon 500 PF. See more on that below.

I find it funny that last January — in an e-mail to me — Arash said, (and I quote): Ha Ha! Sony is garbage.. More recently, in various BPN threads, he has acknowledged the total supremacy of SONY a9 ii autofocus.

This from his skimmer post, again from the man who clearly stated that SONY is garbage:

And I do believe the Sony 200-600 is pretty much a pile of junk next to the Nikon 500 PF… heavy, pretty bad bokeh, mediocre sharpness, significant focus breathing, slow to focus, etc., etc.

Elsewhere he continues to proclaim that the Nikon 500 PF is clearly better than the SONY 200-600. The issue there is better for whom? And better in what situations? I will be addressing those issues in detail soon both here on the blog and on BPN.

Lastly, on the subject of 200-600 sharpness, he started the thread here just for me. Be sure to read my response to his comparative sharpness testing.

BIRDS AS ART

BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

SONY e-Guide Discount Program

Purchase a (new) qualifying SONY camera body (a7r iii, a7r iv, a9, a9 ii) from Bedfords or using a BIRDS AS ART B&H affiliate link, and you will receive a $40 discount on the SONY e-guide. Purchase a (new) SONY 200-600mm G lens from Bedfords or using a BIRDS AS ART B&H affiliate link, and you will receive a $25 discount on the SONY e-guide. Purchase a (new) SONY 600mm f/4 GM lens from Bedfords or using a BIRDS AS ART B&H affiliate link, and you will receive a free SONY e-guide with one or two videos.

Please send your Bedford’s or B&H receipts to me via e-mail to receive your discount and your ordering instructions. Folks purchasing from Bedfords and using the BIRDSASART code will save $50. Folks sending their B&H receipts may need to wait a few days to have their purchases confirmed. Folks using Bedfords will have their purchases confirmed immediately.

94 sold to rave reviews. The SONY e-Guide by Patrick Sparkman and Arthur Morris

The Sony Camera User’s e-Guide (and Videos)

Click here to purchase the guide with one Camera Set-up Video. Be sure to e-mail us by clicking here to specify your camera body so that we can send you a link for the correct video.

Click here to purchase the guide with two Camera Set-up Videos. Be sure to e-mail us by clicking here to specify your two camera bodies so that we can send you links for the correct videos.

Click here to learn more about the SONY e-Guide.

Money Saving Reminder

If you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H, would enjoy free overnight shipping, and would like a $50 discount on your first purchase over $1000.00, click here to order and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If you are looking to strike a deal on Canon or Nikon gear (including the big telephotos) or on a multiple item order, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell at (479) 381-2592 (Eastern time) and be sure to mention your BIRDSASART coupon code and use it for your online order. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H. Those include the SONY a7r IV, the SONY 200-600, the SONY 600mm f/4 GM, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is eager to please.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are–out of ignorance–using the wrong gear especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads… Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. Those questions might deal with systems, camera bodies, accessories, and/or lens choices and decisions.

This image was created on 27 MAY 2020 at Fort DeSoto Park, FL I used the Induro GIT 304L/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter, and the blazingly fast Sony Alpha a9 II Mirrorless Digital camera body) that features incredibly accurate AF. ISO 640. Exposure determined by Zebras with exposure compensation on the rear wheel: 1/1000 sec. at f/8 in Manual mode. AWB at 7:22pm on a clear afterrnoon. Tracking Flexible Spot (S) AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and held focus perfectly on the male’s head. Click on the image to see a larger, sharper version. Contentment?: Royal Terns right after copulating

Contentment?

In the Rapture Optimized blog post here, I posted another frame from earlier in a long sequence. Today’s featured image also put a big smile on my face. The male looks so at peace.

SONY at 1200mm

One thing that I can agree with Arash on is that the Nikon TC-E20 III is garbage when paired with the 600mm f/4VR lens. I use the SONY 600 GM with impunity with both the a9 ii and the a7r iv with static subjects, and have no problem at all creating razor-sharp images. The Canon 2X III TC does fine with most camera bodies on static subjects with the 600 II or the 600 III; birds in flight? Not so much. It is quite clear that shooting flight at 1200mm is solely SONY.

Via e-mail from Muhammad Arif

I had a great time at Fort De Soto. Thank you for all the instruction, for your help and pointers; my photography has already improved tremendously and I’ve never made such good bird photos before. I wish I could’ve joined you on Monday and Tuesday morning as well but work got in the way. It was also nice to meet everyone on the IPT; sorry that I missed you, Ray. Thanks again for everything and I hope to join you at a future IPT sometime again.

Folks attending the IPT will be in the field early and stay out late to take advantage of the best light. The good news is that the days are relatively short in early fall. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

Fort DeSoto Fall 2020 IPT

OCT 2 thru the morning session October 5, 2020 (3 1/2 DAYS). Three full and one-half day: $1399.00. Deposit: $500.00. Limit: 8 photographers/ Openings: 7.

Fort DeSoto, located just south of St. Petersburg, FL, is a mecca for migrant shorebirds in fall. There they join dozens of egrets, herons, night-herons, gulls, and terns who winter on the T-shaped peninsula that serves as their wintering grounds. With any luck, we should get to photograph one of Florida’s most desirable shorebird species: Marbled Godwit. Black-bellied Plover and Willet are easy, American Oystercatcher likely. Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Great Blue Heron, and Tricolored Heron are easy as well and we will almost surely come up with a tame Yellow-crowned Night-Heron or two. We should get to do some Brown Pelican flight photography. And Royal, Sandwich, Forster’s, and Caspian Terns will likely provide us with some good flight opportunities as well. Though not guaranteed, Roseate Spoonbill and Wood Stork would not be unexpected.

Fort DeSoto in fall is rife with tame birds. All of the images in this card were created at Fort DeSoto in either late September or early October. I hope that you can join me there this fall one way or another. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

On this and all other IPTs you will learn basics and fine points of digital exposure and to get the right exposure every time after making a single test exposure, how to approach free and wild birds without disturbing them, to understand and predict bird behavior, to identify and age many species of shorebirds, to spot the good situations, to choose the best perspective, to see and understand the light, and to design pleasing images by mastering your camera’s AF system. And you will learn how and why to work in Manual mode (even if you’re scared of it).

At brunch (included) we will review m images–folks learn a ton watching me pick my keepers — why keep this one and delete that one? If you opt to bring your laptop, we can take a look at a few of your images from the morning session. We will process a few of my images in Photoshop after converting them in Capture One. That followed by Instructor Nap Time.

If In Doubt …

If you are in doubt about using the BAA B&H affiliate link correctly, you can always start your search by clicking here. Please note that the tracking is invisible. Web orders only. Please, however, remember to shoot me your receipt via e-mail.

Please Remember to use my Affiliate Links and to Visit the BAA Online Store 🙂

To show your appreciation for my continuing efforts here, we ask, as always, that you get in the habit of using my B&H affiliate links on the right side of the blog or Bedfords, for all of your photo and electronics purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially the Mongoose M3.6 tripod head, Wimberley lens plates, Delkin flash cards and accessories, and LensCoat stuff.

As always, we sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And please remember that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.

I would, of course, appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links or Bedfords for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above, and for everything else in the new store, we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and those who regularly visit the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.

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Typos

In all blog posts and Bulletins, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors. Just be right :).

What’s Up?

Today, Saturday, 20 JUNE 2020, started off a bit foggy; perfect for flowers. I’m not sure why I drove around the block. but in an abandoned field, I spotted some skinny sunflower types and spent about an hour with that little stand. Then I headed for one of my favorite spots at the end of Lantana and spent another hour poking around. After I got home I had my usual breakfast of smoked salmon and Philly cream cheese with Trader Joe’s Everything But the Bagel seasoning on top. Then I began work on this blog post, took a nap, did my cardio-bursts, worked some more on this post,did a bit on the Stairmaster, swam my usual 66 lengths, had my early dinner, and finished this blog post. In other words, same old same old …

Sony a7r iii Mirrorless Digital Camera Body

BAA Record-low By-Far Price!

Anita North is offering a Sony a7 r iii Mirrorless Digital Camera body in excellent plus condition (but for a single nick on the lower-left corner of the rear monitor) for the BAA record-low-by-far price of $1198.00. The sale includes an a74 iv original box, the battery charger (but not the battery), the front body cover, the strap, and insured ground shipping via major courier (to lower-48 US addresses only). The camera has the above-mentioned nick on the rear monitor, no battery, and no eye-cup.. The camera is, however, in perfect operating condition. Your item will not ship until your check has cleared the bank unless other arrangements are made. (Paypal +4% is fine with same-day shipping).

Please contact artie via e-mail or on his cell at 863-221-2372 before 4pm Eastern time. Please leave a message or text if no answer.

A SONY a7r iii served me well as my workhorse camera body on the last Galapagos trip. It would make a perfect starter camera for folks looking to get started with SONY. The a7r iii sells new for $2,498.00 at B&H so you can save a ridiculous $1300.00 by grabbing Anita’s camera body now. artie

This image was created by Anita North with the Nikon 600mm f/4 VR lens and a D850. Green Jay, Roma, TX

Anita North’s Shooting Style

Anita North is a skilled photographer. Over the years, you have seen some of her great images here on the blog. When it comes to pressing the shutter button, she is the most aggressive photographer I have ever run into. Her basic rule is If it’s in the viewfinder, press the shutter button and hold it down!. As you might expect, she often gets far behind with picking her keepers.

Anita shoots a ton of frames but her style works well for her. On occasion, she comes up with something magical — like the image above — that most folks — including and especially me — would miss. If you are considering purchasing either of the well-used camera bodies below, do know that the D850 shutters are rat4d to “200,000 cycles.” As both of Anita’s D850s exceed that (one by miles), that statement is obviously just an estimate. Though I do not shoot nearly as much as Anita, I have never — in my 36 years of photographing birds — had a shutter fail. Neither has Anita. I would not bet against the shutters on either of the camera bodies below might very well outlast the photographer whoo purchases one of them …

In Anita’s “defense,” both bodies look a lot better than one would expect after learning the shutter counts. That because she shoots a ton in each session but over the years, not that many shooting sessions. If that makes any sense. Best of all, each body is bargain priced to sell.

Nikon D850 dSLR #1

Silly Low Price!

Anita North is offering a Nikon D850 dSLR in excellent plus condition for the silly low price of $1398.95 (shutter count 222,223). The rubber eye-cup is missing so there is a bit of wear showing on the metal of the eye-cup. The camera is, however, in perfect working condition. The sale includes the original box, the battery charger, one extra (brand new) Nikon battery, the front body cover, the strap, and insured ground shipping via major courier (to lower-48 US addresses only). Your item will not ship until your check has cleared the bank unless other arrangements are made. (Paypal +4% is fine with same-day shipping).

Please contact artie via e-mail or on his cell at 863-221-2372 before 4pm Eastern time. Please leave a message or text if no answer.

The D-850 was my vary favorite Nikon camera body. It has a superb AF system and gorgeous 44MP image files. The D850 sells new for $2,996.95 at B&H so you can save a ridiculous $1900.00 by grabbing Anita’s camera body now. Replacing the shutter if need be will cost you less than $300.00. artie

Nikon D850 dSLR #2

Silly Low Price!

Anita North is offering a Nikon D850 dSLR in very good condition for the silly low price of $1098.95 (shutter count 410,710). There are some scuff marks on the corners and the bottom of the camera but otherwise, the camera looks to be in excellent condition. A 1 x 1/8″ strip of the rubber finish is missing on the flash-card door. The sale includes the original box, the battery charger, two extra Nikon batteries, the front body cover, and insured ground shipping via major courier (to lower-48 US addresses only). The camera has the above-mentioned nick on the rear monitor, no battery, and no eye-cup. The camera, however, is in perfect working condition. Your item will not ship until your check has cleared the bank unless other arrangements are made. (Paypal +4% is fine with same-day shipping).

Please contact artie via e-mail or on his cell at 863-221-2372 before 4pm Eastern time. Please leave a message or text if no answer.

The D-850 was my vary favorite Nikon camera body. It has a superb AF system and gorgeous 44MP image files. The D850 sells new for $2,996.95 at B&H so you can save a ridiculous $1900.00 by grabbing Anita’s camera body now. Replacing the shutter if need be will cost you less than $300.00. artie

Nikon TC-E17 II (1.7X Teleconverter)

Anita North is offering a Nikon TC-E17 II (1.7X teleconverter) in like-new condition for a very low $196.95. The sale includes the original box, the front and rear caps, the pouch, and insured ground shipping via major courier (to lower-48 US addresses only). Your item will not ship until your check has cleared the bank unless other arrangements are made. (Paypal +4% is fine with same-day shipping).

Please contact artie via e-mail or on his cell at 863-221-2372 before 4pm Eastern time. Please leave a message or text if no answer.

I used the TC-E-17 II often with both my 600mm f/4 VR and my 500mm f/5.6 PF lenses. It currently sells new at B&H for $396.95 so you can save a nifty $200.00 on this item. artie

Nikon TC-E20 III (2X Teleconverter)

Anita North is offering a Nikon TC-E20 III (2X teleconverter) in like-new condition for a very low $246.95. The sale includes the original box, the front and rear caps, the pouch, and insured ground shipping via major courier (to lower-48 US addresses only). Your item will not ship until your check has cleared the bank unless other arrangements are made. (Paypal +4% is fine with same-day shipping).

Please contact artie via e-mail or on his cell at 863-221-2372 before 4pm Eastern time. Please leave a message or text if no answer.

I did make some sharp images with the TC-E-20 III with my 600mm f/4 VR lens. This, the third and best version of the Nikon 2X TC, fits well with the 70-200mm f/2.8 VR and the 300mm f/2.8 VRR lenses. It currently sells new at B&H for $496.95 so you can save a smooth $250.00 on this item. artie

Nikon Battery Grip & Charger Kit w/ two extra batteries!

Anita North is offering this virtually impossible-to-find-in-stock kit for a very low $1148.00. Some folks have been on waiting lists for more than one year. The sale includes the Nikon MB-D18 Multi-Power Battery Pack with EN-EL18c Battery Kit, a Nikon BL-5 Battery Chamber Cover for MB Battery Packs, the Nikon MH-26aAK Adapter Kit (that includes a BT-A10 adapter and an MH-26a dual battery charger), and two extra N-EL18b Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Batteries. Everything is in new condition. The sale includes the original boxes for the Battery Grip & the Charger and insured ground shipping via major courier (to lower-48 US addresses only). Your item will not ship until your check has cleared the bank unless other arrangements are made. (Paypal +4% is fine with same-day shipping).

These items sell new right now for approximately $1488.00 (but only if you are super-lucky enough to find these items in stock) …

Please contact artie via e-mail or on his cell at 863-221-2372 before 4pm Eastern time. Please leave a message or text if no answer.

Helping you achieve the most from your D850 DSLR, the Nikon MB-D18 Multi-Power Battery Pack with EN-EL18c Battery Kit from B&H includes the accessories needed to achieve a 9-fps continuous shooting rate, as well as extended battery life with up to 5140 shots per charge. This kit comprises the dedicated MB-D18 battery grip for the D850, an EN-EL18c rechargeable lithium-ion battery, a BL-5 Battery Chamber Cover, and the MH-26aAK Adapter Kit and Battery Charger. The Nikon MH-26aAK Adapter Kit includes a BT-A10 adapter and an MH-26a dual battery charger and allows you to charge two of the large batteries at the same time. artie & B&H

What’s Up?

On Wednesday morning, I headed out determined to photograph some birds and did just that. I worked two different Great Egrets on the pier railings, one from my SUV and one on foot using the pier-as-blind technique. Then again working from my Sequoia, I photographed the tame colts. All of the birds were photographed at 1200mm. It was a good morning even though I did not photograph a single flower.

Only six folks wrote a critique of my image in the Let’s Play BPN. On Doing Critiques. And the Two-way Benefits of Critiquing … blog post here. I’d urge everyone — a guy can dream, can’t he?) — not only to re-visit and try their hand at doing a critique, but to follow the link to the BPN thread of the same image (here). Why? There is so, so much to learn.

One thing that you might come away with after checking the BPN link is that I, Mr. Famouos Bird Photographer, am glad to have my work critiqued by others, even after 36 years of Avian photography. Why? The boys and girls on BPN made at least two suggestions that helped me improve the image.

In the past two days, I encountered two folks with quite different attitudes toward having their images evaluated by others.

One, after I suggested that he might wish to join BPN, e-mailed as follows: I’m cheap, and I don’t like joining groups. And I’m not that keen on (taking) criticism either. This from someone who has spent probably $100,000 on camera gear in the past year or two and rarely makes even a half-way decent image …

The other, a BPN member who professes a great desire to improve, wrote Frankly, my type-A personality felt a little exposed when you posted the (over-exposed) original to the thread. I, as many, am a little self-conscious and at times feel out of my league but I’m getting much better day by day I believe.. When I reply to his mail I will suggest that he get over it. Having your images critiqued is the best way to learn to improve your photography. And BTW, his work has been improving by leaps and bounds over the past two months.

The video for the RawDigger Flower (static subject) Exposure e-Guide by Arthur Morris and Patrick Sparkman is finished and the written portion of the guide is out for review as I type.

This image was created on 2 JUNE 2020 in front of my house at Indian Lake Estates, FL. I used the Induro GIT 404L/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sigma APO Macro 150mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM lens for Nikon F with the Vello Select Nikon F Lens to Sony E-Mount Camera Auto Lens Adapter (Firmware Ver. 6) and the 61-MP Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless Digital Camera Body. ISO 400. Exposure determined by experimentation with the best exposure determined by RawDigger: 1/15 sec. at f/11 in Manual mode. AWB at 8:11am on a cloudy-bright morning. Manual Focus using techniques from the SONY e-Guide. Click on the image to see a larger version. Magnolia bud detail abstract

What the ? Image #2

In the What the ? blog post here, I posted this:

Image #2: What is It?

If you have an idea as to what is pictured in the image above, please leave a comment and be as specific as possible.

Karen Mc was the first to answer correctly when she commented in part:

#2 is an emerging Southern Magnolia.

Next was Ravi Hirekatur who wrote:

#2 looks like a close up of magnolia flower with its fuzzy sepals.

Last to the party was Stephen Aveling-Rowe. He posted:

#2 resembles a magnolia of some description with it’s bud-cap. I am reasonably certain that the brown hairy part was the covering for the developing bud.

My reply to his comment:

Yes, those are the sepals.

As far as Image #1, there were some comical answers but none that are even close. I was worried that lots of folks would identify it in zero point one seconds … The answer will be revealed here soon.

What’s Up?

On Sunday morning, I headed to a lake off Deland Avenue about 2 miles from my home to find some nice flowers. I did. Then I took a 20-mile (round-trip) exploratory drive to the end of Sam Keen Road looking for birds and wildflowers. I saw some neat birds but did not spend any serious time looking for flowers. On the way home, I stopped at Jimmy’s Gas Station on SR 60 and bought myself two birthday presents. See item next.

It has not rained at all for three days and the forecast for today, Monday 15 JUN 2020 is for cloudy and breezy. I will be heading out to photograph at about 7am.

What are they? I will share the identity of the two mystery photos featured below along with the capture info and techniques that I used in Wednesday’s blog post.

I was glad to learn last night that the sale of my Nikon D850 is pending.

Birthday present for self

Birthday Present For Self

Though I weigh only 174 pounds, am doing great, and have not injected a drop of insulin for more than six months, my sugar addiction still exists. After a small dinner on Sunday afternoon, I ate everything above in one sitting. In “one dunking session” would be more accurate. I made a large cup of light (almond milk), sweet (stevia) coffee and in addition, poured a glass of ice-cold almond milk. I dunked the cookies two a time in the coffee and washed each pair down with a sip of almond milk.

And no, I did not test my blood sugar last night or this morning. I sure enjoyed getting off the wagon. Today is a new day. To think, 25 yearss ago, I did something similar every day for 45 years. All in all, I am lucky and happy to be here now headed for 75.

If you have a food addiction that you wish to share, please leave a comment.

93 sold to rave reviews. The SONY e-Guide by Patrick Sparkman and Arthur Morris

The Sony Camera User’s e-Guide (and Videos)

Click here to purchase the guide with one Camera Set-up Video. Be sure to e-mail us by clicking here to specify your camera body so that we can send you a link for the correct video.

Click here to purchase the guide with two Camera Set-up Videos. Be sure to e-mail us by clicking here to specify your two camera bodies so that we can send you links for the correct videos.

Click here to learn more about the SONY e-Guide.

Money Saving Reminder

If you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H, would enjoy free overnight shipping, and would like a $50 discount on your first purchase over $1000.00, click here to order and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If you are looking to strike a deal on Canon or Nikon gear (including the big telephotos) or on a multiple item order, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell at (479) 381-2592 (Eastern time) and be sure to mention your BIRDSASART coupon code and use it for your online order. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H. Those include the SONY a7r IV, the SONY 200-600, the SONY 600mm f/4 GM, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is eager to please.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are–out of ignorance–using the wrong gear especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads… Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. Those questions might deal with systems, camera bodies, accessories, and/or lens choices and decisions.

Image #1: What is it?

Image #1: What is It?

If you have an idea as to what is pictured in the image above, please leave a comment and be as specific as possible.

Image #2: What is it?

Image #2: What is It?

If you have an idea as to what is pictured in the image above, please leave a comment and be as specific as possible.

If In Doubt …

If you are in doubt about using the BAA B&H affiliate link correctly, you can always start your search by clicking here. Please note that the tracking is invisible. Web orders only. Please, however, remember to shoot me your receipt via e-mail.

Please Remember to use my Affiliate Links and to Visit the BAA Online Store 🙂

To show your appreciation for my continuing efforts here, we ask, as always, that you get in the habit of using my B&H affiliate links on the right side of the blog or Bedfords, for all of your photo and electronics purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially the Mongoose M3.6 tripod head, Wimberley lens plates, Delkin flash cards and accessories, and LensCoat stuff.

As always, we sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And please remember that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.

I would, of course, appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links or Bedfords for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above, and for everything else in the new store, we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and those who regularly visit the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.

Facebook

Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right.

Typos

In all blog posts and Bulletins, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors. Just be right :).

What’s Up?

Thursday morning dawned still with the promise of more heat and more thunderstorms. Wildflower photography was great for about an hour until the breeze picked up. I did well with Yellow Milkwort. I was back home early and could not resist the 100+ perfect Whitemouth Dayflower blossoms in my front yard …

As noted here previously, I enjoyed a red-letter morning photo session here at ILE on May 16 with the then one-week-old crane twins. I finally got around to editing that folder and creating a Camtasia video of the 27-minute editing session. Remember, for me editing means picking my keepers. All six of today’s featured images were from that wonderful morning. Enjoy the sample video below and then consider purchasing the full video here.

The forecast for today — Friday 12 JUNE 2020 is sunny turning cloudy and then sunny in the late afternoon with no rain and no thunderstorms; I’ll believe that when I see it! I will be headed down to the lake at about 6:45am.

Your Favorite?

Which of today’s six featured images is your favorite? Please let us know why you made your pick. I will share my favorite image here in a future blog post.

BIRDS AS ART

BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

The sample video above is comprised of the first three minutes of the full 27-minute video.

Picking Your Keepers: The 361 Sandhill Crane Chick Images Video

Picking Your Keepers: The 361 Sandhill Crane Chick Images Video

Sit beside me as I work on my laptop picking 76 keepers from a very good 361-image morning session with the two very tame week-old Sandhill Crane chicks. Learn to pick the best image or two or three from a series of similar images. Learn the fine points. Learn to see what I am looking for. With today’s high frame-rate/high MP camera bodies, learning to edit tightly while identifying your very best images is an important skill.

Important note: during the third edit I deleted 36 additional images leaving me with 40 keepers from the great morning of 16 MAY.

To purchase the full video, click here.

SONY e-Guide Discount Program

Purchase a (new) qualifying SONY camera body (a7r iii, a7r iv, a9, a9 ii) from Bedfords or using a BIRDS AS ART B&H affiliate link, and you will receive a $40 discount on the SONY e-guide. Purchase a (new) SONY 200-600mm G lens from Bedfords or using a BIRDS AS ART B&H affiliate link, and you will receive a $25 discount on the SONY e-guide. Purchase a (new) SONY 600mm f/4 GM lens from Bedfords or using a BIRDS AS ART B&H affiliate link, and you will receive a free SONY e-guide with one or two videos.

Please send your Bedford’s or B&H receipts to me via e-mail to receive your discount and your ordering instructions. Folks purchasing from Bedfords and using the BIRDSASART code will save $50. Folks sending their B&H receipts may need to wait a few days to have their purchases confirmed. Folks using Bedfords will have their purchases confirmed immediately.

89 sold to rave reviews. The SONY e-Guide by Patrick Sparkman and Arthur Morris

The Sony Camera User’s e-Guide (and Videos)

Click here to purchase the guide with one Camera Set-up Video. Be sure to e-mail us by clicking here to specify your camera body so that we can send you a link for the correct video.

Click here to purchase the guide with two Camera Set-up Videos. Be sure to e-mail us by clicking here to specify your two camera bodies so that we can send you links for the correct videos.

Click here to learn more about the SONY e-Guide.

Money Saving Reminder

If you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H, would enjoy free overnight shipping, and would like a $50 discount on your first purchase over $1000.00, click here to order and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If you are looking to strike a deal on Canon or Nikon gear (including the big telephotos) or on a multiple item order, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell at (479) 381-2592 (Eastern time) and be sure to mention your BIRDSASART coupon code and use it for your online order. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H. Those include the SONY a7r IV, the SONY 200-600, the SONY 600mm f/4 GM, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is eager to please.

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are–out of ignorance–using the wrong gear especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads… Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. Those questions might deal with systems, camera bodies, accessories, and/or lens choices and decisions.

This image was created on 16 MAY 2020 at Indian Lake Estates, FL. I used the Induro GIT 404L/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and the 61-MP Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless Digital Camera Body. ISO 1000. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/500 sec. at f/4 in Manual mode. AWB at 8:23am on a then-drizzly morning. Tracking Flexible Spot (M) AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed to perfection as the AF point tracked the chick’s right eye. Image #1: Sandhill Crane one-week-old chick stretching

The 600 f/4 GM in Low Light

While the handheld 200-600 allows great freedom in moving about and easily getting a great perspective, it is relatively slow at f/6.3 and thus is not my number one lens choice in low light. On what started out as a cloudy, drizzly morning the 600 f/4 on the tripod was the obvious choice. Had I opted for the 200-600 I would have had to have been at ISO 2500 to get to 1/500 sec.

This image was also created on 16 MAY 2020 at Indian Lake Estates, FL. I used the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm) and the blazingly fast AF King, the Sony Alpha a9 II Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 640. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/640 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode. AWB at 8:32am on a suddenly somewhat sunny morning. Center Zone AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed superbly. Image #2: Sandhill Crane one-week-old chick standing on small rise

The Handheld 200-600 for Easy Living

Handholding a telephoto zoom lens is an absolute pleasure as compared to working on a tripod with the 600mm f/4. In order to create this image with Lake Walk-in-Water as the background, I tried laying down in the grass on my side. The problem was, I had turned off the Viewfinder Level option so I had no idea where square-to-the-world was. This image needed more than five degrees of counter-clockwise rotation. Because the chick was pretty high in the frame, I only needed a bit of Content-Aware to fill in the triangle of needed canvas in the lower right. I went to Upper Center Zone for this one as my position was quite unstable; had I stayed with Tracking Flexible Spot (M) I would have had no chance in heck.

This image was also created on 16 MAY 2020 at Indian Lake Estates, FL. I used the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm) and the blazingly fast AF King, the Sony Alpha a9 II Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 500. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/1000 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode. AWB at 8:334am on a suddenly somewhat sunny morning. Tracking Flexible Spot M AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed superbly. Image #3: Sandhill Crane one-week-old chick preening

I Came to My Senses

While on my side, I saw the second chick stand up to my right and begin preening so I sat up and scooched a yard or so to get right on sun angle. In just a minute, the sun had gotten much brighter and, after adjusting the exposure, I wound up with a richer blue background in Image #3 than in Image #2. Being more stable while seated I quickly switched to Tracking Flexible Spot (M) for just a bit more accuracy.

This image was also created on 16 MAY 2020 at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Again I used the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm) and the blazingly fast AF King, the Sony Alpha a9 II Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 640. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/500 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode. AWB at 8:35am on a then partly cloudy morning. Tracking Flexible Spot M AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed superbly. Image #4: Sandhill Crane one-week-old chick resting on grassy hill

Chicks on the Rise

There is a small hill just to the right of the parking circle at the end of Park Drive here at ILE, right by the pier. Any time that there are birds on the small rise, it presents good opportunities for working with distant backgrounds such as those seen in Images 2 & #3. In Image #4, the small strip of out-of-focus green at the top of the frame is a big plus for me. And that goes double for the larger strip of out-of-focus green at the top of the frame in Image #5.

To get the perspective that I wanted for Image #4, I was lying flat on my belly.

This image was also created on 16 MAY 2020 at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Again I used the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm) and the blazingly fast AF King, the Sony Alpha a9 II Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 400. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/1250 sec. at f/7.1 in Manual mode. AWB at 8:41am on a then completely sunny morning. Tracking Flexible Spot M AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed superbly. Image #5: Sandhill Crane one-week-old chick resting on bed of plants with tiny white flowers

SONY Zebras Rock in Changing Light!

Notice that the light level in each of today’s six featured images was different. Exposures ranged from ISO 1000 — 1/500 sec. at f/5.6 (for Image #1) to ISO 400 — 1/1250 sec. at f/7.1 (for Image #5). Working with ISO on the Control Wheel and Patrick Sparkman’s recommended Zebra values enables SONY users to consistently and quickly come up with perfect or near-perfect exposures. Pick your shutter speed and aperture and then simply adjust the ISO until you see Zebras (live in real times in the viewfinder!) All this is done before you press the shutter button. In the guide, we explain how using Zebras when the sun is shining differs from using Zebras in low light.

Image Design Question

Why did I opt to sit while creating Image #5 rather than to lie down flat as I had done in Image #4?

This image was also created on 16 MAY 2020 at Indian Lake Estates, FL. For this one made near the end of the session, I used the Induro GIT 404L/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 2.0x Teleconverter, and the 61-MP Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless Digital Camera Body. ISO 1000. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/400 sec. at f/9 in Manual mode. AWB at 9:14am on a then somewhat cloudy morning. Tracking Flexible Spot (M) AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed better than the operator — this image needed a healthy crop from the right and from above. Image #6: Sandhill Crane one-week-old — head portrait showing tongue

SONY at 1200mm!

As I love working clean, tight, and graphic I enjoy the superb performance of the SONY 600 GM with the 2X TC. As you have seen on the blog, flight photography at 1200mm is viable.

If In Doubt …

If you are in doubt about using the BAA B&H affiliate link correctly, you can always start your search by clicking here. Please note that the tracking is invisible. Web orders only. Please, however, remember to shoot me your receipt via e-mail.

Please Remember to use my Affiliate Links and to Visit the BAA Online Store 🙂

To show your appreciation for my continuing efforts here, we ask, as always, that you get in the habit of using my B&H affiliate links on the right side of the blog or Bedfords, for all of your photo and electronics purchases. Please check the availability of all photographic accessories in the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store, especially the Mongoose M3.6 tripod head, Wimberley lens plates, Delkin flash cards and accessories, and LensCoat stuff.

As always, we sell only what I have used, have tested, and can depend on. We will not sell you junk. We know what you need to make creating great images easy and fun. And please remember that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.

I would, of course, appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links or Bedfords for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above, and for everything else in the new store, we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and those who regularly visit the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.

Facebook

Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right.

Typos

In all blog posts and Bulletins, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors. Just be right :).