Wednesday morning — 10 JUNE 2020 — was still and foggy to start followed quickly by still and sunny. I made two really good flower images and found a wonderful old oak tree in damp woods. It was covered with moss and Baton Rouge (strawberry) Lichens and more than a few air plants. Those photos were somewhat disappointing. As I continued exploring and photographing, I met a Willie Nelson-type guy named Ralph on a bike. We got to chatting and he took me to a spot a block from his home near Orange and Magnolia that was rife with several new-for-me wildflower species. Ralph volunteers at Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales. He knows a lot about a lot and is quite willing to share. Bingo!
I’ve been doing my now regular 66 lengths (3/4 mile) earlier in the day to avoid the late afternoon thunderstorms. On Tuesday afternoon it rained hard for more than four hours. On Wednesday the daily monsoon lasted only about an hour. How’s that for progress?
I was thrilled to learn that thee sale of Carol Anderson’s Canon 200-400 with Internal TC and her 1DX Mark II became pending.
On Thursday, I am planning to record the RawDigger Flower and Static Subjects Exposure Guide. I will follow that up with the RawDigger Avain Exposure Guide. More on those soon.
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.
88 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.
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 3 JUNE 2020 at the TWA Hotel at John F. Kennedy Airport by Greg Gulbransen. He used a tripod-mounted Rodenstock 32mm lens on the Phase One IQ4 150MP Digital Back with the XT Camera body. ISO 100. Three seconds at f/14.
Image courtesy of and copyright 2020 Greg Gulbransen. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.
TheRe-constructed Lounge
TWA Hotel at John F. Kennedy Airport
The TWA Hotel is located on the grounds of John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, New York. It opened on May 15, 2019. It utilizes the headhouse of what was the TWA Flight Center airline terminal, designed in 1962 by the architect Eero Saarinen. The TWA Hotel project added two buildings on either side of the existing headhouse. The two buildings contain a total of 512 rooms between them along as well as a conference space, six to eight restaurants, and an aviation history museum. There is a rooftop infinity swimming pool and a 10,000 square feet observation deck. Many of the TWA Flight Center’s original details, such as the custom ceramic floor tiles and the 486 variously-shaped window panels, were replaced with replicas of the originals. These details give the hotel a 1960s-era vibe, and include brass lighting, walnut-accented furnishings, and rotary phones. The hallways contain red carpeting, evocative of the color of the furniture in the original TWA lounge. The rooms, however, also contain modern amenities such as blackout curtains and multi-pane soundproof windows. The large departure board, a split-flap display made in Italy has been a feature of the building since the Flight Center’s opening in 1962; it was fully restored as part of the hotel project. The TWA Hotel also includes a cocktail lounge inside a preserved Lockheed L-1649 Starliner, the last model of the Lockheed Constellation line of airliners; the lounge is nicknamed “Connie”.
Right now, room rates at the hotel are surpsingly low, almost surely due to the restricted travel policies in place. Learn more here.
Greg Gulbransen
Greg Gulbransen, a pediatrician from Long Island, is an incredibly talented photographer. You can see collection of his an eclectic images on his website here. If you take a minute to follow the link to Greg’s gallery, you will see some gorgeous and moving photography. After browsing several of the galleries I spent an hour reading and following a few links under the IN THE NEWS tab. One of Greg’s polar bear images was named grand prize winner in the 2016 The Weather Channel “It’s Amazing Photo Contest.” The first prize was a handsome $15,000.00.
If you are curious about the gear that Greg used to create today’s two featured images, note that the price tag for his kit is well in excess of $75.000.00. Greg has led a beyond-amazing life and I am proud to call him a friend.
This image was created on 3 JUNE 2020 at the TWA Hotel at John F. Kennedy Airport by Greg Gulbransen. He used a tripod-mounted Rodenstock 50mm lens on the Phase One IQ4 150MP Digital Back with the XT Camera body. ISO 64. Four seconds at f/14.
Image courtesy of and copyright 2020 Greg Gulbransen. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.
The Long TWA Hallway
The Long TWA Hallway
Greg stayed at the hotel last Wednesday night and did some fine architectural photography. He sent me a selection via DropBox and I fell in love with the two images featured here today. Each image is a 2-frame X 2-frame stitched panorama. His photo sessions at the hotel marked the end of his COVID QUIET project. He photographed streets and parks and buildings all over New York City, all completely devoid of people. In his words, he was documenting NYC empty.
The Long TWA Hallway leads from a lower lobby to an upper lobby. Outside the windows of the second-floor lobby is an old Lockheed L-1649 Starliner painted in TWA colors. TWA was in and out of bankruptcy twice during the 1990s and closed up for good in 2001 when it filed for a third and final bankruptcy and was acquired by American Airlines.
Your Fave?
Which of today’s two images is your favorite? Please let us know why you made your pick. I will share my clear favorite with y’all here in a future blog post.
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 🙂
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 :).
On Monday morning it was a bit breezy hot and humid so I spent most of my morning session scouting for wildflowers. I did find some nice new stuff and wound up photographing what I think was Tenangle Pipewort and a lovely Pink –not sure which one.
I upped my swim to 66 lengths, 3/4 mile. In addition to my cardio-bursts I have added ten easy minutes on the StairMaster.
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.
87 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.
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.
Manual Focus using techniques from the SONY e-Guide. Click on the image to see a larger version.
Florida Sensitive Brier
My Big Macro Mistake Corrected …
For decades I have been teaching bird photographers that when they are photographing large groups of birds, it is imperative to focus on the closest bird. I failed to follow my own advice the first time that I photographed Florida Sensitive Brier by focusing beyond the closest little gold thingies. Having something out of focus in front of the subject is generally an image wrecker; I deleted all of the images from the first session. For today’s featured image, I made sure to focus on the closest little gold thingies. Using the Focus Magnfier/Manual focusing technique that is detailed in The Sony Camera User’s e-Guide (see same above), makes macro photography pretty much a walk-in-the-park as long there is no breeze or provided that you can keep the subject absolutely still. See Lesson One on that below.
The more that I work with the Sigma 150mm macro/Vello Adapter/a7r iv rig the more proficient I become. If I can keep the blossoms completely, still everything is easy …
Manual Focus using techniques from the SONY e-Guide. Click on the image to see a larger version.
Florida Sensitive Brier
Plamped-in-Place
The best-case scenario for wildflower photography is a dead still day with zero breezes. Such conditions are very rare, and when they do occur — usually in the early morning, they do not last long. In general, cloudy days are to be preferred as the clouds eliminate shadows. In addition, when it is sunny, the air heats and moves and the resulting air currents move the flowers constantly. One of the best ways to solve this problem is to use the Plamped-in-Place solution. As you can ssee above, I set up a spare tripod about 15 inches from the blossom.I attached a Wimberley Plamp II to the tripod with the sturdy, powerful clamp jaws (black with the orange tips) and then held the flower gently in place with the lightweight (black and white) clamp. The beauty of this solution is that when you are done, you carefully remove the lightweight clamp from the stem of the flower and pack your gear. The flower is left growing in place as if you were never there.
There are many ways to use the Wimberley Plamp II; I will be sharing additional Plamp techniques here with you in future blog posts.
The Art of Flower Photography by Denise Ippolito and Arthur Morris
You can learn everything e about this e-book here, or order your copy here.
Video: The Art of Flower Photography
In this B&H Event Space video, two of the world’s premier photographers of flora and fauna — Arthur Morris and Denise Ippolito — share the techniques they use to create dramatic, sharp, well-composed, properly exposed images of flowers and flower fields. Denise does great things with the Canon 100mm f/2.8 L IS lens, while artie often goes to longer focal lengths—he has been seen photographing tulips at Keukenhoff Gardens, Holland, with a 600mm lens and a teleconverter. In addition to standard techniques, the video ends with Ippolito and Morris showing a wide range of abstract floral images and describing a variety of creative artistic effects such as multiple exposures, sharp/soft blending, texture overlays, warping a flower, creating zoom/twirls, in-camera blurs, and many others.
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 🙂
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 :).
Though the sun broke through the clouds yesterday afternoon for a very few minutes, the unsettled weather continues. I did a few small white flowers with yellow centers while standing in a 6-inch deep puddle next to the road in a normally dry spot … The results were not-too-good 🙂 I will be heading out soon on Monday 8 JUNE 2020, yet another hot and humid day.
With the non-stop rains, the pool has cooled down a bit to a very comfortable 83 degrees. And we have not had to water the butterfly garden!
Please take a moment and leave a comment letting us know which of today’s two featured images is your favorite. And why. Much appreciated.
BIRDS AS ART
BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
86 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.
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 1 JUNE 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 1000. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/500 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode. AWB at 7:57:32am on a very cloudy morning.
Tracking Flexible Spot (M) AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed superbly. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.
Image #1: 3-week old Sandhill Crane chick waiting to get fed
The SONY 200-600/a9/a9ii Combination
The SONY Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens combined with either an a9 or an a9 ii is a deadly combination for bird photography. When I am doing birds, there are lots of sessions when I take a walk with just my 2-6 and the a9ii, always with the 1.4X TC in my pocket or fanny pack. If conditions look really good, I will often head out with the 600 GM/1.4XTC/a7r iv or a9 ii rig on the tripod and the 2-6/a9 ii rig on a Black Rapid Curve Breathe Strap on my shoulder.
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.
This image was created on 1 JUNE 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 1000. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/500 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode. AWB at 7:57:35am on a very cloudy morning.
Tracking Flexible Spot (M) AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed superbly. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.
Image #2: 3-week old Sandhill Crane chick getting fed
Down By the Canal
By working up and down the slope that leads to the canal between the South Peninsula and the South Field, I can photograph my subjects at or near eye level and control the background. To do the latter, I simply move up or down the slope to change my perspective until I like what I see. The two images were created 3 seconds apart. The reason that there is a strip of sky at the top of Image #2 but not in Image #1, is the difference in the original framing. For both images, I was using Tracking Flexible Spot and concentrating on keeping the AF box on the adult’s face. Foor Image #2, I might have taken a small step back and gotten a bit lower. One thing for sure is that in image #2 the lens was pointed up more than it was in Image #1. The final framing of each is similar because each image was cropped to that effect.
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 🙂
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 :).
The unsettled weather continues. Last night Jim found a tiny pink wildflower blooming low-to-the-ground right next to my driveway. Of course, I headed right out in the drizzle with the Sigma 150/Vello Adapter/a7r iv rig on a tripod and shocked myself by creating a single nice image. This morning was more of the same. I did find and photograph a tiny white wildflower with a yellow center in a big puddle along with hundreds of blooming tickseeds. I will now be leaving my macro gear on the sheltered table in the pool cage because it was all fogged up this morning. And yes, my garage which doubles as the BIRDS AS ART warehouse, is air-conditioned …
Aside from the challenges of photographing wildflowers discussed below, I am finding that identifying the subjects in my images is just as big a challenge as creating pleasing, sharp, perfectly exposed images. I have always learned by seeking help from folks who know a lot more than I do and am in the progress of doing just that now.
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.
84 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.
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 is somewhat depressed. That said, the prices of used photo gear only go one way: down. The longer you wait, the less you will get for your gar. Period. 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 thee great 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.
Used Gear Page News
All eight of Fred Innamorato’s Canon offerings sold on the first day of listing as did two of the four Carol Anderson’s listings. In addition, the sale of Anita North’s 200-500 was recently finalized. When folks are willing to pay 4% extra to cover our Paypal fees for the gear that I am handling, we can ship the stuff the same day; several folks have done that in the past week.
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/4G ED VR Lens
BAA Record-low Price! Price reduced $50.00 on 5-28-20
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 $746.95 (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 $650.00 artie
Nikon D850 DSLR Camera (Body Only)
BAA Record-low Price! Price reduced on 100.00 5-28-20
Arthur Morris is also offering a Nikon D850 DSLR Camera (Body Only)in excellent plus to like-new condition for a BAA record-low $1,895.95 (was $1995.95). The sale includes the front body caps, the original box, the strap, the charger, 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.
The D850 was my very favorite Nikon body. I sold my D5 and bought a 2nd D850. It produces superb image files. The AF system kills on birds in flight — be sure to use Group (grp) AF. It sells new for $2,996.95 so you can save a very lovely $101.00 by grabbing my D850. artie
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4 VR Lens
BAA Record-low Price! Price reduced $50.00 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 $496.95 (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 $600.00! artie
Nikon D500 DSLR
BAA Record-low Price!
Anita North is offering a Nikon D500 DSLR in excellent plus to near-mint condition for a BAA record-low price of $895.95. The sale includes the original box, the front body, cap, the battery charger, the strap, both caps for the lens, 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.
The D500 is Nikon’s top-of-the-line crop factor body. It multiplies your focal length by 1.5X. Joe Przybyla and Dan Kearl, both excellent photographers on Bird Photographer’s.Net, use the D500 as their workhorse camera bodies. Joe, the co-author of The BAA Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide, was after this old dog for a long time to try a D500. The D500 sells new right now for $1,496.95; save a cool $601 by grabbing Anita’s lens. artie
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4E FL ED VR Lens
BAA Record-low Price! Price reduced $200.00 on 5-28-20
Anita North is offering a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4E FL ED VR lens in excellent condition for a BAA record-low $9065.95 (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 $3,231.00. This lens sells new for $12,296.95. artie
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR Lens
Sale Pending 5-31-20
Anita North is also offering a 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). The sale includes the original box, the front and rear lens caps, thee 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.
The 500 PF was my favorite Nikon lens; I hated giving it up. It is easily handheld by most folks; It kills for flight and does well with the 1.4X teleconverter. It is still hard to find a new one. Save $551.00 and get yours soon. artie
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4 VR Lens
Price dropped $71.95 on 7 JUNE 2020!
Gary Meyer is also offering a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4 VR lens in like-new condition for a BAA record-low $525.00 (was $596.95). The sale includes 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 Gary via e-mail or by phone at 1-612-221-0150 (Central time zone).
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 ever day. The 24-120 sells new right now for $1,096.95. Grab Gary’s pretty much new lens to save another $571.95! artie
Canon 200-400 f/4L IS USM lens with internal 1.4X Extender
Sale Pending
Carol Anderson, wife of the late Walt Anderson — inventor of the Better Beamer, is offering a Canon 200-400 f/4L IS USM lens with internal 1.4X Extender in excellent plus condition for $4998.00. The sale includes the original box, the rear lens cap, the front lens cover, the lens trunk, a LensCoat, a Kirk low foot, 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 family-friend Don Carter via e-mail.
This is the world’s best lens for a trip to Africa. It kills also in the Galapagos and in South Georgia, the Falklands, and Antarctica. And I used mine a lot at Bosque and other dusty places where the built-in TC helps to keep your sensor clean. And I love it in the Palouse for its versatility. At one point, I found myself wishing that I had taken the 200-400 rather than my 500 II on the Bear Boat Cubs IPT. Many nature photographers use this lens as their workhorse telephoto as it offers 784mm at f/8 with an external 1.4X TC added. The lens sells new at B&H right now for $10,999; can save an incredible $6001.00 by grabbing this excellent lens along with all the extras right now. artie
Canon EOS-1DX Mark II Camera Body
Sale Pending
Carol Anderson, wife of the late Walt Anderson — inventor of the Better Beamer, is offering a Canon EOS-1DX Mark II camera body in like-new condition for $2798.00. The sale includes the original product box, the strap, the front body cap, one Canon battery, the charger, 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 family-friend Don Carter via e-mail.
The EOS-1DX Mark II is a Canon flagship professional camera body. I made many fine images with mine. It is rugged and fast and featured Canon’s best AF system (before the release of thee 1dX III). The 1DX II sells new for $4,999.00 so you can save a very cool $2301.00 on this great deal. artie
Really Right Stuff BH-55 Ball Head with Screw-Knob Panning Clamp Plus Accessories!
Please contact Ravi via e-mail e-mail or by phone at 1-608-217-9593 central time.
This ballhead kit is perfect for super-serious landscape and macro photographers. 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.
Manual Focus using techniques from the SONY e-Guide. Click on the image to see a larger version.
Nuttall’s Thistle
Mastering In-the-field Techniques For My New Passion …
Photographing wildflowers is a lot different than photographing dahlias and tulips. And it is a lot more challenging. Perhaps the greatest challenge is keeping the blossoms completely still. In The Art of Flower Photography Denise and I wrote about many different techniques that can be used to keep the flowers completely still. I used one of those here: After finding the ready-to-pop bud, I set up a tripod very close to it, clamped a Wimberley Plamp II to an upper leg, and gently placed the stem into the smaller, gentler clamp jaws of the Plamp. The Plamp is twisty so that — again — working very carefully, you can change the position of the blossom slightly without damaging the stem or the blossom.
The second huge challenge of doing wildflowers is choosing the best aperture. With small flowers at close at point-blank range, depth-of-field is extremely narrow. To stop down, you need a slower shutter speed and/or a higher ISO. And unless the background is quite distant from the subject (as it was in today’s featured image), you run the risk of bringing up many distracting background elements … As it is when pricing used camera gear, the line is a fine one. I am working on many new techniques and will be sharing some of them here with you soon.
You can learn more about how I am using the Sigma 150 with the Vello Adapter on my a7r iv in the Beach False Foxglove (wildflower) Set-up. And My Macro Plan: a work in progress blog post here. This solution is cumbersome at best but I am getting close to mastering it.
The Art of Flower Photography by Denise Ippolito and Arthur Morris
You can learn everything e about this e-book here, or order your copy here.
Video: The Art of Flower Photography
In this B&H Event Space video, two of the world’s premier photographers of flora and fauna — Arthur Morris and Denise Ippolito — share the techniques they use to create dramatic, sharp, well-composed, properly exposed images of flowers and flower fields. Denise does great things with the Canon 100mm f/2.8 L IS lens, while artie often goes to longer focal lengths—he has been seen photographing tulips at Keukenhoff Gardens, Holland, with a 600mm lens and a teleconverter. In addition to standard techniques, the video ends with Ippolito and Morris showing a wide range of abstract floral images and describing a variety of creative artistic effects such as multiple exposures, sharp/soft blending, texture overlays, warping a flower, creating zoom/twirls, in-camera blurs, and many others.
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 🙂
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 :).
It continues to rain non-stop here in central Florida. Tropical Storm Cristobal, now in the Gulf of Mexico, may bring additional rains midweek. I did manage to create a few nice flower images in a light drizzle this morning, Saturday 6 JUNE 2020. At 10:00am it is raining harder under somber gray skies with zero wind.
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.
Via e-Mail from Charlie Curry
Artie, I would like to add my thanks for the incredible SONY e-Guide and the videos for the a9 ii and the a7r iv. Now I can focus accurately and get my exposure correct in many different lighting situations on almost every shot. My efficiency improved tremendously thanks to you and Patrick. Best regards. Charlie Curry
83 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.
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 is somewhat depressed. That said, the prices of used photo gear only go one way: down. The longer you wait, the less you will get for your gar. Period. 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 thee great 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.
Used Gear Page News
All eight of Fred Innamorato’s Canon offerings sold on the first day of listing as did two of the four Carol Anderson’s listings. In addition, the sale of Anita North’s 200-500 was recently finalized. When folks are willing to pay 4% extra to cover our Paypal fees for the gear that I am handling, we can ship the stuff the same day; several folks have done that in the past week.
Really Right Stuff BH-55 Ball Head with Screw-Knob Panning Clamp Plus Accessories!
Please contact Ravi via e-mail e-mail or by phone at 1-608-217-9593 central time.
This ballhead kit is perfect for super-serious landscape and macro photographers. 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.
Wide AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and again, performed to perfection.
Scroll down to see the original image …
Image #3: Black Vulture landing
The Question
In the A Photoshop Hanky-Panky Quiz blog post here, I asked which of the three featured Black Vulture images underwent major changes in Photoshop. That would be Image #3 (above). Scroll down to see the original.
A Comments conversation with Jeff Rugg from that blog post:
Hi Artie, you always do such a good job with the Photoshop tools that a quiz like this won’t find any photoshop mistakes.
Thanks, Jeff.
In images 2 and 3 you would have followed your own advice and fired off several pictures to cover the action and movement of the birds. It is possible that the best overall pose clipped a wing. As you have shown many times, you can fix that easily.
That does take some time and effort to do well.
If you were using photoshop to fix image 2, I think you would have cleaned up the one dirt spot along the lower right-hand edge …
Good eye. I missed that. That’s the muddy track …
and maybe the green out of focus spot in the blue water area on the left.
I actually love that for compositional balance.
Image 4 is set up with the bird on the left one-third, focused on the eye and it has a good amount of space behind the bird, so I think you took a great shot there as you planned it.
I see them coming, acquire focus, and make three or four images …< he SONY AF system performs magically in these (and many other) situations.< /h2>
That leaves image 3 where the primaries are close to the top edge of the picture and the toes are close to the bottom, either could have been clipped and fixed, but I don’t see any obvious evidence of the photoshop work. Well done as always. Jeff
Thanks again. Most folks will be surprised when they see the original for #3 in Saturday’s blog post (now immediately below). with love, artie
Capture One screeen capture: the original for Image #3: Black Vulture landing
Image #3
When the vultures are coming to the roadkill cafe, it is often quite difficult to isolate the landing birds. As soon as I saw this image, I knew exactly what I had to do. Note that as captured that the bird is looking out of the “wrong” side of the frame. To create the optimized version that opens this post, I first leveled the imagee. Then, I not only needed to coverer the two extraneous vultures with Quick Masks, but I needed to flop the subject (as detailed in APTATS I & II) and then move it to the left in the frame by adding significant canvas on the right.
As expected, noone had a clue as to what I had done (though two folks were vaguely in the neighborhhood).
My Point!
I can guarantee that if I had showed the original image along with the optimnized version that many folks would have pointed to the obvious telltalee signs because they knew where to look and theey knew what had been done. Note also in the comments that several folks had invented “proof” as to what they thought had been done even though Images #2 and #4 were as they came out of the camera.
The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II).
You can order your copy from the BAA Online Store here, by sending a Paypal for $40 here, or by calling Jim or Jennifer weekdays at 863-692-0906 with your credit card in hand.
The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II)
All the techniques mentioned above and tons more (with the exception of Capture One RAW Conversions) — along with all of my personalized Keyboard Shortcuts — are covered in detail in the BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II), an instructional PDF that is sent via e-mail. Learn more and check out the free excerpt in the blog post here. While the new e-Guide reflects my Macbook Pro/Photo Mechanic/DPP 4/Photoshop workflow, folks using a PC and/or BreezeBrowser will also benefit greatly by studying the material on DB II. Note: folks working on a PC and/or those who do not want to miss anything Photoshop may wish to purchase the original Digital Basics along with DB II while saving $15 by clicking here to buy the DB Bundle.
Folks who learn well by following along rather than by reading can check out the complete collection of MP 4 Photoshop Tutorial Videos by clicking here. Note: all of the videos are now priced at an amazingly low $5.00 each.
You can learn how and why I converted all of my Canon digital RAW files in DPP 4 in the DPP 4 RAW Conversion Guide here. More recently, I became proficient at converting my Nikon RAW (NEF) files in Adobe Camera Raw. About two years ago I began converting my Nikon and Sony RAW files in Capture One Pro 12 and continue to do so today.
You can learn advanced Quick Masking and advanced Layer Masking techniques in APTATS I & II. You can save $15 by purchasing the pair. Folks can learn sophisticated sharpening and (NeatImage) Noise Reduction techniques in The Professional Post Processing Guide by Arash Hazeghi and edited by yours truly. Please use this link to purchase NeatImage.
To introduce folks to our MP.4 videos and the basics involved in applying more NeatImage noise reduction to the background and less on the subject, I’d be glad to send you a free copy of the Free Noise Reduction Basics MP.4 Video. Simply click to shoot me an e-mail to get your free copy.
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 🙂
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 :).
With the three large fields down by the lake flooded, I drove the side streets in search of flowers on Thursday morning. My best find was a blooming Nuttall’s Thistle. The rains began again at about 9:30am and never let up. I swam at 3:30pm under black skies and torrential, pelting rain. The forecast for today — Friday 5 June is cloudy and still with the thunderstorms beginning at 1pm. I will look for some wildflowers early and then head into town for a rare shopping trip.
I will share the original of the heavily Photoshopped image alluded to in the A Photoshop Hanky-Panky Quiz: Win a Copy of The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II) blog post here. Though one guy got close, the prize is stilll up for grabs …
Used Gear Page News
I was both excited and proud that all eight of Fred Innamorato’s Canon offerings sold on the first day of listing. In addition, the sale of Anita North’s 200-500 was completed on Thursday. When folks are willing to pay 4% extra to cover our Paypal fees, we can ship the gear the same day.
Alex Barbisotti commented:
Dear Artie, Sorry to say this, but I think you went a little low regarding the pricing on Fred’s gear …No wonder it’s sold so fast. I feel bad for Fred.
My Response
Thanks for leaving a comment. Pricing all gear, especially Canon gear, requires dancing a very fine line. The boys and girls are shopping with eagle eyes. In addition, Fred got about 30-40% more than if he had sold the stuff to B&H. And BTW, Fred is thrilled 🙂
with love, artie
I should have mentioned that seven of the eight items sold to a single buyer. Take him out of the picture and consider what might be … Remember also (see here), that Fred thought that his Canon gear was pretty much worthless and that it would never sell. In a single day, after paying the 5% Used Gar Page fee and the shipping charges, he will wind up with more than $9,500.00 in his pocket.
Fred’s comment this morning:
Hey artie, I am completely satisfied with the price listings and sale of my Canon gear. Thx. Pricing used gear is tricky. How many people have $3000 to spend. Also, if they do have a lot of buying power, why not buy new is the way I see it. Raising $11,000 is a lot of money. Especially if you know the value goes down each day. Could I have gotten $12,000?? Maybe, but we also need and want the buyers to be happy. Threading this needle is what you did. Not one buyer haggled with me and I sure didn’t want to deal with a difficult buyer. This is the reason I use your blog to sell my gear. You attract good, decent people that respect and appreciate that we are all members of the “BIRDS AS ART”.
I think you do a great job of balancing the seller’s interest with the buyers’ interests. Both sellers and buyers are loyal followers of your blog and we trust your integrity. You bring both our interests together with fairness and professionalism. Thanks Artie!
Fred
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.
Via e-Mail from Charlie Curry
Artie, I would like to add my thanks for the incredible SONY e-Guide and the videos for the a9 ii and the a7r iv. Now I can focus accurately and get my exposure correct in many different lighting situations on almost every shot. My efficiency improved tremendously thanks to you and Patrick. Best regards. Charlie Curry
82 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.
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 is somewhat depressed. That said, the prices of used photo gear only go one way: down. The longer you wait, the less you will get for your gar. Period. 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 great 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.
Canon 200-400 f/4L IS USM lens with internal 1.4X Extender
Carol Anderson, wife of the late Walt Anderson — inventor of the Better Beamer, is offering a Canon 200-400 f/4L IS USM lens with internal 1.4X Extender in excellent plus condition for $4998.00. The sale includes the original box, the rear lens cap, the front lens cover, the lens trunk, a LensCoat, a Kirk low foot, 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 family-friend Don Carter via e-mail.
This is the world’s best lens for a trip to Africa. It kills also in the Galapagos and in South Georgia, the Falklands, and Antarctica. And I used mine a lot at Bosque and other dusty places where the built-in TC helps to keep your sensor clean. And I love it in the Palouse for its versatility. At one point, I found myself wishing that I had taken the 200-400 rather than my 500 II on the Bear Boat Cubs IPT. Many nature photographers use this lens as their workhorse telephoto as it offers 784mm at f/8 with an external 1.4X TC added. The lens sells new at B&H right now for $10,999; can save an incredible $6001.00 by grabbing this excellent lens along with all the extras right now. artie
Canon EF 100-400mm f /4.5-5.6L IS USM II Lens
Sale Pending/first day of listing!
Carol Anderson, wife of the late Walt Anderson — inventor of the Better Beamer, is offering a Canon EF 100-400mm f /4.5-5.6L IS USM II lens in excellent plus condition for $999.00. The sale includes the original box, the lens bag, the rear lens cap, the lens hood, a LensCoat, a Kirk low foot, 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 family-friend Don Carter via e-mail.
This incredibly versatile zoom lens — with its amazing .98 meter close focus — was my favorite Canon telephoto zoom lens ever. By far. artie
Canon EOS-1DX Mark II Camera Body
Carol Anderson, wife of the late Walt Anderson — inventor of the Better Beamer, is offering a Canon EOS-1DX Mark II camera body in like-new condition for $2798.00. The sale includes the original product box, the strap, the front body cap, one Canon battery, the charger, 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 family-friend Don Carter via e-mail.
The EOS-1DX Mark II is a Canon flagship professional camera body. I made many fine images with mine. It is rugged and fast and featured Canon’s best AF system (before the release of thee 1dX III). The 1DX II sells new for $4,999.00 so you can save a very cool $2301.00 on this great deal. artie
Canon EOS 7D Mark II dSLR
Sale Pending/first day of listing!
Carol Anderson, wife of the late Walt Anderson — inventor of the Better Beamer, is offering a Canon EOS 7D Mark II dSLR in very good condition for $547.00. The sale includes the original product box, the strap, the front body cap, one Canon battery, the charger, 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 family-friend Don Carter via e-mail.
Both Patrick Sparkman and I used and loved the 7D Mark II for several years until we both committed to using full-frame Canon bodies. We both made some truly great images with it. Two of my three 2016 Nature’s Best honored entries were created with the 7D II, one still, and one video. One thing is for sure: the 7D Mark II is the greatest value ever in a digital camera body. artie. 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 5 MAY 2020. I used the handheld Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens (at at 128mm) and the 61-mega-pixel monster, the Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless Digital camera body. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear dial. ISO 640: 1/500 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode. AWB at 6:52pm on a sunny aftrenoon.
Tracking Flexible Spot M AF-C was active at the moment of exposure.
Sandhill Crane adult and storm clouds
Zooming Out and Getting Low for Stormy Indigo-Blue/Black Skies
Whenever I am out photographing and see dark storm clouds opposite a shining sun, I get excited. The trick is to figure out how to get a bird against the dark, stormy skies. At ILE, thunderstorms are most common in the afternoons, but it is difficult to photograph to the east with the sun behind you as there are lots of houses on the two streets that fron the lake. When I saw a crane standing on the edge of the South Field I formulated a plan. I walked down the sloped that leads to the marsh, zoomed out, figured the exposure with Zebra’s oon the crane’s white chin, and created only two images before the bird walked off. Today’s featured image is my favorite.
Image Design Question
Why do I wish that I had stood two inches taller?
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 🙂
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 :).
We have had lots of unsettled weather here for more than ten days. It is not really safe to drive on the three fields down by the lake as sections of them are flooded. The only photographable birds around are the cranes, the Ospreys, and the ever-present Black Vultures. There are lots of wildflowers on the sidestreets but this morning — Wednesday 3 JUNE 2020 — it was too breezy for flower photography.
I’d love to entertain a few more responses to the Photoshop Hanky Panky question in yesterday’s blog post here. See more on that below.
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 is somewhat depressed. That said, the prices of used photo gear only go one way: down. The longer you wait, the less you will get for your gar. Period. 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 thee great 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
Anita North sold her Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED lens in like-new condition for a BAA record-low $796.95 (was $896.95) and a Nikon AF-S Fisheye NIKKOR 8-15mm f/3.5-4.5E ED lens in like-new condition for a BAA record-low $696.95 (was $746.95), both within days of listing in early MAY 2020.
Patrick Hogue sold a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/4E PF ED VR lens in near-mint condition for a BAA record-low $1195.95 the first day it was listed in late-May 2020.
Dennis Westover sold his Nikon 300mm AF-S f/2.8 ED VRII telephoto lens in excellent plus condition along with a Nikon AF-S TC 17E II 1.7X teleconverter in excellent condition and a Nikon AF-S TC 20E III 2X teleconverter, also in excellent condition for the shock-the-world price of $3299.85 in late-MAY 2020.
Used Gear page regular Charlie Curry sold his Sony a9 Mirrorless Digital Camera body in like-new condition (971 shutter releases) and the Sony (VG-C3EM) Vertical Grip a BAA record-low $2598.00 in late-May 2020.
Sandra Calderbank sold her Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens in like-new condition for the BAA record-low-by-$1,500-price of $5,499.00 (was $5999.00) in late-May 2020.
Anita North sold her Nikon AF-S VR Micro-NIKKOR 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED (Macro) lens in like-new condition but for a barely-visible tiny (less than 1/16 inch) crescent-shaped scratch on the front element for the BAA record-low by-far price of $ $396.95, a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR lens in like-new condition for a BAA record-low $996.95, Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/4E PF ED VR lens in like-new condition for a BAA record-low $1196.95 a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR lens in like-new condition for a BAA record-low $1,346.95, and a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4 VR lens in like-new condition for a BAA record-low $546.95, all within a day of listing.
Jim Lewis sold his Canon EOS-1D X in near-mint condition with extras for a BAA record-low $1,500.00 (was $1,895.00) in early MAY 2020.
Kevin Spencer sold his Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM lens in excellent condition for $6,799.00 to a local buyer in early MAY 2020.
BPN friend Ravi Hirekatur is sold his Canon EF Extender 1.4X II (the 1.4X II teleconverter) in excellent condition for the ridiculous, you-might-as-well-give-it-away price of $89.00 (was $179.00) in early MAY.
Gary Meyer sold his Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6 VR PF lens in like-new condition for a BAA record-low $3096.95 and a Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III in like-new condition for a BAA record-low $226.95, both on the first day of listing in early MAY 2020.
Jerry Barrack sold his Canon EF 70-300mm 1:4.5-5.6 L IS USM zoom lens (the white version) in near-mint condition for the BAA record-low price of $459.00 (was $699.00) in early MAY 2020.
New Listings
Canon EF 400mm f/4 DO IS II Lens
BAA Record-low Price! Sale Pending/first day of listing!
Blog regular Fred Innamorato is offering a Canon EF 400mm f/4 DO IS II lens in excellent plus condition for the BAA record-low price of $3099.99. The sale includes the original box, the lens trunk, the rear lens cap, the lens hood, the front lens cover, a Don Zek C3 lens cap, the lens strap, a Realtree Lens Coat, 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 Fred via e-mail or by phone at 1-216-978-6369 (Eastern Time Zone).
I owned and used and loved the 400 DO II when I shot with Canon and found a way to take it on most trips. I took it to Scotland and Nickerson Beach and San Diego. It served me well as my (lighter!) big gun several Galapagos and Southern Ocean (the Falklands and South Georgia) trips. It is a killer for flight photography with or without the 1.4X III TC. It is razor-sharp with the 2X on static subjects and skilled folks have had amazing success hand holding it with the 2X III TC for flight and for action. artie
EF 300mm f /2.8L IS II USM Lens
BAA Record-low Price! Sale Pending/first day of listing!
Blog regular Fred Innamorato is offering a Canon EF 300mm f /2.8L IS II USM lens in excellent plus condition for the BAA record-low price of $2899.00. The sale includes the original box, the lens trunk, the rear lens cap, the front lens cover, the lens hood, a Don Zek C3 lens cap, the lens strap, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Fred via e-mail or by phone at 1-216-978-6369 (Eastern Time Zone).
The 300mm f/2.8 autofocus lenses have long been the first choice of the world’s best hawks-in-flight photographers with and without a 1.4X TC. When teamed up with either the 1.4X or 2X TC, they make a great hand-holdable walk-around lens. For folks with a 7D Mark II, the 300 II would make a great workhorse lens for bird photography. Grabbing Jim’s lens will save you an incredible $2,901.00 as new ones are going for $6099.00 from B&H. I owned and used several versions of the 300 f/2.8 lens for many years until finally replacing my 300 f/2.8 II with the 400 DO II several years ago. That said, the 300 f/2.8 II represents a great value as the 400 DO II sells new for $6,899.00.artie
Canon EF 100-400mm f /4.5-5.6L IS USM II Lens
BAA Record-low Price! Sale Pending/first day of listing!
Blog regular Fred Innamorato is offering a Canon EF 100-400mm f /4.5-5.6L IS USM II lens in excellent plus condition for the BAA record-low price of $998.00. The sale includes the original box, the lens bag, the rear lens cap, the lens hood, 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 Fred via e-mail or by phone at 1-216-978-6369 (Eastern Time Zone)
This incredibly versatile zoom lens — with its amazing .98 meter close focus — was my favorite Canon telephoto zoom lens ever. By far. artie
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV Camera Body
BAA Record-low Price! Sale Pending/first day of listing!
Blog regular Fred Innamorato is offering a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV camera body in excellent plus condition for the BAA record-low price of $1549.00. The sale includes the original product box, the strap, the front body cap, the USB Cable Interface, an extra eye-cup, one extra Canon battery, the charger, 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 Fred via e-mail or by phone at 1-216-978-6369 (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 Fred’s camera body right now and save a cool $950.00.artie
Canon EOS-1DX Mark II Camera Body
BAA Record-low Price! Sale Pending/first day of listing!
Blog regular Fred Innamorato is offering a Canon EOS-1DX Mark II camera body in excellent plus condition for the BAA record-low price of $2698.00. The sale includes the original product box, the strap, the front body cap, the USB Cable Interface, an extra eye-cup, one extra Canon LP-E19 battery pack, the charger, the battery compartment plug, 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 Fred via e-mail or by phone at 1-216-978-6369 (Eastern time zone).
The EOS-1DX Mark II is a Canon flagship professional camera body. I made many fine images with mine. It is rugged and fast and featured Canon’s best AF system (before the release of thee 1dX III). The 1DX II sells new for $4,999.00 so you can save a very cool $2301.00 on this great deal. artie
Canon EF Extender 1.4X III (teleconverter)
Sale Pending/first day of listing!
Blog regular Fred Innamorato is offering a Canon EF Extender 1.4X III (teleconverter) in excellent plus condition for $219.00. The sale includes the front and rear lens caps, the 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 Fred via e-mail or by phone at 1-216-978-6369 (Eastern time zone).
As regular readers know, I depended so much on TCs when I shot Canon that I always traveled with two spare 1.4X-s and one spare 2X TC. artie
Canon EF Extender 2X III (teleconverter)
Sale Pending/first day of listing!
Blog regular Fred Innamorato is offering a Canon EF Extender 2X III (teleconverter) in excellent plus condition for $219.00. The sale includes the front and rear lens caps, the 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 Fred via e-mail or by phone at 1-216-978-6369 (Eastern time zone).
As regular readers know, I depended so much on TCs when I shot Canon that I always traveled with two spare 1.4X-s and one spare 2X TC. artie
Canon EF Extension Tube Set
Sale Pending/first day of listing!
Blog regular Fred Innamorato is offering the Extension Tube Set, the EF 12 II and EF 25 II, in excellent plus condition for $124.90. The sale includes the original boxes and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your set will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Fred via e-mail or by phone at 1-216-978-6369 (Eastern time zone).
As regular readers know, I used extension tubes often to reduce the minimum focussing distances of my two Cann macro lenses and my super-telephotos. I used them behind a TC to focus closer with AF and at times, in front of a TC to get even closer while having to use manual focus). The pair sells for $224.90 so you can save an even $100.00 by grabbing the pair. artie
Tracking Flexible Spot (M) AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed to perfection.
Version III: Sandhill Crane one-day old chick standing near adult on the nest
Version III
This is the third optimized version of this image. I followed additional suggestions made in comments on the Sandhill Crane Chick Grass Blade Removal and Canvas Expanded as Suggested … blog post here
Here is a comment from that blog post along with my reply:
Allen: Much better without the grass coming out of the chick’s head. Not thrilled with the “content-aware” fill of the canvass expansion to the left. Can see obvious repeated patterns of grass details.
artie: Hi Allen, As I have proven here on many occasions, ‘obvious repeated patterns” are always visible when I have told folks where to look. In the video, you will learn that Content-Aware failed in the lower-left corner. And I took care to reduce or eliminate and repeats when I covered the problematic area with a refined Quick Mask. A close look reveals that I might have missed on a repeat of a brown area.
Only three folks have responded to the question in the A Photoshop Hanky-Panky Quiz: Win a Copy of The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II) here.
I sent Allen a special invitation to respond to yesterday’s challenge.
I did not see the crane babies on Sunday morning. On Monday morning, I could not find the family at first … When I saw the adults well out in the lake in shallow water, I was confused. The two little baby cranes were not there. They had been replaced by two small crane colts. It is amazing how much they have grown in just three weeks. Later that morning I photographed the whole family at eye level on the South Peninsula with the 200-600/a9 ii combo. I was standing along the edge of the canal very close to the spot that I worked from when creating today’s Black vulture images. The two colts are young, strong, and healthy.
I got back early to do some butterfly gardening. I planted two well-rooted Salt and Pepper cuttings; this time, protected by rabbit guards … Please do not ask me about my first efforts at propagating Salt and Pepper. I will say that the Gulf Frittilaries absolutely love nectaring on the blossoms.
I was pleased to learn that Charlie Curry’s a9 sold for the full asking price and that the sale of Sandra Calderbank’s Canon 400mm f/2.8L IS II lens became final.
It is 6:40am eastern time on Tuesday, 2 JUNE 2020. This blog post took more than four hours to prepare. It is looking like another hazy, hot, and humid day here in central Florida and I am headed down to the lake in search of birds and wildflowers.
The State of the Country
I need to state clearly here that I am hoping for justice for George Floyd. I fail to understand how the police officers that stood by and watched George Floyd be murdered by a police officer have not been charged with a crime. And I am equally baffled as to how the looters and arsonists in many of our major cities are being permitted to operate with impunity. Black lives surely do matter to me.
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.
BIRDS AS ART
BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Via e-Mail from Charlie Curry
Artie, I would like to add my thanks for the incredible SONY e-Guide and the videos for the a9 ii and the a7r iv. Now I can focus accurately and get my exposure correct in many different lighting situations on almost every shot. My efficiency improved tremendously thanks to you and Patrick. Best regards. Charlie Curry
79 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.
Anita North is offering a Nikon D500 DSLR in excellent plus to near-mint condition for a BAA record-low price of $895.95. The sale includes the original box, the front body, cap, the battery charger, the strap, both caps for the lens, 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.
The D500 is Nikon’s top-of-the-line crop factor body. It multiplies your focal length by 1.5X. Joe Przybyla and Dan Kearl, both excellent photographers on Bird Photographer’s.Net, use the D500 as their workhorse camera bodies. Joe, the co-author of The BAA Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide, was after this old dog for a long time to try a D500. The D500 sells new right now for $1,496.95; save a cool $601 by grabbing Anita’s lens. artie
SONY 200-600 Update
Steve Elkins now has four SONY 200-600s in stock; one of them surely has your name on it. Contact Steve as immediately below to save $50.00.
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 13 MAY 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 441mm) and the 61MP monster, the Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless Digital Camera (Body Only) ISO 500. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/1000 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode. AWB at 7:44am on a mostly sunny morning.
Tracking Flexible Spot (M) AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed superbly.
Image #1: Black Vultures at roadkill/fish head feeding station
The Down-by-the-Canal Set-up
It did not take me long to figure out that if I photographed from the slope leading down to the canal between the South Peninsula and the South Field that I could be at eye-level with my subjects and be able to control the backgrounds by moving slightly up or slightly down the slope. With my sometimes gimpy left knee, I do that carefully as the terrain is both angled and uneven. But the rewards are great.
To create Image #1, I had to drive around the canal. If you note where my rig is set up, you can see that the tripod is precisely positioned on the slope so that I could come up with the lovely bands of blue in the backgrounds, those thanks to Lake Walk-in-Water. The vultures in the image above were attracted to a road-killed opossum and some thawed-out fish heads courtesy of Mike at Junior’s Fish Market on State Road 60 in Lake Wales.
Note also that I put out the bait in a spot where — when I am working on sun angle — there are no buildings on the opposite shore of the lake.
Wide AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed to perfection.
Image #2: Black Vulture running excitedly
Photographing Vultures (and Sandhill Cranes and more …) at Eye-Level While Standing at Full Height
I just love working on the slope that leads to the canal between the South Peninsula and the South Field as being at just the right height can offer superb backgrounds. The vultures will usually respond to my road-kill/fish head cafe and the cranes spend lots of time foraging on the South Peninsula. And this year two Sandhill Crane families spent a good deal of time foraging on the South Field …
Photoshop Hanky-Panky Quiz
Win a copy of The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II) — a $40.00 value. Here’s how: consider which of today’s three featured images (#2, #3, or #4) underwent extensive changes in Photoshop. Two of the three images are basically as they came out of the camera. In order to win, you need to be the first to state which image was totally re-crafted in Photoshop and in addition, you must state your case: what evidence do you see that conclusively shows the repairs.
I have long believed that when folks know what repairs have been done, it is easy to spot the telltale signs — smudging and clone-stamp marks or repeats. When you do not know in advance, not so much. All are welcome to prove me wrong.
Wide AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and again, performed to perfection.
Image #3: Black Vulture landing
Landing Vultures
With a bit of patience, it is possible to get lots of chances on the landing vultures. In the spring, winds from the north, the northeast, or the east are best in early morning as the sun rises in the northeast. My big problem is my lack of patience. Many times I have put out the bait, set up my tripod, and hung out for fifteen minutes before getting bored and driving off to look for action. When I return in five or ten minutes there are often 20-30 vultures on the pile. Needless to say, the best flight chances are when the first few birds land. Once there are lots of birds, it is very difficult to isolate birds on the ground or incoming birds.
Wide AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and again, performed to perfection.
Image #4: Black Vulture in a hurry!
Squabbling Vultures
The vultures squabble often especially at the beginning of the feasts. They often leap into the air and chase each other around in flight. Birds that land away from the others are often eager to get back into the fray as seen in Images #2 and #4.
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 🙂
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 :).
I spent some time down by the lake on the morning of Sunday, 31 MAY 2020 but photographed only a single dragonfly. Then I found what was for me a new species of wildflower in a drainage ditch on Toronja, as sidestreet not far from my home. The drainage ditch system here at ILE is extensive and many of the ditches are treasure troves of wildflowers. I was able to photograph the single yellow blossom on a tall stalk with both white-sand and green-vegetation backgrounds simply by raising and then lowering my tripod.
My Saturday swim was cut short by a big thunderstorm so I plan on swimming earlier today.
BIRDS AS ART
BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
SONY 200-600 Update
Steve Elkins now has four SONY 200-600s in stock; one of them surely has your name on it. Contact Steve as immediately below to save $50.00.
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.
Eugen Dolan with his SONY gear at The Rookery, Saunders Island, The Falklands
Eugen Dolan
Eugen Dolan and his wife Marietta attended the 2018 UK Puffins and Gannets IPT, and Eugen joined me on the 2018-19 Land-based Falklands IPT. On the latter trip, he used SONY gear and I did my best to help him. But I was still using Nikon gear exclusively. As I was baffled by the menu system, I am pretty sure that I was not able to help him much with his a9.
When I met the UK group at the Edinburgh Airport in late June 2018, Anita North just about fainted when she saw Eugen — she had no idea that he was on the trip and had not seen him for 28 years! Eugen had been a Staff Neurosurgeon ar Toronto General, and when Anita was in training as a Resident, she rotated through the hospital.
Via e-Mail from Eugen
Artie, I got your SONY Camera User’s Guide & Video last week. Thank You, Thank You, Thank You.
I got as much Sony A9 information as I could prior to the Falklands trip, but it ( was NOWHERE near as helpful as your new e-Guide. I struggled mightily on the that trying to master the Sony a9. I did get the Exposure settings checking the nearly correct by checking the Histogram and juggling the Monitor/Finder Brightness levels. (I did NOT then know about Zebras.)
Once I learned about Zebras, I did work out settings that worked for me. Coincidentally or not, they matched Patrick’s suggested value and settings. The advice to put ISO on the Control wheel, however, was absolutely game-changing. The section on “Initial Focus Acquisition Problems with Telephoto Lenses” (pp22-23) would have saved me some heartwrenching moments in the Falklands when the AF system would suddenly not work.
And the section on the “Mysterious Viewfinder Blackout Problem” (pp32-330) alone should be worth the cost of the Guide to ANY Sony user. This problem drove me NUTS in the Falklands. And I had NEVER heard of the issue with the monitor being slightly ajar but I am SURE that some of my problems were due to this – as it would sometimes get got fixed when I played with the Monitor (while wasting time instead of shooting) …
Your e-Guide would have saved me hours of set-up time and saved many hours of frustration during my early days of using Sony – especially with the Monitor Blackout issue.
Thanks again to you and to Patrick Sparkman for your detailed guide.
Eugen
78 sold to rave reviews.
The SONY e-Guide by Patrick Sparkman and Arthur Morris
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.
Flexible Spot (S) AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and did a fine job. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.
White Peacock
Subject Blindness
On Saturday morning I was glad to find the crane-baby family well and healthy but as they were in a less than ideal setting, I passed on them and went in search of some wildflowers. It was still early when I spotted a White Peacock butterfly perched perfectly along the edge of the marsh. I go back to the car quickly, grabbed my SONY butterfly rig, the 100-400 lens with the 1.4X TC and the a7r iv, and went to work stalking the small butterfly as it flitted from spot to spot, posing with its wings spread each time it landed. Best of all, it let me get close. And it looked like a perfect specimen. But as it turned out, I had been subject to what I call subject-blindness. You see a seemingly gorgeous subject in a good situation and you fail to note a serious defect. After creating more than two dozen images, I was surprised when checking the photos to note that the bottom of each hindwing was torn.
After scouting around a bit more, I got back in my SUV and was about to pull away when I noted another White Peacock posing in the same general area. I assumed that it was the same butterfly but figured that it would be best to check. It was not — it was very close to a perfect specimen. I created a few frames with the subject lit by the sun but did not like the glare on the leaf. So I moved very slowly to my left, shaded the subject with my own shadow, lowered the shutter speed, and increased the ISO until I noted significant Zebras on the silver portions of the wings. I moved the Flexible Spot (S) AF point up from the center so that by placing the AF point on the spot where the butterfly’s head and thorax met, I could create the composition that I wanted. But when I attempted to frame the shot the butterfly was moving erratically in the frame (even though it was just sitting there). That is when I realized that I had been bitten by a gremlin switch …
Overlooking an Important Basic …
We are all familiar with gremlin switches, switches that change position without our ever having touched them … When I was having problems framing the subject, it dawned on me that the optical stabilization switch had been set by a gremlin to off. I moved the switch to the On position; that calmed the image down completely in the frame and allowed me to create a fine image.
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 🙂
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 :).
After a good session on Friday morning, I left DeSoto a day early and headed home. Here’s why: As expected, I was ten days too late to catch the Red Knots. Most of the shorebirds had left. I experienced two mornings of respiratory distress from red tide toxins in the air at North Beach. And I wanted to check on the crane babies.
Be sure to scroll down all the way to see the optimized image.
BIRDS AS ART
BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
SONY 200-600 Update
Steve Elkins now has four SONY 200-600s in stock; one of them surely has your name on it. Contact Steve as immediately below to save $50.00.
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.
The original
The Situation
I saw two Royal Terns on the beach standing a bit away from a larger group. They were acting amorously, so I hustled to get on sun angle. I set the ISO and fired off about fifteen frames. Though the image above was far from being artistically perfect: The birds were too centered. The image was not quite level. There were some large specular highlights. And there was some whitewash on the beach. The image, however, was sharp and the exposure was right-on. I knew that with some TLC that it had the makings of a very strong image.
Before you scroll down to see the optimized version, ask yourself what you would have done with this image.
Relevant e-mail conversation with Fred Innamorato
am: Hey Fred, re:
FI: I am thinking about purchasing a Sony a7r iv camera.
am: I love mine!
FI: I own a Nikon D850 already and wanted to know your opinion and briefly contrast it with the Sony a7 IV.
am: They are both great camera bodies. For me, the SONY system with its great AF with and without TCs is superior to anything out there — Nikon or Canon, and getting the right exposure is far easier with SONY once you learn to use Zebras properly. At present, SONY is what is best for me.
FI: The Nikon D850 is pretty good with the new Nikkor 500mm f/5.6 PF ED VR lens for warblers at close range. Considering that I own some SONY lenses and the Sony a9 ii, do you think buying the Sony a7 IV and selling the Nikon D850 is a waste of money? Can the pictures really get much better with the Sony a7r iv?
am: The quality of the images depends much more on the person holding the gear than on the camera or lens. Sharp image files from either camera are superb. But I can never know what is worth it for you …
Remember that I was using Nikon and SONY at the same time and decided to give SONY an exclusive 3-month test run. The experiment lasted about one month …
FI: I have a Canon Mark 5D Mark IV, a 400mm DO IS II, 300mm f/2.8 II, and a Canon 1DX ii that I could sell. I am not sure if they would even sell or if they would just sit on the Used Gear Page unsold??
am: You can sell them all for the right price. Which would be better: having $8-10K or more in your pocket — I did not do the math — or having your Canon gear sit on a shelf until they put you in a box?
FI: All of the Canon stuff is in excellent condition with the original boxes and accessories. I ask if they would sit unsold because you have so many of them listed.
am: Most of the Canon stuff sells in time as there are lots of folks using Canon gear for nature photography, especially the stuff that you mention. I am pretty sure that none of the items you mention above are currently listed. And I learned on Friday that the sale of the long-listed Canon 400mm f/2.8L IS II lens is pending. Right now, note that the prices of used Nikon gear are dropping as well.
I will send you the Items for Sale Info e-mail.
With love, artie
77 sold to rave reviews.
The SONY e-Guide by Patrick Sparkman and Arthur Morris
Recent Comments
From Ian Newton via e-mail:
After struggling with the Sony menu system, the SONY e-Guide has saved me weeks of frustration with my new a9. Thank you!
From Frank Sheets via e-mail:
I did not like using Zebras but I tried the suggestions in the guide and now I am geting every exposure right-on with the data all the way to the right! Great job guys.
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.
Tracking Small Flexible Spot AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and held focus on the male’s head as the birds moved quickly to my right.
Click on the image to see a larger, sharper version.
Rapture: Royal Terns copulating
The Image Optimization
After converting the RAW file in Capture One, I brought the image into Photoshop. The first thing that I did was expand and fill in the canvas above and right using the Croop Tool with Content Aware-Fill. Next was to level the image with the Ruler Tool and Image > Rotate > Arbitrary. Then I cropped the image from the rear to the original proportion. I used the Patch Tool, Content-Aware Fill, and the Spot Healing Brush for the clean-up work. Then I used my patented Gaussian Blur background smoothing technique to deal with a bit of smudging from the clean-up. Bingo!
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 🙂
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 :).
I did see six fly-by Red Knots at Fort DeSoto on Wednesday morning. They never stopped. There have been some shorebirds around, but they have been too spread out to offer any good photo opps. I’ve seen Wilson’s, Snowy, Semipalmated, and Black-bellied Plovers, Willet, Ruddy Turnstone, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Dunlin, Short-billed Dowitcher, Marbled Godwit, and American Oystercatcher. Waders have included Great, Snowy, and Reddish (dark & white morph) Egrets, Great-blue and Little Blue Heron, White Ibis, Wood Stork, and a single Roseate Spoonbill. I did have a good chance on Wednesday afternoon with a pair of copulating Royal Terns. I will be sharing that rapturous photo with y’all here soon.
Om Thursday morning I went out loaded for bear with the 600 GM, the 200-600, one a9 ii, my 7riv, and both teleconverters; pickings were slim on a very hazy, very hot, and very humid morning. I’ve been walking three-plus miles per day — twice up and back to the Least Tern colony. Please remember, when you visit a protected, roped-off tern colony, be sure to stand very still or sit without moving around much to minimize any possible disturbance.
I created some very different Snowy Egret images this morning at about 10:00am by following my own advice for shooting bright whites birds late in the morning on sunny days: find a bird in the shade. That is generally not easy to do at the beach. But I managed 🙂 Story and photos soon.
I have been missing my daily swim and the two, too-cute and very tame crane chicks …
77 sold to rave reviews.
The SONY e-Guide by Patrick Sparkman and Arthur Morris
Recent Comments
From Ian Newton via e-mail:
After struggling with the Sony menu system, the SONY e-Guide has saved me weeks of frustration with my new a9. Thank you!
From Frank Sheets via e-mail:
I did not like using Zebras but I tried the suggestions in the guide and now I am geting every exposure right-on with the data all the way to the right! Great job guys.
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.
Center Zone AF-C was active at the moment of exposure.
Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.
Happy lady frolicking in surf with Snowy Egrets
Dancing at the Beach
There was a pair of Snowy Egrets chasing bait and each other in the surf and I thought that a wide shot with some waves in the frame made from a long way off might be interesting. When the birds passed a young woman walking in the surf, I pressed the shutter button.
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 is somewhat dpressed. That said, the prices of used phoo gear only go one way: down. The longer you wait, the less you will get for your gar. Period. Over the past year, we have sold many many hundreds of items. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the 5Ds and 5Ds R, the old Canon 500mm, the EOS-7D, the Canon 200-400 with internal extender, and the original 400mm DO lens have been dropping steadily. Most recently the price of used Canon 600mm f/L IS II lenses have been dropping like a rock with the introduction of the 600 III. 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 …
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
Anita North sold her Nikon AF-S VR Micro-NIKKOR 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED (Macro) lens in like-new condition but for a barely-visible tiny (less than 1/16 inch) crescent-shaped scratch on the front element for the BAA record-low by-far price of $ $396.95, a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR lens in like-new condition for a BAA record-low $996.95, Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/4E PF ED VR lens in like-new condition for a BAA record-low $1196.95 a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR lens in like-new condition for a BAA record-low $1,346.95, and a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4 VR lens in like-new condition for a BAA record-low $546.95, all within a day of listing.
Jim Lewis sold his Canon EOS-1D X in near-mint condition with extras for a BAA record-low $1,500.00 (was $1,895.00) in early MAY 2020.
Kevin Spencer sold his Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM lens in excellent condition for $6,799.00 to a local buyer in early MAY 2020.
BPN friend Ravi Hirekatur is sold his Canon EF Extender 1.4X II (the 1.4X II teleconverter) in excellent condition for the ridiculous, you-might-as-well-give-it-away price of $89.00 (was $179.00) in early MAY.
Gary Meyer sold his Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6 VR lens in like-new condition for a BAA record-low $3096.95 and a Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III in like-new condition for a BAA record-low $226.95, both on the first day of listing in early MAY 2020.
Jerry Barrack sold his Canon EF 70-300mm 1:4.5-5.6 L IS USM zoom lens (the white version) in near-mint condition for the BAA record-low price of $459.00 (was $699.00) in early MAY 2020.
New Nikon Listings
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR Lens
Patrick Hogue is also offering a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR lens in near mint condition for a BAA low $3450.00. The sale includes the original box, the lens bag, 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 Patrick via e-mail or by phone at 1-760-898-6770 (Pacific time zone). .
The 500 PF was my favorite Nikon lens; I hated giving it up. It is easily handheld by most folks; It kills for flight and does well with the 1.4X teleconverter. It is still hard to find a new one. Save $502.00 and get yours soon. artie
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/4E PF ED VR Lens
Sold first day of listing
Patrick Hogue is offering a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/4E PF ED VR lens in near-mint condition for a BAA record-low $1195.95. The sale includes the original box, the front and rear caps, the 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 Patrick via e-mail or by phone at 1-760-898-6770 (Pacific time zone).
This practically tiny telephoto lens is great for tight work, especially birds in flight at close range. It weighs practically nothing (1.66 lbs) and is deadly with the TC-14E. As this sells new for $1996.95 you can save a neat $801.00 by being the one to grab Patrick’s lens. artie
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR Lens
Patrick is also offering a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR lens in excellent plus condition for a very low $896.95. The sale includes the original box, the front and rear caps, the 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.
This was my first Nikon lens. It is an incredible value. It is sharp and versatile and inexpensive. And it does well with the TC-E14 when the sun is out. As this one sells new for $1,256.95 you can save an even $501.00 by being the first one to grab Patrick’s lens. artie
Nikon D500 DSLR Camera w/16mm-80mm F2.8-4.0 VR Nikkor Zoom Lens
BAA Record-low Price!
Patrick Hogue is also offering a 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 $1,196.95. The sale includes the original box, the front body, cap, the battery charger, the strap, both caps for the lens, 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 Patrick via e-mail or by phone at 1-760-898-6770 (Pacific time zone).
The D500 is Nikon’s top-of-the-line crop factor body. It multiplies your focal length by 1.5X. Joe Przybyla and Dan Kearl, both excellent photographers on Bird Photographer’s.Net, use the D500 as their workhorse camera bodies. Joe, the co-author of The BAA Middle of Florida Photographic Site Guide, was after this old dog for a long time to try a D500. The zoom is a quality wide-angle with dozens of uses. The pair sells new for $2,593.90 so you can save a small fortune — $1,396.95 — by taking this real deal. artie
Nikon Fire Sale Price Drops
Many multiple IPT veteran and dear friend Anita North is selling a load of great Nikon lenses cheap. BIRDS AS ART is handling the shipping. That’s me. And yes, Anita switched to SONY and loves it.
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4E FL ED VR Lens
BAA Record-low Price! Price reduced $200.00 on 5-28-20
Anita North is offering a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4E FL ED VR lens in excellent condition for a BAA record-low $9065.95 (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 $3,231.00. This lens sells new for $12,296.95. artie
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR Lens
BAA Record-low Price! Price reduced $50.00 on 5-28-20
Anita North is also offering a 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). The sale includes the original box, the front and rear lens caps, thee 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.
The 500 PF was my favorite Nikon lens; I hated giving it up. It is easily handheld by most folks; It kills for flight and does well with the 1.4X teleconverter. It is still hard to find a new one. Save $551.00 and get yours soon. artie
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR Lens
BAA Record-low Price! Price reduced $50.00 on 5-28-20
Anita North is also offering a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR lens in near-mint condition for a BAA record-low $746.95 (was $796.95). The sale includes the original box, the front and rear caps, the 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 was my first Nikon lens. It is an incredible value. It is sharp and versatile and inexpensive. And it does well with the TC-E14 when the sun is out. As this one sells new for $1,256.95 you can save an even $550.00 by being the first one to grab Anita’s lens. 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
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 $1,045.95 (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 $1,051.00 by being the first to grab Anita’s lens. artie
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED Lens
Sold/strong>
Anita North is also offering a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED lens in like-new condition for a BAA record-low $796.95 (was $896.95). 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 is Nikon’s state of the art wide-angle zoom lens. It sells new for $1596.95 — get in touch ASAP to save an amazing 800.00. artie
Nikon AF-S Fisheye NIKKOR 8-15mm f/3.5-4.5E ED Lens
Sold
Anita North is also offering a Nikon AF-S Fisheye NIKKOR 8-15mm f/3.5-4.5E ED lens in like-new condition for a BAA record-low $696.95 (was $746.95). The sale includes the original box, the front and rear caps, thee 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.
I owned the Canon 8-15mm. I call lenses in this class “circle lenses. They are great fun and give you a chance to be really creative. The Nikon 8-15 sells new for $1,246.95 — get in touch to save $550.00. 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
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 $746.95 (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 $650.00 artie
Nikon D850 DSLR Camera (Body Only)
BAA Record-low Price! Price reduced on 100.00 5-28-20
Arthur Morris is also offering a Nikon D850 DSLR Camera (Body Only)in excellent plus to like-new condition for a BAA record-low $1,895.95 (was $1995.95). The sale includes the front body caps, the original box, the strap, the charger, 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.
The D850 was my very favorite Nikon body. I sold my D5 and bought a 2nd D850. It produces superb image files. The AF system kills on birds in flight — be sure to use Group (grp) AF. It sells new for $2,996.95 so you can save a very lovely $101.00 by grabbing my D850. artie
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4 VR Lens
BAA Record-low Price! Price reduced $50.00 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 $496.95 (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 $600.00! artie
At ILE on Tuesday morning, I did some nice stuff on adult cranes on the South Peninsula while the sun was out early (and briefly). I got back home very early, did my cardio-bursts, swam my 60 lengths, packed the Sequoia, and drove the two hours fifteen minutes to my Gulfport AirBNB. It was a bit strange being on the road again. I left my place a bit after 5pm. Despite having left the windows open a good six inches, the temperature in the car read 110 degrees F. Yikes. It was cool at the beach with a south wind.
The forecast for the morning of Wednesday, 27 MAY 2020, was not good for flight photography: sun turning to partly cloudy with gentle southwest winds. NG! The birds will be flying, landing, taking off, and facing directly away from the sun … Nonetheless, I headed to the park at 6:20am.
DeSoto
If you would like a guided tour of the Least Tern colony and are interested in some inexpensive In-the-Field Instruction (with social distancing), please get in touch with me ASAP via e-mail. The weather forecast for Thursday morning is perfect …
76 sold to rave reviews.
The SONY e-Guide by Patrick Sparkman and Arthur Morris
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.
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV Digital Camera
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV Digital Camera
BAA Record-low price
Patrick Hogue is offering a Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV Digital Camera in near-mint condition for a BAA record-low $998.00. The sale includes the original box and everything that came in it, the dual battery charger upgrade, a UV filter, the front 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 Patrick via e-mail or by phone at 1-760-898-6770 (Pacific time zone).
This is a versatile, do-everything, travel, sports, and wildlife camera with a built-in 24-600mm lens. The AF system, borrowed from a9 series bodies, is a huge improvement from the AF system in the previous version, the Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 III Digital Camera. AF with the IV tracks perfectly at 24 frames per second (silent shooting!) The 4.5 stop stabilization is amazingly effective at the long end of the focal length range. The video capabilities of this camera are equally amazing. It sells new for $1,598 so you can save $600.00 by grabbing Patrick’s camera. Click here to learn more about this amazing camera and be sure to scroll down and watch the video. artie
A good friend started posting incredible photos of beautiful scenes and awesome closeups, and we had to inquire about what camera he was using. And it was the RX10 IV! From the moment we opened the box we knew that we made a great purchase! It is easy to use and not to have to change lenses to get the shot that we want. We look forward to continuing to learning how to use more of its amazing features! Online Review by Paul
BIRDS AS ART
BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
SONY 200-600 Update
Steve Elkins now has four SONY 200-600s in stock; one of them surely has your name on it. Contact Steve as immediately below to save $50.00.
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.
357 RAW files plus one optmized image
357 RAW files + plus one optimized image …
There were few birds at DeSoto. And lots of people on the sandbar. I did not find any Red Knot — I had figured that most would be gone by very late May. I did find some Royal Terns doing the nasty but was too lazy to sit in the muck. Then I came upon a treasure: a large, roped-off Least Tern colony. With the wind from the south and the sun going down in the west conditions were good but not perfect. I was having trouble acquiring and holding focus on the small, erratically-flying speedsters. Out of desperation, I tried something new; it worked like a charm. But Least Terns in flight are such challenging subjects that I managed only 35 keepers out of 357 tries. But those included eight green-tagged family jewels.
Even though the thumbnails are tiny, you can see how many wings I clipped. Not to mention images with no bird at all in the frame. It was a tough situation, but my new technique helped me create a few very good ones. Do understand that all of the clipped wings and total whiffs a result of operator error …
Center Zone AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed beyond perfection (even as seen here with backgrounds other than sky).
Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.
Image Least Tern returning to nest
My Favorite?
Above is one of the eight green-tagged family jewels images. I had a hard time picking the best one … I added just a bit of canvas above.
My New Least Tern AF-Trick!
My new trick will likely work well only in very limited situations: when photographing small, fast-flying birds in flight at close range. It will likely work well only with the 600mm f/4 lenses. It killed with the SONY 600 GM at 840mm and at 600mm. I am not sure how much it would improve things with either the Canon or the Nikon 600s, but it will likely work …
If you already own the SONY e-Guide that I did with Patrick Sparkman, click here and I will send the tip along via e-mail.
If you own a 600 f/4 — SONY or otherwise — and would like to learn what I did, please send a Paypal for $10.00 to e-mail and then send a copy of the transaction to me here. Please include the words Least Tern AF Trick in your Paypal.
If you would like to learn the exact location of the DeSoto Least Tern colony, please send a Paypal for $8.00 to e-mail and then send a copy of the transaction to me here. Please include the words Least Tern Colony Info in your Paypal. Note: At times, Least Tern colonies suffer catastrophic failure.
An unsharpened 100% crop of today’s featured image
a9 ii AF at 840mm
What can I say about SONY AF? The keepers (and nearly all of those that I deleted), were razor-sharp on the eye. I would call this frame astoundingly sharp.
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 🙂
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 :).
Monday was rain, rain, and more rain followed at times by heavy rain with brief periods of drizzle. I started the day by setting up a new perch along the lakeshore and quickly realized that it is much too tall and thin. As I was working on erecting it, I felt several bites on my right hand. They felt like ant bites but I did not see any ants on my hand. Nonetheless, my hand was red and terribly itchy for the rest of the day. And night. On Tuesday morning I can clearly see two bites on my still-itchy hand. From now on, I will wear gloves!
Next were the crane babies, now about 16 days old and getting bigger every day. Then I drove around exploring and looking for wildflowers. I found one nice new one but it was raining too hard to photograph so I continued exploring. When it let up a bit, I returned to the site and spent about 30 minutes with the Sigma 150 macro (for Nikon)/Vello Adapter rig and was able to create one that I liked. I am not sure of the species. I find wildflower identification to be as challenging as photographing them. I have an excellent book but comparing the photos in the book to my images is not working well, and in many cases, I am 100% sure that the flower I am looking for is not in the book. It does not help that I have zero knowledge of wildflower basics, but I am studying …
The weather forecast for this morning is mostly cloudy. I will be headed down to the lake for a short drive-around before packing up for my drive across the state this afternoon.
Since yesterday was Memorial Day, some might enjoy the tribute to my Dad that I mention in the V-log video. You can access it in the blog post here.
DeSoto
I am heading over to Fort DeSoto this afternoon and will be returning home after a morning photo session on Saturday 30 MAY. I am hoping to find some Red Knots in full breeding plumage, and some nice Royal and Sandwich Terns doing the nasty. And I am excited about finding some nice beach wildflowers that I have never noticed before. If you are interested in some inexpensive In-the-Field Instruction (with social distancing), please get in touch with me ASAP via e-mail.
76 sold to rave reviews.
The SONY e-Guide by Patrick Sparkman and Arthur Morris
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.
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV Digital Camera
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV Digital Camera
BAA Record-low price
Patrick Hogue is offering a Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV Digital Camera in near-mint condition for a BAA record-low $998.00. The sale includes the original box and everything that came in it, the dual battery charger upgrade, a UV filter, the front 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 Patrick via e-mail or by phone at 1-760-898-6770 (Pacific time zone).
This is a versatile, do-everything, travel, sports, and wildlife camera with a built-in 24-600mm lens. The AF system, borrowed from a9 series bodies, is a huge improvement from the AF system in the previous version, the Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 III Digital Camera. AF with the IV tracks perfectly at 24 frames per second (silent shooting!) The 4.5 stop stabilization is amazingly effective at the long end of the focal length range. The video capabilities of this camera are equally amazing. It sells new for $1,598 so you can save $600.00 by grabbing Patrick’s camera. Click here to learn more about this amazing camera and be sure to scroll down and watch the video. artie
A good friend started posting incredible photos of beautiful scenes and awesome closeups, and we had to inquire about what camera he was using. And it was the RX10 IV! From the moment we opened the box we knew that we made a great purchase! It is easy to use and not to have to change lenses to get the shot that we want. We look forward to continuing to learning how to use more of its amazing features! Online Review by Paul
BIRDS AS ART
BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
SONY 200-600 Update
Steve Elkins now has four SONY 200-600s in stock; one of them surely has your name on it. Contact Steve as below to save $50.00.
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.
Bored of Crane Chicks? V-log Video
As regular readers know, I was blessed by the arrival of two tiny tame Sandhill Cranes chicks that hatched right around Mother’s Day. I was getting a bit bored at one point, but — as you will see in the video — that can change quickly … I wound up sitting on the ground behind my tripod and having a ton of fun. Best of all? There is plenty to learn about bird photography in this 11-minute 43- second video. The video shows several examples of operator error when using Tracking FLlexible Spot (M) …
I keep forgetting to mention that when I am creating horizontal images of one of the adults brooding the two chicks, the adult will often stand up without warning startling the two chicks; they have a what-just-happened? look on their faces. Instinctively, I rotate the lens barrel to vertical but am always too close to fit the adult in the frame with my fixed lens, the SONY 600mm f/4 GM. As I need the speed (at f/4) in low light, the only solution would be to move farther away from the birds …
Your Pick?
Of the 36 images in the video, a single one stands out as clearly best to me. I would love to hear which one is your favorite. And why you like it. I recommend that you do not view the video full screen as the quality is not there. When you see an image that you like, you can pause the video, go to full screen, and jot down the last four digits of the file number. Then go back to the smaller view.
When you are finished, you can rewind to compare your favorites, decide on your absolute favorite, and leave a comment. The first person to pick my favorite as their favorite will receive a Photoshop MP.4 video of their choosing.
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 🙂
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 :).
On Saturday morning I photographed the two-week-old crane chicks for a bit in the early morning light. I had a few good chances on a pair of caracaras, but struck out. Then I did some Black Vulture heads against green (grass) and gray (mud) backgrounds. It clouded over and the wind dropped to nothing so I went looking for wildflowers. I found one nice Florida Sensitive Brier blossom. I worked hard but wound up making one simple mistake that ruined all of the images. The funny thing is that there is a parallel when photographing groups of birds. In any case, I simply blew my chance.
Sunday morning dawned still and cloudy-dark. I visited the crane family but never even got my gear together. Instead, I went looking for wildflowers on Lakeview, a side street two blocks from my home. Most easy breezes are blocked on the sidestreets as they are wooded on each side. I found seven nice wildflower species to photograph. I find that finding new and different flowers is tremendously exciting A photographing them well is tremendously challenging. Again, I found some very nice Florida Sensitive Brier blossoms. This time I was able to correct the previous errors I had made when photographing these beautiful, pink, ball-shaped flowers. Image and mistake revelation here soon.
I spent an hour on the phone with Patrick Sparkman on Saturday discussing the fine points of checking your exposures with RawDigger. Man oh man, my eyes were opened and I learned a ton … Can you say RawDigger e-Guide?
It is raining here at ILE early this morning — Monday 25 MAY 2020. And the forecast is for rain all day followed by thunderstorms this afternoon … Nonetheless, I will likely get out to do some photography at some point. I’ve recently upped my swim to 60 lengths (88 to the mile) and will try to get in the pool earlier than usual to avoid getting fried. I’ve missed only two swims during the last two months.
DeSoto
I am heading over to Fort DeSoto on Tuesday afternoon and will be returning home after a morning session on Saturday 30 MAY. I am hoping to find some Red Knots in full breeding plumage, and some nice Royal and Sandwich Terns doing the nasty. And I am excited about finding some nice beach wildflowers that I have never noticed before … If you are interested in some inexpensive In-the-Field Instruction (with social distancing), please get in touch with me ASAP via e-mail.
Free Sandhill Crane Chick Grass Blade Removal Video Offer
BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
SONY 200-600 Update
Steve Elkins now has four SONY 200-600s in stock; one of them surely has your name on it. Contact Steve as below to save $50.00.
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.
I surely drove right past these beautiful flowers many dozens of times over the past 18 years without noticing them. I finally noticed them a few days ago right on the edge of the marsh in Old Gnarly’s neck of the woods. As it was a fairly still morning, I picked a single blossom and used a Plamp attached to a spare tripod to secure it and positioned it so that I could enjoy a distant green background. In this exact situation, I had no qualms about picking one blossom as with the lake level so low, I knew that the guys who cut the fields would be mowing the edge of the wetlands as always.
I was quite lucky to create one sharp image of this flower at 1/13 sec. as there was a breeze. And as I have worked with my new macro set-up, I have come to realize that I will need to keep the flowers completely still. I will be sharing many more Plamp Tips with you here in future blog posts.
My Macro Plan …
A month ago, I knew that I was getting interested in photographing wildflowers. The SONY 100-400 with or without the 1.4X TC is fine for larger flowers and I still use it often for the bigger blossoms. But I needed a lens for small flowers. The longest SONY macro lens is 100mm (at 1:1). Laowa makes a 100mm macro for SONY that gets down to 2:1. But I like the longer focal lengths — 180 and 200mm — with macro as they provide narrow angles a view. At some point, I mentioned to Mr.Sparkman that I still had the Sigma APO Macro 150mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM lens for Nikon F. He suggested that I get the Vello Select Nikon F Lens to Sony E-Mount Camera Auto Lens Adapter (Firmware Ver. 6) and see if that would work.
So I started trying to create some images with that set-up. As the adapter acts in part as an extension tube, the effective aperture varies with the focusing distance and that is noted by the camera. With distant subjects, the wide-open aperture is f/3.5. As you focus on closer subjects, that changes to f/4, f/4.5, f/5.0, and f/5.6 (at or close to 1:1). When you are working wide open the electronics are fine and Zebras are accurate. After that, things start to get very strange. Let’s say for example that you are wide open at 1/200 sec. at f/5.0 and you stop down three clicks to f/7.1. You would expect that slowing the shutter speed three clicks to 1/100 sec. would yield a perfect exposure. Not. The image will be two stops too dark … Then you need to raise the ISO
At first, I was pretty much ready to quit. But with practice and experimentation, I am beginning to learn to make some decent images as long as there is little or no wind or I can somehow keep the flower completely still. I have been in touch with the folks at GradusGroup and they are getting in touch with the developers. In all fairness, the Sigma 150 for Nikon is not on the compatible list. In general I do not recommend using adapters with Nikon or Canon lenses as AF suffers badly. But I’ve made an exception for macro as everything is manual focus.
Free-to-all SONY e-Guide Update: Focus Magnification. Time
Here is a free update for those using Manual Focus Toggle and Focus Magnifier (as detailed in the SONY Camera User’s e-Guide). I had been confused when the Focus Magnifier turned off while I was focusing. I thought that it might be happening because I touched the focusing ring. Then I had a thought: could there be a timer when using Focus Magnifier? Bingo. On the 7r iv, on Focus Assist Menu (14/15), the second item is Focus Magnif. Time. After I set that to No Limit, Focus Magnifier stays on until you re-press the center button, With everything now down pat, I am able to focus with extreme accuracy. Every time. Now I am a macro machine!
70 sold with rave reviews.
The SONY e-Guide by Patrick Sparkman and Arthur Morris
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.
The Art of Flower Photography by Denise Ippolito and Arthur Morris
You can learn everything e about this e-book here, or order your copy here.
Video: The Art of Flower Photography
In this B&H Event Space video, two of the world’s premier photographers of flora and fauna — Arthur Morris and Denise Ippolito — share the techniques they use to create dramatic, sharp, well-composed, properly exposed images of flowers and flower fields. Denise does great things with the Canon 100mm f/2.8 L IS lens, while artie often goes to longer focal lengths—he has been seen photographing tulips at Keukenhoff Gardens, Holland, with a 600mm lens and a teleconverter. In addition to standard techniques, the video ends with Ippolito and Morris showing a wide range of abstract floral images and describing a variety of creative artistic effects such as multiple exposures, sharp/soft blending, texture overlays, warping a flower, creating zoom/twirls, in-camera blurs, and many others.
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 🙂
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 :).
I began Friday morning with the dependable and tame crane chicks in early light but nothing great. By 8:00am it was cloudy-bright and still so I did some flowers. My macro plan is not working out too well; details soon. Friday afternoon marked two days in a row with thunderstorms but the rain was not as heavy as it was on Thursday (as seen in today’s two featured images. Speaking of which, do let us know which of the two images you feel is the stronger image and why.
There was another big mayfly hatch on Friday. The cranes were chowing down along with several 20-30 bird flocks of White Ibises and a few Great and Cattle Egrets.
Activity on the Used Gear Page continues to increase with many sales and pending sales (including five of Anita North’s NIKKOR lenses and Sandra Calderbank’s Canon 400mm f/2.8L IS II, all for BAA record-low prices). See the great Nikon Firesale listings here.
Free Sandhill Crane Chick Grass Blade Removal Video Offer
BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
70 sold with 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.
Steve Elkins now has four SONY 200-600s in stock; one of them surely has your name on it. Contact Steve as below to save $50.00.
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.
Tracking Flexible Spot (S) AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed quite well.
Click on the image to see a larger version.
Image #1: Sandhill Crane, adult standing in heavy rain
Photographing Birds in Heavy Downpours During Thunderstorms
I love photographing birds in heavy downpours during thunderstorms. But I pretty much hate the lens raincoats. I have tried the most expensive (complex) ones and the simple ones and find them all cumbersome and difficult to use. On a Southern Oceans trip about ten years ago I trashed two Canon EOS-1D Mark IV bodies during a heavy downpour somewhere on South Georgia. I will still photograph on foot in a heavy drizzle but not in a big storm with heavy rain. When it is raining lightly and I am away from my vehicle I will simply place a woolen watch cap over my camera and peek under it to make some images. I have never had a lens damaged by rain no matter how torrential.
When I lived in Deltona I did lots of photography at Gatorland. Now? Not so much. I cannot remember the last time I was up there. IAC, when there was a chance for an afternoon thunderstorm I would bring a large golf umbrella, an Umbrella Clamp Rig, and my flash stuff. What fun. I never owned a Nikon flash and I do not own a SONY flash. The only times I miss not having a flash are when I am photographing strongly backlit/rim-lit subjects and when shooting in the rain (when the flash makes the raindrops no the subject sparkle!)
Learn how to photograph in a driving rainstorm by scrolling down to the item next.
This image was also created on 21 MAY 2020 at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Still working from the driver’s seat of my SUV, I used the FlexShooter Mini-mounted Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and the 61-MP Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless Digital Camera Body. ISO 1250. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/320 sec. at f/4 in Manual mode. AWB at 6:22pm during a thunderstorm.
Tracking Flexible Spot (S) AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed quite well.
Click on the image to see a larger version.
Image #2: Sandhill Crane brooding two chicks during rainstorm
Working From Your Vehicle in Heavy Downpours During Thunderstorms
In central Florida, you pretty much know that when the wind picks up a thunderstorm is likely to follow. That and the blackening skies. Working from your vehicle keeps your gear dry for the most part, and offers protection from lightning. The trick is to angle your vehicle so that the wind is blowing at the passenger side (with those windows shut of course). That places you in the lee so that you and your gear stays dry. 99% of the time I will be using a big f/4 lens on a tripod set up inside my SUV (or car). Why are fast lens so valuable in a rainstorm? The extra stop or more of light saves you three or four clicks of ISO when the skies are dark and the light is low.
There was a nasty GREEN cast in the feathers of the bird’s chin. I selected those feathers with the Lasso Tool and reduced the Saturation 45 points. Voila!
As far as shutter speed when it is raining, I have found that intermediate shutter speeds in the range of from 1/200 to 1/400 sec. will usually produce pleasing rain streaks with not-too-distant subjects. Do you prefer the rain streaks in Image #1 or the rain streaks in Image #2?
Despite the faster shutter speed with Image #2, why might the rain streaks be larger and more obvious in Image #2 than in Image #1. Me-thinks there are two reasons …
The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II).
You can order your copy from the BAA Online Store here, by sending a Paypal for $40 here, or by calling Jim or Jennifer weekdays at 863-692-0906 with your credit card in hand.
The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II)
Several ways of dealing with color casts — along with all of my personalized Keyboard Shortcuts and dozens of great Photoshop tips and techniques, are detailed in the BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II), an instructional PDF that is sent via e-mail. Learn more and check out the free excerpt in the blog post here. While the new e-Guide reflects my Macbook Pro/Photo Mechanic/DPP 4/Photoshop workflow, folks using a PC and/or BreezeBrowser will also benefit greatly by studying the material on DB II. Note: folks working on a PC and/or those who do not want to miss anything Photoshop may wish to purchase the original Digital Basics along with DB II while saving $15 by clicking here to buy the DB Bundle.
Folks who learn well by following along rather than by reading can check out the complete collection of MP 4 Photoshop Tutorial Videos by clicking here. Note: all of the videos are now priced at an amazingly low $5.00 each.
You can learn how and why I converted all of my Canon digital RAW files in DPP 4 in the DPP 4 RAW Conversion Guide here. More recently, I became proficient at converting my Nikon RAW (NEF) files in Adobe Camera Raw. About two years ago I began converting my Nikon and Sony RAW files in Capture One Pro 12 and continue to do so today.
You can learn advanced Quick Masking and advanced Layer Masking techniques in APTATS I & II. You can save $15 by purchasing the pair. Folks can learn sophisticated sharpening and (NeatImage) Noise Reduction techniques in The Professional Post Processing Guide by Arash Hazeghi and edited by yours truly. Please use this link to purchase NeatImage.
To introduce folks to our MP.4 videos and the basics involved in applying more NeatImage noise reduction to the background and less on the subject, I’d be glad to send you a free copy of the Free Noise Reduction Basics MP.4 Video. Simply click to shoot me an e-mail to get your free copy.
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 🙂
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 :).
On Thursday morning, I worked with the chicks for a while in the early light. Soon it clouded over and the wind dropped to nothing so I spent more than an hour doing wildflowers. I swam at about 3pm and after my second meal it got dark and windy soo I drove down to the lake hoping to find momma crane brooding the chicks. She was right where I thought she would be. The chicks did not peek out at the right time, but I got some neat stuff of both adults in the downpour.
What can I say? I love photography.
If you missed the great buys on used Nikon gear, be sure to click here. Three of Anita North’s NIKKOR lenses sold on Day One.
Please take a moment to let us know which of today’s two featured images is your favorite. And do let us know why you made your choice.
Free Sandhill Crane Chick Grass Blade Removal Video Offer
BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
70 sold with 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.
Steve Elkins now has four SONY 200-600s in stock; one of them surely has your name on it. Contact Steve as below to save $50.00.
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.
Tracking Flexible Spot (M) AF-C was active at the moment of exposure.
Image #1: Black-necked Stilt adult foraging
ILE: It Ain’t Just Crane Chicks!
Though I have been concentrating on the still-small, super-tame Sandhill Crane chicks, there are often other interesting subjects around. With the low water levels, there has been some decent shorebird photography. Other subjects have included both vultures, Cattle Egret, Great and Great Blue Herons, White Ibis, Boat-tailed and Common Grackles, Osprey, mayflies, and a wide variety of wildflowers.
Image #1 was created while standing behind my tripod (at not quite full height). Note that the longer the effective focal length, the shallower the angle of declination; that means that it will appear as if you were lower than you actually were. Getting close to this species at Indian Lake Estates is not easy so I moved very slowly and was lucky that the bird approached me as it foraged.
This image was created on 19 MAY 2020 at Indian Lake Estates. I used the handheld Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens (at at 400mm) and the 61-mega-pixel monster, the Sony Alpha a7R IV Mirrorless Digital camera body. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear dial. ISO 800: 1/125 sec. at f/7.1 in Manual mode. AWB at 8:18am on a cloudy somewhat bright morning.
Tracking Flexible Spot (M) AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed almost miraculously with the AF point holding on the adult crane’s head!
Image #2: Passerine chick on road
Don’t Quit Too Soon
Tuesday morning past began cloudy and fairly still. I was going to pass on the crane chicks and do some wildflowers when I spotted one of the adult cranes lying on the grass. I knew what that meant; the chicks had gotten tired of feeding and needed a break. When the adult lies down, the chicks climb into its feathers for some R&R. After a while, they peeked out and soon went back to feeding on bugs and grubs. I stayed with them until almost 8:00am and decided to head home when the sun came out.
At the last second, I decided to turn onto Banyon Drive and see if there was anything to photograph. I did not get far before I came upon a small passerine chick that had fallen out of its nest and parked itself in the middle of the road. By the time I put the a7r iv onto the 100-400, it had clouded over again. Though it was already warm, I threw on a sweatshirt so that I could lie down on the edge of the road comfortably and without having to worry about fire ants.
I am guessing that the chick is a Common Grackle as there have been lots of them in the area. Any thoughts?
Image Questions
Wide-open was f/5.6. Why did I stop down to f/7.1? Why wasn’t I worried about sharpness while handholding at 400mm at only 1/125 sec?
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 🙂
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 :).
Nikon AF-S FX NIKKOR 300mm f/2.8G ED VR II Lens with Extras!
Sale Pending 5-25-2!
Dennis Westover is offering a Nikon 300mm AF-S f/2.8 ED VRII telephoto lens in excellent plus condition along with a Nikon AF-S TC 17E II 1.7X teleconverter in excellent condition and a Nikon AF-S TC 20E III 2X teleconverter, also in excellent condition for the shock-the-world price of $3299.85. The sale includes the original box, the Cordura travel case, the instruction manual, the lens strap, a Really Right Stuff replacement lens foot, the Nikon Cordura front lens cover, a custom hard front lens cap, and the rear lens cap with the lens. Both TCs include the front and rear caps. Insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only is also included. Your items will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Dennis via e-mail or by phone at 1-206 605-0404 (Pacific time zone).
This is a gem of a lens; super-sharp, hand-holdable for almost everyone, great for flight and action photography, and great as well with all three teleconverters for portraits and for flight. It has long been the favorite focal length of the world’s best hawk photographers. I did well with the 1.7X TC on my 500 PF VR and my 600 f/4 VR lenses and I did make some sharp images with the Nikon 2X III and the 600mm f/4 VR lens. The 2X should do even better on the 300mm f/2.8. The three items sell new for $6390.85 so you can save an incredible $3,091.00 dollars on this great package. artie
Anita North at Rockhopper Penguin colony with Nikon gear on Bleaker Island, The Falklands
Nikon Fire Sale
Many multiple IPT veteran and dear friend Anita North is selling a load of great Nikon lenses cheap. BIRDS AS ART is handling the shipping. That’s me. And yes, Anita switched to SONY and loves it.
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4E FL ED VR Lens
BAA Record-low Price!
Anita North is offering a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4E FL ED VR lens in excellent condition for a BAA record-low $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 $3,031.00. This lens sells new for $12,296.95. artie
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR Lens
BAA Record-low Price!
Anita North is also offering a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR lens in excellent plus condition for a BAA record-low $3095.95. The sale includes the original box, the front and rear lens caps, thee 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.
The 500 PF was my favorite Nikon lens; I hated giving it up. It is easily handheld by most folks; It kills for flight and does well with the 1.4X teleconverter. It is still hard to find a new one. Save $501.00 and get yours soon. artie
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/4E PF ED VR Lens
Sale Pending first day of listing
Anita North is also offering a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/4E PF ED VR lens in like-new condition for a BAA record-low $1196.95. The sale includes the original box, the front and rear caps, the 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 practically tiny telephoto lens is great for tight work, especially birds in flight at close range. It weighs practically nothing (1.66 lbs>) and is deadly with the TC-14E. As this sells new for $1996.95 you can save a neat $800.00 by being the one to grab Anita’s lens. artie
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR Lens
BAA Record-low Price!
Anita North is also offering a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR lens in near-mint condition for a BAA record-low $796.95. The sale includes the original box, the front and rear caps, the 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 was my first Nikon lens. It is an incredible value. It is sharp and versatile and inexpensive. And it does well with the TC-E14 when the sun is out. As this one sells new for $1,256.95 you can save an even $500.00 by being the first one to grab Anita’s lens. artie
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR Lens
BAA Record-low Price!
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 $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 $1,001.00 by being the first to grab Anita’s lens. artie
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR Lens
BAA Record-low Price!
Anita North is also offering a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR lens in like-new condition for a BAA record-low $1,346.95. The sale includes the original box, the front and rear caps, the 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.
Thee 70-200mm f/2.8s are among the pro’s very favorite lenses. They are fast, sharp, and extremely versatile and pair well with any teleconverter. This lens sells new for $$2,146.95. You can save a very nice $800.00 by grabbing Anita’s lens. artie
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4 VR Lens
Sale Pending first day of listing
Anita North is also offering a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4 VR lens in like-new condition for a BAA record-low $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 Anita’s pretty much new lens to save a cool $550.00! artie
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR Lens
Sale Pending first day of listing
Anita North is also offering a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR lens in like-new condition for a BAA record-low $996.95. 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.
This is a landscape photographer’s dream lens. It currently sells new now for $1,896.95. Grab Anita’s pretty much new lens to save a very sweet $900.00! artie
Anita North is also offering a Nikon AF-S VR Micro-NIKKOR 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED (Macro) lens in like-new condition but for a barely-visible tiny (less than 1/16 inch) crescent-shaped scratch on the front element for the BAA record-low by far price of $ $396.95. The sale includes the front and rear caps, the 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.
I never owned this one but I (and Denise Ippolito) always loved our Canon 100mm macro lenses. This lens sells new right now for $806.95 so you are practically getting it for free. 🙂 artie
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED Lens
BAA Record-low Price!
Anita North is also offering a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED lens in like-new condition for a BAA record-low $896.95. 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 is Nikon’s state of the art wide-angle zoom lens. It sells new for $1596.95 — get in touch ASAP to save $700.00. artie
Nikon AF-S Fisheye NIKKOR 8-15mm f/3.5-4.5E ED Lens $1,246.95 like new $746.95
Nikon AF-S Fisheye NIKKOR 8-15mm f/3.5-4.5E ED Lens
BAA Record-low Price!
Anita North is also offering a Nikon AF-S Fisheye NIKKOR 8-15mm f/3.5-4.5E ED lens in like-new condition for a BAA record-low $746.95. The sale includes the original box, the front and rear caps, thee 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.
I owned the Canon 8-15mm. I call lenses in this class “circle lenses. They are great fun and give you a chance to be really creative. The Nikon 8-15 sells new for $1,246.95 — get in touch to save $500.00. artie
The Last of artie’s Nikon Gear
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/4G ED VR Lens
BAA Record-low Price!
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 $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 $600.00 artie
Nikon D850 DSLR Camera (Body Only)
BAA Record-low Price!
Arthur Morris is also offering a Nikon D850 DSLR Camera (Body Only)in excellent plus to like-new condition for a BAA record-low $1995.95. The sale includes the front body caps, the original box, the strap, the charger, 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.
The D850 was my very favorite Nikon body. I sold my D5 and bought a 2nd D850. It produces superb image files. The AF system kills on birds in flight — be sure to use Group (grp) AF. It sells new for $2,996.95 so you can save a very lovely $1001.00 by grabbing my D850. artie
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4 VR Lens
BAA Record-low Price!
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 $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 $550.00! artie
Click on the composite to see a larger version.
Do condsier joining me on the next Land-based Falklands IPT
2020 Land-based Falklands Trip
December 10-26, 2020. $8999.00 per person. Deposit $4000.00. Limit four photographers/openings: 2. Please e-mail for a complete itinerary and complete details.
Fly on a red-eye to Santiago, Chile on WED 9 DEC 2020, arriving there on THURS 10 DEC. We will do an add-on condor trip ($450/per person including lunch) that morning assuming that everyone gets there by about 8am at the very latest. And another add-on morning to Del Mar for Inca Terns and Peruvian Pelicans ($450/per person including lunch) on FRI 11 DEC leaving the hotel very early. We fly to Mont Pleasant on SAT 12 DEC. In the Falklands we will visit Bleaker, the Rookery and the Neck on Saunders, and Pebble. Then two nights at the Malvina House on Stanely with a visit to an amazing rockhopper colony. Fly back to Santiago on SAT 26 DEC. Fly home either that night (red-eyes are hard to get) or the following day.
Photography-wise, foggy and then cloudy Monday was close to a bust … On Tuesday morning (more unsettled weather), I thought as I headed down to the lake, “I might be getting bored photographing the two utterly dependable little crane chicks.” But I was wrong. More crane magic unfolded right in front of me even before I made it to the circular parking lot at the base of the pier. V-log coming soon.
Thanks to the many who ordered the SONY ee-Guide yesterday!
Free Sandhill Crane Chick Grass Blade Removal Video Offer
Those who purchase the BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II) today or tomorrow will automatically receive a free copy of the Sandhill Crane Chick Grass Blade Removal Video. Only those who place their order before midnight on Thursday 21 MAY 2020 are eligible.
BIRDS AS ART
BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Used Gear Page Sales
After somewhat of a COVID-19-induced lull, action has picked up a bit on the Used Gear Page.
Jim Lewis sold his Canon EOS-1D X in near-mint condition with extras for a BAA record-low $1,500.00 (was $1,895.00) in early MAY 2020.
Kevin Spencer sold his Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM lens in excellent condition for $6,799.00 to a local buyer in early MAY 2020.
BPN friend Ravi Hirekatur is sold his Canon EF Extender 1.4X II (the 1.4X II teleconverter) in excellent condition for the ridiculous, you-might-as-well-give-it-away price of $89.00 (was $179.00) in early MAY.
Gary Meyer sold his Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6 VR lens in like-new condition for a BAA record-low $3096.95 and a Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III in like-new condition for a BAA record-low $226.95, both on the first day of listing in early MAY 2020.
Jerry Barrack sold his Canon EF 70-300mm 1:4.5-5.6 L IS USM zoom lens (the white version) in near-mint condition for the BAA record-low price of $459.00 (was $699.00) in early MAY 2020.
Sony a9 Mirrorless Digital Camera Body
BAA Record-low Price!
Used Gear page regular Charlie Curry is offering a Sony a9 Mirrorless Digital Camera body in like-new condition (971 shutter releases) and the Sony (VG-C3EM) Vertical Grip a BAA record-low $2598.00. The sale includes the original battery and charger, the USB cable, the instructional manual, the front lens cover, the a9 camera strap, a rear LCD glass protector, the latest firmware update, 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. Photos are available upon request.
Please contact Charlie via e-mail (preferred) or by phone at 1-407-448-7797 Eastern time zone.
The SONY a9, the original AF king, offers superb autofocus that absolutely kills for flight photography. Virtually every image is sharp on the eye. Many feel that the AF system on the a9 ii is no better. And the vertical grip gives this body a pro-body type feel. As the a9 II sells new for $4498.00 and the VG-C3EM goes for an additional $348.00 for a total of $4,846, you can save an incredible $2248.00 by grabbing Charlie’s a9 right now! (Note: the a9 sells for $3498.00.)artie
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.
Steve Elkins now has four SONY 200-600s in stock; one of them surely has your name on it. Contact Steve as below to save $50.00.
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.
Click on the composite to see a larger version.
Before/After Sandhill Crane one-day old chick standing near adult on the nest
Before and After Sandhill Crane one-day old Chick
In the Sandhill Crane Chicks One-a-Day Images. Which Lens is Best for the Tiny Chicks? And the One Negative of the SONY 100-400mm GM … blog post here, many folks liked Image #1 the best. Several asked if I had thought about eliminating the two blades of grass above the chick’s head. I had. Others suggested that the grass should have been removed or that they would have removed it. I originally left the two blades of grass as they only bugged me a little and the image was so endearing with the chick looking up at the adult, actually wanting to get fed. One person wished for a bit more room on our left.
So I opened the master file in Photoshop, expanded canvas just a bit left and above using unframed Content-Aware Crop. Then I eliminated the dark, circular smudge just in front of the chick’s bill. Next, I used the Divide and Conquer technique along with the Patch Tool to eliminate most of the two offending grasses. Then I used a series to small Quick Masks to cover the spots where the grasses intersected the chick’s fuzzy head. Each Quick Mask was warped and shaped using the Transform command and then refined via the addition of a Regular Layer Mask. As working on this area left things just a bit smudged, I used my background blurring technique to smooth everything nicely. That involves adding a layer of heavy Gaussian Blur, covering that with a Hide-all (Inverse or Black) Layer Mask, and then painting in the effect as desired. All in all, not too time consuming, and not bad at all.
I also like that with the canvas expanded, the bird has a bit more room in the frame.
Tracking Flexible Spot (M) AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed to perfection.
Version II: Sandhill Crane one-day old chick standing near adult on the nest
Sandhill Crane Chick Grass Blade Removal Video
Sit next to me in Photoshop as I created the second version of the re-optimized image that is featured in today’s blog post. Learn to expand canvas using unframed Content-Aware Crop, to use Divide and Conquer, to create, transform, and refine Quick Masks, and to selectively blur the background with a layer of Gaussian Blur fine-tuned with the addition of a Hide-all (Inverse or Black) Layer Mask. Just $5.00 here in the BAA Online Store.
Super-Bonus Question
The first person to answer this question by leaving a comment will receive a free copy of the Sandhill Crane Chick Grass Blade Removal Video:
What did I miss while doing the image clean-up? Note: there is only one correct answer and I am the only judge 🙂
The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II).
You can order your copy from the BAA Online Store here, by sending a Paypal for $40 here, or by calling Jim or Jennifer weekdays at 863-692-0906 with your credit card in hand.
The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II)
All the techniques mentioned above and tons more (with the exception of Capture One RAW Conversions) — along with all of my personalized Keyboard Shortcuts — are covered in detail in the BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II), an instructional PDF that is sent via e-mail. Learn more and check out the free excerpt in the blog post here. While the new e-Guide reflects my Macbook Pro/Photo Mechanic/DPP 4/Photoshop workflow, folks using a PC and/or BreezeBrowser will also benefit greatly by studying the material on DB II. Note: folks working on a PC and/or those who do not want to miss anything Photoshop may wish to purchase the original Digital Basics along with DB II while saving $15 by clicking here to buy the DB Bundle.
Folks who learn well by following along rather than by reading can check out the complete collection of MP 4 Photoshop Tutorial Videos by clicking here. Note: all of the videos are now priced at an amazingly low $5.00 each.
You can learn how and why I converted all of my Canon digital RAW files in DPP 4 in the DPP 4 RAW Conversion Guide here. More recently, I became proficient at converting my Nikon RAW (NEF) files in Adobe Camera Raw. About two years ago I began converting my Nikon and Sony RAW files in Capture One Pro 12 and continue to do so today.
You can learn advanced Quick Masking and advanced Layer Masking techniques in APTATS I & II. You can save $15 by purchasing the pair. Folks can learn sophisticated sharpening and (NeatImage) Noise Reduction techniques in The Professional Post Processing Guide by Arash Hazeghi and edited by yours truly. Please use this link to purchase NeatImage.
To introduce folks to our MP.4 videos and the basics involved in applying more NeatImage noise reduction to the background and less on the subject, I’d be glad to send you a free copy of the Free Noise Reduction Basics MP.4 Video. Simply click to shoot me an e-mail to get your free copy.
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 🙂
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 :).
It feels really good to get this done. Most telling is that we have sold 58 pre-publication guides and have not received a single query from a confused purchaser or a single “this guide is over-priced!” e-mail. Patrick and I are quite proud of this e-Guide. New stuff that we continue to discover will be published here as Free-to-all SONY e-Guide Updates.
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.
Wow, talk about a long time coming … The more Patrick and I worked on the guide, the more we learned. And that continues to this day.
It is hard to believe that we sent out an early draft of the guide for review in early December 2019 after we had been working on it for several months. We thought that it was pretty good at that point but Ellen Anon and her son Josh both commented to this effect: not so fast!. Both took us to task by asking lots of good questions and making dozens of excellent suggestions. They did that for several versions of the guide and for that we are very thankful.
At one point Josh wrote, Remember there are free resources competing with your guide; you need to ensure your paid guide is above and beyond these and worth the money!
Here are the links that he provided:
Sony Alpha Focus Masterclass by Mark Galer, (Sony Ambassador) here.
Sony a9 Bird In Flight/Wildlife Photography Setup and Usage Guide by Mark Smith here
Now, ask yourself why I would be sharing these free resources with you? Some of the advice is halfway decent, some of it is confusing, some of it just plain wrong, and some of it is beyond insane. Good luck trying to figure out which is which … Highlights (lowlights?) include using back-button focus (and release!) and suggested Zebra values that ensure that you will never get anything close to a good exposure. Regular readers here already know that there is never any need to use back-button focus with SONY. If you missed that, the guide clearly explains why.
Later on in the process, Josh sent me another link (one that I can no longer find). IAC, I followed it and found that the creator took you through and explained all the SONY menu items exactly as detailed in the Help Guide, but never once told you what settings he used and why he used them.
In our new guide, we explain virtually every SONY menu item in detail that might be useful in bird, nature, or wildlife photography. And then we explain your options and state clearly which setting we use in different situations and why we go that route. This invaluable advice is based on many hundreds of hours in the field photographing birds and other natural history subjects.
In short, the SONY e-Guide is incredible. While I am proud of all the previously published Camera User’s Guides, my feelings about the SONY guide go far beyond that. The stuff on using Zebras with ISO on the Rear Wheel to get the right exposure every time is all Patrick Sparkman. Without his technical brilliance, this guide would not be nearly as valuable as it is. And like my good friend Dr. Cliff Oliver, Patrick is a superb researcher — if he does not know something, he will find it online very quickly, check it out, and draw his own conclusions. Not only are the SONY menus complex, but they offer a zillion options, many of which are hidden in sub-menus and Custom Settings. Patrick figured many of those out, I discovered a few, and blog regular Craig Elson came up with some incredibly helpful little menu tricks, tricks that solved some thorny problems. Thanks also to the eagle-eyed Dane Johnson who spotted a zillion typos and type-setting errors.
The longer and harder we worked on the guide, the more I wanted to price it at $200.00. But I did not want anyone to faint. The cost of the SONY Guide is $100.00. Your purchase includes the e-Guide itself and one of the four camera-specific videos. Extra camera videos cost $25.00 each. In each video, Patrick and I take you through all the relevant menu items. We urge you to follow along with your camera in hand. Here is short and timely excerpt from the guide:
Before You Begin
With the a7r iv, the a9, and the a9 ii, the last page of My Menu allows you to turn Display From My Menu on and off as needed. It is best to keep this On so that whenever you hit the Menu button on the camera, the last-viewed My Menu page will display. When you are setting up a new camera or working on your settings while following along with this guide, you should turn Display From My Menu to Off so that you do not have to scroll through endless menu items to find what you are looking for. With My Menu Off, hitting the Menu button will return you to the last viewed Menu screen.
Once you have read this far, we urge that you watch the video for your SONY body with the camera in hand while following all the instructions before consulting the remainder of this guide.
SONY Image Galleries with Educational Captions: page 48
The e-Guide is 103 pages. The guide contains 13 sections:
The Introduction — This section contains a bit of the back-story on how the guide came to be.
Important Stuff — This section contains some important stuff 🙂
SONY Help Guides — Here you will find active links to the Help Guides for each camera body. Note: the Camera Manuals are pretty much useless.
Points of Emphasis — In this section, we reinforce and expand upon many of the important concepts that are covered in the video.
Additional Info — Here we cover tons of new stuff that we discovered in the 3 1/2 months after we created the four videos.
Clarifications In this section we detail nineteen fine points and sticky situations.
SONY Workflow In this very short section we outline our SONY workflow. No great shock there!
SONY Image Gallery with Educational Captions (77 images.) This collection of stunning images is meant to inspire, educate, and show folks what is possible with SONY gear. There is tons of AF info in the captions. And lots more.
SONY Zebras Coaching Gallery (14 images.) Here we explain exactly what we did with the Zebras to come up with a perfect exposure.
Tracking Flexible Spot Gallery 8 images.) The images here demonstrate the use of SONY’s most valuable AF Area Mode.
Thanks! Here we thank the many folks who helped us to improve the guide.
About the Authors Learn a bit about artie and Patrick.
The “If-the-World-Does-Not-End” BIRDS AS ART 2020/2021 IPT Schedule. Just in case …
SONY Zebras Coaching Gallery: page 89
So What Does the SONY Guide Cover?
Under Points of Emphasis
Note: items without comment are self-explanatory.
Using Zebras to Get the Right Exposure in Manual Mode Patrick’s technique allows you to make perfect or near-perfect exposures quickly and consistently. Using Zebras to Get the Right Exposure in Manual Mode Illustrated Thanks to an amazingly cooperative crane, this item shows how Zebras are set in an actual shooting situation. A Final Word on Zebras We explain the fine points of using Zebras in bright sun versus using Zebras in the shade. Using Zebras to Get the Right Exposure in Shutter (or Aperture) Priority This technique is used by artie at times when creating pleasing blurs. Mechanical vs Electronic Shutter It is important to know which to use with each camera … Silent Shooting Silent Shooting is closely linked to Mechanical vs Electronic Shutter. Slots 1 & 2 Auto Review Really valuable info here. Focus Areas and Focus Area Limit Along with Zebras, the info here is the meat of the guide. a7r iv vs. a9 ii Comparing these two great bodies. My Menu Learning how and what to place on your My Menus helps folks operate their SONY bodies more efficiently.
SONY Image Galleries with Educational Captions: page 66
Additional Info
Enlarge Initial Position Explains how to see the area of sharpest focus in an image; it only works before the images are downloaded. Telephoto Lens Focus Range Limiter Switch Explains how and why to set this important switch. Initial Focus Acquisition Problems With Telephoto Lenses The tips here and in DMF below might be worth the price of the entire guide. Pre-AF The jury is still out on this one but artie likes it. Direct Manual Focus (DMF) Camera Direct Manual Focus (DMF) An Important AF Note for a9 ii Users Learn about a problematic dial on the a9 ii. Optical Steady Shot (OSS) Optical Steady Shot (OSS) on Telephoto Lenses Diopter-adjustment Dial Firmware Updates Touch Operation Naming Your Camera Bodies Can save you lots of hassles. Saving/Loading Settings Sensor Cleaning Anti-dust Function New to the a9 ii only. Reg. Custom Shoot Set Function Menu Set & the Fn Button Learn to customize the screen that comes up after pushing the Fn button. More on Face/Eye Priority in AF Super-important if you want to use the fabulous Tracking Flexible Spot (M). The SONY Histogram Our comments here will likely surprise you. Display Quality/a7 Series Bodies Saving Settings to the Mode Dial Compressed vs. Uncompressed Image Review with the Control Wheel This was a “duh” moment for artie. When to Turn Off Zebras. Super-important. SONY US Repair Advice Also super-important. Vertical Grip
Tracking Flexible Spot Gallery: page 96
Under Clarifications
Power Save Start Time AEL Button Using SONY with an Adapter The Eye Sensor (Tiny Window Above the Viewfinder). Valuable stuff here … The Mysterious Viewfinder Blackout Problem Dealing with SONY’s most annoying problem. Assigning Finder/Monitor to a Custom Button Another Possible Finder/Monitor Solution Return to Center Bright Monitoring A must for astrophotography. e-Front Curtain Shutter Manual Focus Toggle A fabulous tip for macro photographers (often combined with Focus Magnifier below). The Top Wheels If You Use Rear Button Focus Focus Magnifier Fabulous tips for macro photographers (combined with Manual Focus Toggle above). The Viewfinder Level Changing the Focus and Drive Modes AF Illuminator AF Sensitivity Focus Peaking Shutter Priority for Video
SONY Image Galleries with Educational Captions: page 73
What They’ve Been Saying
From Fred Innamorato via e-mail
Hi Artie, I want to thank you for making the Sony e-Guide and videos available and for the work you put into the blog as well as for your books that teach us how to photograph birds and also for your camera User’s Guides. There is just no possible way I would have been able to get my Sony a9 ii camera settings so technically correct for doing birds in flight on my own without this guide. in my opinion, Sony should pay you for taking on the task of educating their customers. Sony has created an amazing camera but they fail to explain to their customers how to take full advantage of it. I appreciate that you know and have access to some very competent people with the technical backgrounds to assist you in your field experimentation to come up with the best and most practical and useful Menu Settings for bird photography. We all will benefit from your unique ability to pull this together. I am especially happy with your instructions on how to use the Zebra Settings for getting proper exposures. I really can’t thank you enough Artie for making my bird photography hobby so much more enjoyable than it would have been otherwise. My photography brings me great satisfaction. Sharing quality photographs with my family and friends has generated lots of interest in my hobby and why I do it. Life is good!
I highly recommend the purchase of your Sony e-Guide and Video(s). This information is just not available anywhere else. Even from Sony …
Fred Innamorato
Via e-Mail from Jerry Barrack
Hi Art,
I want to thank you again for your help with selling all of my Canon gear. Your advice on pricing was right-on as most items sold very quickly. As much as I loved my Canon equipment, the advances made by Sony with regard to autofocus made it a no-brainer for me to switch.
And thanks also for the SONY e-Guide, the Sony a9 video, and your Capture One Simplified video. After resisting using manual exposure for many, many years, I switched over to Patrick’s and your Zebras system with ISO on the rear wheel. I cannot believe how easy it is. It just shows that you can teach an old dog new tricks! My only complaint is that it now takes a lot longer to edit because nearly all of the images are properly exposed and in focus. The SONY focusing system along with the stuff I learned in the guide continues to amaze me. I just finished shooting Purple Martins and the percentage of sharp ones is unbelievable.
Thanks again for all your help. Stay safe and well.
Jerry
Blog comment by IPT veteran Barry Barfield
I have been actively using the set up from artie’s Sony e-Guide now for about four weeks. With my a9 ii and the 200-600 rig is easy to get the right exposure 99% of the time. I could never have figured out the settings suggested on my own, so thank you artie and Patrick. If you have Sony A9, A9ii, or one of the A7r bodies covered – you should get this guide today. Barry, Australia
From Peter Noyes via e-mail
Artie, In March, I purchased your e-Guide and Camera Set Up Video for the SONY a-7r iv mirrorless camera body. Both were great saving me a lot of time allowing me to spend more time outside enjoying my camera. The guide is surely worth a lot more than the purchase price to me.
Peter
From Thomas Bourne via e-mail
Artie, You and Patrick have done an outstanding job. Even though I own the a7 ii with its limits, I can see how you think and work. The guide was quite helpful to me. At 79 – and in great health, I may have enough time left to get another camera. Stay healthy!
The two crane chicks are doing quite well and are getting bigger every day. They continue to amaze me with their tameness; I created some nice head portraits of the chicks with the 100-400. Though they were the stars of the show, I had some good Great Blue Heron flight chances in the morning and enjoyed an indigo black/blue thunderstorm sky in the afternoon.
The forecast for today is cloudy with SW wind; I will be heading down to the lake at about 7am.
The SONY e-Guide and videos will be in the BAA Online Store tomorrow.
BIRDS AS ART
BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.
The SONY e-Guide by Patrick Sparkman and Arthur Morris
The Sony Camera e-Guide (PDF) and Videos Info
Yesterday I prepared the final PDF for the Sony Camera e-Guide. It will not be available in the store until early next week but you can order yours right now. The cost of the SONY e-Guide is $100.00 US and will include one of the four (4) camera set-up videos — we offer one video each for the a7r iii, the a7r iv, the a9, and the a9 ii — and the written guide with the galleries. Additional camera videos are $25.00 each The guide is now done.
If you would like to order the e-Guide now, please send a Paypal for $100 US to birdsasart@verizon.net and be sure to include the words “SONY e-Guide” in the Paypal e-mail along with the name of your camera or cameras so that you can receive the correct video or videos. Note: please add $25 for each camera video after the first. And please be sure to type your e-mail address into your Paypal order. Then be sure to send a copy of the Paypal transaction to me via e-mail.
For your convenience, the SONY e-Guide and videos will be in the BAA Online Store tomorrow.
SONY 200-600 Update
Steve Elkins now has four SONY 200-600s in stock; one of them surely has your name on it. Contact Steve as below to save $50.00.
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.
Amazing Front-Yard Discovery! It Ain’t Just Crane Chicks: Dayflower
I was taking my SUV out of the driveway. I am not sure what made me look down but I did, and there, just to my right, were dozens of pretty blue blossoms. The next day was still, so after I got back from the lake I got out my quasi-macro rig — the SONY 100-400 with the 1.4X TC and the a7r iv — and went to work. After screwing up while photographing Yellow Canna flowers down by the lake, I went back to the SONY eGuide, studied the sections on Manual Focus Toggle and Focus Magnifier, and set up my a7r iv as per the guide. Now I was all set to focus manually when doing flowers. Once I had everything down pat and was able to focus with extreme accuracy, I went back to the guide and re-crafted the instructions under Focus Magnifier so that even a second-grader could follow the detailed instructions. Now I am a macro machine!
This blossom was photographed in situ, as it was growing naturally.
I’ve been Face Timing with my friend “Bug” Bob Allen with regards to propagating the salt and pepper bush in our butterfly garden. The butterflies love the small blossoms. I mentioned that it was hard to believe how many small wildflowers I had just started noticing. He said, There is a name for that, it’s called plant blindness.. I think that I will change Bob’s nickname (by one letter) to “Bud” Bob Allen.
RawDigger Screen Capture
More on SONY Exposure …
In the SONY e-Guide, in the SONY Zebras Coaching Gallery, there is a great tip on getting the right exposure for yellow and purple flowers. I followed the advice there and wound up with a pretty much perfect exposure: 3 under-exposed RED pixels and 2 under-exposed BLUE pixels out of 61,000,000. Not bad.
Note also that I went to Shade WB to create today’s featured image. I did that because the color on the rear monitor looked way off. Yes, you can always change the White Balance in post, but for me, it is comforting when what you are seeing on the back of the camera looks a lot like what you are seeing in life.
The Art of Flower Photography by Denise Ippolito and Arthur Morris
You can learn everything e about this e-book here, or order your copy here.
Video: The Art of Flower Photography
In this B&H Event Space video, two of the world’s premier photographers of flora and fauna — Arthur Morris and Denise Ippolito — share the techniques they use to create dramatic, sharp, well-composed, properly exposed images of flowers and flower fields. Denise does great things with the Canon 100mm f/2.8 L IS lens, while artie often goes to longer focal lengths—he has been seen photographing tulips at Keukenhoff Gardens, Holland, with a 600mm lens and a teleconverter. In addition to standard techniques, the video ends with Ippolito and Morris showing a wide range of abstract floral images and describing a variety of creative artistic effects such as multiple exposures, sharp/soft blending, texture overlays, warping a flower, creating zoom/twirls, in-camera blurs, and many others.
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 🙂
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 :).
