Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

What’s Up?

We have been getting up at about 4am and out on the lake for sunrise at about 5am. The weather has been extremely variable: on Saturday it was 88 degrees and sunny and still. The black flies were killing our ankles. On Sunday morning we fished through rain and high winds and being underdressed, we froze. We’ve had some nice sunrises and lots of good Bald Eagle flight photography. Northern Pike has a reputation as having too many bones but when cleaned correctly, its firm flesh is far tastier than that of the more popular Walleye. I have been chowing down on pike fillets every day — fried gently in butter with salt and pepper.

We spent a good two hours on Monday afternoon photographing the nicest Pink Lady Slipper that we could find.

An Abundance of Riches

Multiple IPT veteran David Hollander will be joining us in the UK. In addition, a gentleman from Denmark may also be signing up as well.

BIRDS AS ART

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

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, 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 currently has several D850s in stock along with a Nikon 600mm f/4 VR. He is taking pre-orders for the new Nikon 500 P and the Nikon Z6 mirrorless camera body.

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 June 10, 2019, from a small fishing boat on Basket Lake near Dryden in northern Ontario, CA. I used the hand held Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR lens and my souped-up Nikon D850. Auto ISO: 400: 1/6400 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual Mode was an inadvertent 2/3 stop underexposure — I accidentally rolled the shutter speed wheel two clicks … AUTO1 WB at 7:36am on a clear morning. Nikon Focus Peaking fine-tune value: +4. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here. Center Group (grp) Continuous (C in Nikon/AI Servo with Canon) AF was active at the moment of exposure. As origially framed, the array was centered well above and well behind the head yet the eye is dead razor sharp. Bald Eagle wings up flight Click on the image to enjoy a large version.

Underexposed RAW File Conversion Workflow Tip

With properly exposed images, I always work first on the WHITEs. With underexposed images, like today’s featured image, I always begin with the Exposure slider. Capture One Pro 12 did a great job with this underexposed D850 image — the conversion was so clean that the image did not need any noise reduction other than the D850 defaults. Once I brightened the image I used my standard trick of comparing the As Shot White Balance with the Click White Balance and winding up somewhere in between. As Shot was 6052 and Click White Balance was 4064. I opted for K 5268; this made the sky a delightful BLUE.

Why So Pleasing?

When we looked at this image on my laptop, both Anita North and I went “Oooh!”

For me it shines because of the great wing position — both wings are fully raised and the near-underwing perfectly lit. That due to the fact that the bird was dead-on sun angle when the image was created. This one is a small crop from the rear and from below.

The Capture One Pro-12 Simplified Video Click here to order.

The Capture One Pro-12 Simplified Video

$15.00 via electronic download

As with all of my images for the past three months or so, both of today’s images were optimized beautifully and quickly in Capture One Pro 12. When I first heard about doing RAW conversions in C-1 Pro 12, I purchased the somewhat pricey program and tried to figure it out on my own. I was totally lost. So I did some reading online and was still very confused. Then I consulted Arash Hazeghi’s comprehenisve The Nikon Photographers’ Guide to Phase One Capture One Pro e-Guide and while Arash does a great job of covering the fine points, I still had some difficulty getting started. I thought Who needs Sessions and who wants to have to Import images? So I consulted Patrick Sparkman, the BAA technical advisor. Patrick had been using C-1 Pro 12 for a while. We spent a good deal of time on FaceTime simplifying things. That video is a direct result of those conversations.

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

If you are new to Capture One Pro-12, please click here to order. Understand that C-1 Pro 12 is expensive for good reason … Are your photos worth it?

Here are some of the things you will learn in this 33+ minute video as we convert nine different RAW files (eight Nikon and one SONY) from soup to nuts, from Photo Mechanic through the RAW conversion in Capture One to Photoshop:

• 1-How to quickly and easily find your images while working in a simple file folder format.
• 2-How to customize your Exposure and Details tabs to streamline your workflow.
• 3-How to set the White and Black points using Levels.
• 4-How to adjust set the values for the relevant sliders including Exposure, White Balance, High Dynamic Range (the Highlight and Shadow sliders), and Clarity and Structure.
• 5-How to work at 100 or 200% and fine tune your settings for Noise Reduction and Sharpness.
• 6-How to work with the Color Editor

If you are trying to get a handle on how to use this great RAW conversion engine for your Nikon and SONY images, this video is just what you have been looking for. It is meant to serve as an adjunct to Arash’s comprehensive The Nikon Photographers’ Guide to Phase One Capture One Pro e-Guide. For Canon shooters, Arash and I both recommend using DPP 4.

If In Doubt …

If 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 New BAA Online Store 🙂

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

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

I would, of course, appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links 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 will be visiting the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.

Facebook

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

Typos

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

What’s Up?

My 17 1/2 hour travel day was relatively uneventful except for the exhaustion. My first morning in northern Ontario was filled with a mother and baby Moose, Walleye, Northern Pike, nesting Herring Gull, and fishing Bald Eagles. Only nine 1/2 more days to go.

FlexShooter Pro You can order your FlexShooter Pro from the BAA Online Store right now for $599.00 plus the shipping by clicking here, or by phone (on weekdays) at 863-692-0906.

FlexShooter Pro Comments

Via e-mail from Peter Llewellyn

Hi Artie,

I received a FlexShooter Pro head from the first batch and must tell you it is the best tripod head I have ever used. It is way better than Wimberley V2 and the RRS gimbal (both of which I have used in the past). It will now be the only tripod head I will ever use. I’m looking forward to getting the Setting up a Tripod in Your Vehicle video. Thanks so much for offering that free to the folks who have purchased a FlexShooter Pro from you.

I am sure that as people try my head more orders will be coming from north of the border.

All the best, Peter

If you are among the first on your block to be using this great new head we would love to hear from you. Positives and negatives and questions are all welcome via e-mail.

FlexShooter Pro Updates

A very few FlexShooter Pro heads are still in stock here in the BIRDS AS ART Online Store. We have sold 36 of the first forty that we received — all to positive reviews — and are expecting 20 more next week. We have the correct BigFoot plate available for all lenses but for the Nikon 600mm f/4 VR lens. — see below for info on that. If you try to place an order in the BAA Online Store and it shows as back-ordered, please call Jim on Monday at 863-692-0906 to place your order and ensure getting one from our third batch.

As most of you know, I am now using the FlexShooter Pro for 100% of my tripod-mounted photography. See here and here to learn more. Or see the video here.

My plan is to do a second informational FlexShooter Pro video in Ontario with additional tips.

Last week I got my hands on the prototype for the new FLN-60 Bigfoot for the Nikon 600 VR. It is long enough to balance the 600 alone with any Nikon camera body and the best news is that the Wimberley F-1 Flash Bracket fits perfectly and mounts easily. I will post a photo here soon. We will have them in stock in about three weeks.

D-Day by Robert Capa

Warning

Do NOT click on the link below unless you have some time to do some serious surfing and a willingness to be moved by the incredible photos and stories.

D-Day by Robert Capa/from TIME — 100 Photographs — The Most Influential Images of All Time

Below is an excerpt from the the amazing collection here. Many of the images are accompanied by entirely captivating, interesting, moving, and amazing accounts. More than a few — including the image above — are accompanied by powerful videos.

It was the invasion to save civilization, and LIFE’s Robert Capa was there, the only still photographer to wade with the 34,250 troops onto Omaha Beach during the D-Day landing. His photographs—infused with jarring movement from the center of that brutal assault—gave the public an American soldier’s view of the dangers of war. The soldier, in this case, was Private First Class Huston Riley, who after the Nazis shelled his landing craft jumped into water so deep that he had to walk along the bottom until he could hold his breath no more. When he activated his Navy M-26 belt life preservers and floated to the surface, Riley became a target for the guns and artillery shells mowing down his comrades. Struck several times, the 22-year-old soldier took about half an hour to reach the Normandy shore. Capa took this photo of him in the surf and then with the assistance of a sergeant helped Riley, who later recalled thinking, “What the hell is this guy doing here? I can’t believe it. Here’s a cameraman on the shore.” Capa spent an hour and a half under fire as men around him died. A courier then transported his four rolls of film to LIFE’s London offices, and the magazine’s general manager stopped the presses to get them into the June 19 issue. Most of the film, though, showed no images after processing, and only some frames survived. The remaining images have a grainy, blurry look that gives them the frenetic feel of the action, a quality that has come to define our collective memory of that epic clash.

What’s Up?

Lots.

Last night I went down to the lake as the wind was a gentle breeze from the northeast. There was an Osprey on the perch but the western sky was too, too clear. While I was tooling around, I found two medium-sized crane chicks that were surely hatched in May. Jim had told me about them. I saw them again this morning, Tuesday, June 4, 2019. Most of the crane nests here hatch in late February and March.

Several clutches of three Ospreys fledged about 10 days ago but the chicks had been hard to come by until this morning. I photographed one on the railing of the pier last week in a less than ideal situation. This morning I found two perched on 4X4 posts supporting a small dock. Not the greatest perches either but the birds and the light were gorgeous. Images and more soon.

I will start packing today for my trip to Northern Ontario on Thursday. I will have internet access the whole time. 🙂

My Final Offer: Huge Late-registration UK Puffins, Gannets, and Red Kites Instructional Photo-Tour Discount Increased Again!

The late-registration discount has been increased to $4,000.00.

The New, Expanded 2019 UK Puffins and Gannets IPT. Seahouses, Bempton Cliffs, and the Dunbar, Scotland Gannet boat to Bass Rock! Thursday, June 27 (from EDI) through Tuesday, July 9, 2019 (on the ground; fly home on Wednesday, July 10.): $9,999. Limit 5 photographers/Openings: 1

In an effort to fill a single remaining slot, I have increased the the late-registration discount for this great IPT from $3,000.00 to $4000.00. Click here and scroll down a bit for complete details. Please e-mail for additional information.

FlexShooter Pro Updates

A very few FlexShooter Pro heads are now in stock here in the BIRDS AS ART Online Store. We have sold 36 of the first forty that we received — all to positive reviews — and are expecting 20 more next week. We have the correct BigFoot plate available for all lenses but for the Nikon 600mm f/4 VR lens. Please place a phone order if you would like the plate to go with your new FlexShooter Pro head; they should be in the store by next week.

As most of you know, I am now using it for 100% of my tripod-mounted photogtraphy. See here and here to learn more. Or see the video here.

Last week I got my hands on the prototype for the new FLN-60 Bigfoot for the Nikon 600 VR. It is long enough to balance the 600 alone with any Nikon camera body and the best news is that the Wimberley F-1 Flash Bracket fits perfectly and mounts easily. I will post a photo here soon. We will have them in stock in about three weeks.

i-Phone 8+ image in Portrait Mode by Jim Litzenberg Setting the Tripod Up in the Vehicle/Best by far with the FlexShooter Pro

The Setting up a Tripod in your Vehicle MP4 Video

$10 here in the BAA Online Store or free with your purchase of the life-changing FlexShooter Pro Head.

This seven-minute video will teach you exactly how to set up a tripod in most vehicles. You can do this with pretty much any tripod that does not have a center post. It is just one of the many reasons that I do not like or use a tripod with a center post. As I did for more than two decades, you can use this strategy with any ballhead or with a Wimberley V2 head or a Mongoose M3.6 action head, but the FlexShooter Pro has several huge advantages. First and foremost you are able to level the large silver ball. This enables you to pan with moving subjects and shoot action and even flight from the driver’s seat of your vehicle all while the camera remains 100% square to the world, aka “level.” The second big advantage is the FlexShooter Pro has a lower profile than either of the other two heads mentioned so that you can be low enough to work subjects on the ground that are relatively close to your car.

You can order your copy of this MP4 video here in BAA Online Store. It is free with the purchase of a FlexShooter Pro head. Those who have previously purchased the FlexShooter Pro from us can e-mail to request their free copy.

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%. The minimum item price here is $500 (or less for a $25 fee). If you are interested please scroll down here or 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 in no time flat. Over the past year, we have sold many dozens of items. Do know that prices on some items like the EOS-1D Mark IV, the old Canon 100-400, the old 500mm, the EOS-7D and 7D Mark II 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. You can always see the current listings by clicking here or on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.

As used gear sales have slowed a bit in recent months — especially with dSLR bodies, there are lots of great buys right now both below and on the Used Gear Page.

New Listing

Canon EOS 7D Mark II Kit with the Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5 – 5.6 IS STM Lens

IPT veteran Dane Johnson is offering a Canon EOS 7D Mark II in like-new condition (with a low shutter count of < 4700) with the Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5 - 5.6 IS STM lens (in mint condition) for the crazy low price of only $999.00 (with extras!). The sale includes the front body cap, a BG-E16 battery grip (a $209.00 value), a RRS BGE16-L L-plate (a $125 value -- no longer available new from RRS), an extra LP-E6 battery, the charger, the strap, the original product box with user documents and all cables, the front and rear caps and the original box for the 135 along with the EW-73B lens hood, and insured ground shipping via major courier to US lower 48 addresses only. Your kit will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made. Please contact Dane via e-mail or on his cell phone at 1-559-593-0989 (Pacifc time).

I loved my 7D II and to this day I am often amazed by many of the images that I created with it. It is the first choice camera body of highly skilled bird photographer BPN Avian Moderator Dan Cadieux (whose work has been featured here often — do a search in the little white box top right of each blog post for “Cadieux”), and more recently Ravi Harekatur (see the recent blog post here if you missed his great macro shots). The 18-135mm, made especially for Canon crop-factor bodies, is a great travel lens that with its 1.3 foot minimum focus distance offers macro capabilities. It alone sells new for $599.00. This is a truly great buy on an ideal starter kit for someone just getting into nature photography. Add the 100-400 II and you are good to go! artie

This image was created on the very late afternoon of May 27, 2019 down by the lake near my home. Working while seated in the front seat of my SUV, I used the Induro GIT 304L/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4E FL ED VR lens, the Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III, and the mega mega-pixel Nikon D850 DSLR. ISO 800. Matrix metering at about zero: 1/2000 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode was perfect with the red channel clipped a bit. AUTO1 WB at 8:07:06pm with some thin clouds on the western horizon. Nikon Focus Peaking fine-tune value: a very significant +9. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here. Three down and four to the left Single Continuous (C in Nikon/AI Servo with Canon) AF was active at the moment of exposure. The single AF point was placed squarely on the bird’s neck. Image #1: Osprey centered in the ball of the muted sun Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.

Photographing the Muted Ball of the Sun

I have enjoyed photographing the muted ball of the sun with long telephoto lenses and teleconverters for several decades. Unless you take extreme measures and use a complex technique to ensure eye safety, it is simply not a good plan to photograph the sun in a clear sky after it has been up for more than a very few minutes. I am pretty sure that I have covered that topic somewhere at some point … Or at least taught it on a Bosque IPT. (Note: my plan is to be leading two Bosque workshops this year, one just before and one just after Thanksgiving with an option for the whole nine yards. I will be announcing the dates and rates once I am able to secure my Special Use Permit.)

Whenever there are some light clouds or mist or fog near the horizon it is safe to photograph the sun without risking damage to your eyes (or as we will see in a blog post soon), to your camera. In years past I often worked at 1200mm when photographing muted suns in the early mornings or late afternoons, often with a crop factor camera body. It was easy to produce relatively huge in the frame suns. With Nikon, however, I pretty much max out at 840mm, the 600 VR plus the TCE-14.

While it is fun making images of muted suns, it is a lot more fun when you can include a bird in the frame and even more fun when you can silhouette the bird in the ball of the sun. The big challenge here is that the sun is effectively moving in the sky as the earth rotates; this makes positioning the bird exactly inside the sun very difficult — though the movement of the sun through the sky is very slow you do not have all day … Working from the car as I was with both of today’s images (photographed 19 seconds apart), means that you will be moving the vehicle every minute or so. In the late afternoons that means that I am moving the car backward as the sun moves to my right and in addition, maneuvering the car slightly higher on the slope that goes down to the lake so that I can keep the bird lined up with the sun …

Note that I increased the exposure 1/3 stop from Image #1 to Image #2 by decreasing the shutter speed from 1/2000 to 1/1600 second. As stressed here often on the blog it is imperative that you burn (over-expose) the RED channel (and actually the YELLOW channel as well when photographing vivid sunrise and sunsets. If you do not, the rest of the image will be rendered as underexposed mud. Proper technique also includes exposing so that you have significant blinkies on the brightest parts of the sun. That was the case with both of today’s featured images.

This image was also created on the very late afternoon of May 27, 2019 down by the lake near my home.19 second after the image above. Working while seated in the front seat of my SUV, I used the Induro GIT 304L/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4E FL ED VR lens, the Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III, and the mega mega-pixel Nikon D850 DSLR. ISO 800. Matrix metering at about zero: 1/1600 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode was perfect with the red channel clipped a bit. AUTO1 WB at 8:07:25pm with some thin clouds on the western horizon. Nikon Focus Peaking fine-tune value: a very significant +9. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here. Three down and four to the left Single Continuous (C in Nikon/AI Servo with Canon) AF was active at the moment of exposure. The single AF point was placed on the base of the bird’s neck. Image #2: Osprey was wings raised in front of the ball of the muted sun Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.

Understand …

That neither of today’s featured images would have been possible with the usual southwest winds in the afternoons. Wind against sun is what you need for silhouettes, in addition to a somewhat muted sun.

Which?

Which of the two images do you like best? Why? In what way or ways is Image #1 stronger than Image #2? In what way or ways is Image #2 stronger than Image #1?

A Great Capture One Pro 12 Tip

As mentioned above, the RED and YELLOW channels were toasted in the two RAW (NEF) files. Rather than decreasing the Exposure during the RAW conversion in Capture One, I tried moving the Highlight Slider to the right. (It is under the High Dynamic Range tab.) As I moved the slider farther and farther to the right, the RED (over-) Exposure Warnings diminished just as I got to 100. If you convert in ACR you might give this a try in similar situations. You will find Exposure Warning under View; the keyboard shortcut is Command E. It sometimes turns itself off without reason …

The Capture One Pro-12 Simplified Video Click here to order.

The Capture One Pro-12 Simplified Video

$15.00 via electronic download

As below, Capture One did a great job of converting the RAW (NEF) files for today’s featured images.

When I first heard about doing RAW conversions in Capture One Pro 12 I purchased the somewhat pricey program and tried to figure it out on my own. I was totally lost. So I did some reading online and was still very confused. Then I consulted Arash Hazeghi’s comprehensive The Nikon Photographers’ Guide to Phase One Capture One Pro e-Guide and while Arash does a great job of covering the fine points, I still had some difficulty getting started. I thought Who needs Sessions and who wants to have to Import images? So I consulted Patrick Sparkman, the BAA technical advisor. Patrick had been using C-1 Pro 12 for a while. We spent a good deal of time on FaceTime simplifying things. That video is a direct result of those conversations.

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

If you are new to Capture One Pro-12, please click here to order. Understand that C-1 Pro 12 is expensive for good reason … Are your photos worth it?

Here are some of the things you will learn in this 33+ minute video as we convert nine different RAW files (eight Nikon and one SONY) from soup to nuts, from Photo Mechanic through the RAW conversion in Capture One to Photoshop:

• 1-How to quickly and easily find your images while working in a simple file folder format.
• 2-How to customize your Exposure and Details tabs to streamline your workflow.
• 3-How to set the White and Black points using Levels.
• 4-How to adjust set the values for the relevant sliders including Exposure, White Balance, High Dynamic Range (the Highlight and Shadow sliders), and Clarity and Structure.
• 5-How to work at 100 or 200% and fine-tune your settings for Noise Reduction and Sharpness.
• 6-How to work with the Color Editor

If you are trying to get a handle on how to use this great RAW conversion engine for your Nikon and SONY images, this video is just what you have been looking for. It is meant to serve as an adjunct to Arash’s comprehensive The Nikon Photographers’ Guide to Phase One Capture One Pro e-Guide. For Canon shooters, Arash and I both recommend using DPP 4.

If In Doubt …

If 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 New BAA Online Store 🙂

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

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

I would, of course, appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links 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 will be visiting the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.

Facebook

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

Typos

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

What’s Up?

I am proud to share with you today some wonderful photographs and a truly wonderful story.

I began working on the Nikon D850 Camera User’s Guide yesterday.

It finally rained here on Saturday afternoon. Morning photography has not been great larely and yesterday light winds from the west in the morning (wind against sun) were not helpful. The forecast for this morning, Sunday June 2, 2019, is the same. But I will head down to the lake after breakfast anyway.

Huge Late-registration UK Puffins, Gannets, and Red Kites Instructional Photo-Tour Discount Increased!

The late-registration discount has been increased to $3,500.00.

In an effort to fill a single remaining slot, I have increased the the late-registration discount for this great IPT from $3,000 to $3500. See the listing on the IOT page here or e-mail for additional information.

FlexShooter Pro Updates

All previously back-ordered FlexShooter Pro heads have been shipped thanks again to those who trusted us and ordered by phone. The FlexShooter Pro is now in stock here in the BIRDS AS ART Online Store. We have the correct BigFoot plate available for all lenses but for the Nikon 600mm f/4 VR lens. Please place a phone order if you would like the plate to go with your new FlexShooter Pro head; they should be in the store by next week.

As most of you know, I am now using it for 100% of my tripod-mounted photogtraphy. See here and here to learn more. Or see the video here.

The other day I got my hands on the prototype for the new FLN-60 Bigfoot for the Nikon 600 VR. It is long enough to balance the 600 alone with any Nikon camera body and the best news is that the Wimberley F-1 Flash Bracket fits perfectly and mounts easily. I will post a photo here soon. We will have them in stock in about three weeks.

The Capture One Pro-12 Simplified Video Click here to order.

The Capture One Pro-12 Simplified Video

$15.00 via electronic download

When I first heard about doing RAW conversions in Capture One Pro 12 I purchased the somewhat pricey program and tried to figure it out on my own. I was totally lost. So I did some reading online and was still very confused. Then I consulted Arash Hazeghi’s comprehenisve The Nikon Photographers’ Guide to Phase One Capture One Pro e-Guide and while Arash does a great job of covering the fine points, I still had some difficulty getting started. I thought Who needs Sessions and who wants to have to Import images? So I consulted Patrick Sparkman, the BAA technical advisor. Patrick had been using C-1 Pro 12 for a while. We spent a good deal of time on FaceTime simplifying things. That video is a direct result of those conversations.

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

If you are new to Capture One Pro-12, please click here to order. Understand that C-1 Pro 12 is expensive for good reason … Are your photos worth it?

Here are some of the things you will learn in this 33+ minute video as we convert nine different RAW files (eight Nikon and one SONY) from soup to nuts, from Photo Mechanic through the RAW conversion in Capture One to Photoshop:

• 1-How to quickly and easily find your images while working in a simple file folder format.
• 2-How to customize your Exposure and Details tabs to streamline your workflow.
• 3-How to set the White and Black points using Levels.
• 4-How to adjust set the values for the relevant sliders including Exposure, White Balance, High Dynamic Range (the Highlight and Shadow sliders), and Clarity and Structure.
• 5-How to work at 100 or 200% and fine tune your settings for Noise Reduction and Sharpness.
• 6-How to work with the Color Editor

If you are trying to get a handle on how to use this great RAW conversion engine for your Nikon and SONY images, this video is just what you have been looking for. It is meant to serve as an adjunct to Arash’s comprehensive The Nikon Photographers’ Guide to Phase One Capture One Pro e-Guide. For Canon shooters, Arash and I both recommend using DPP 4.

BIRDS AS ART

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

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, 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 currently has several D850s in stock along with a Nikon 600mm f/4 VR. He is taking pre-orders for the new Nikon 500 P and the Nikon Z6 mirrorless camera body.

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 by Ravi Hirekatur. He used the tripod-mounted Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro USM lens with the Canon EOS 7D Mark II dSLR. ISO 800: 1/60 sec. at f/8. Image #1: Big Blue Stem with flowers Image courtesy of and copyright 2018: Ravi Hirekatur Click on this image to enjoy a larger version.

Big Blue Stem with flowers

I love everything about this image, from the soft purples, lavenders, and pinks to the super-fine detail. See what others thought about this image in Ravi’s BPN post here.

Running into the work of Ravi Hirekatur

I spend most of my time on BirdPhotographers.Net (BPN) in the Avian Forum. But our BPN motto is “it ain’t just birds!” So I do spend some time in the other forums, including especially Macro & Flora and Wildlife among others.

Last November when I was tooling around in Macro I came across Ravi’s work. I was most impressed. I loved his simple compositions, his use of soft light and pastel colors, and especially his BIRDS AS ART backgrounds. I got in touch with him via e-mail and asked him if it would be OK to use some of his images on the blog. I got this back from him:

Hi Artie,

Thanks again, Ravi

Ravi Hirekatur with family Image courtesy of and copyright 2018: Ravi Hirekatur

Ravi Hirekatur

Ravi lives in Madison, WI where he is a family practice physician for the University of Wisconsin Health system. He does most of his macro photography in and around Madison at various parks and natural areas. You can see more of his work (including some birds) on his website here.

Exemplary

adjective
1. serving as a desirable model; representing the best of its kind.

Exemplary Lives

Ravi was born in 1960 in South India in a small town near Bangalore. He later moved there; it is now a big city and software hub. He grew up in a middle-class family that drove him hard to do well in school. In 1987, he came to the US to study Industrial Engineering after completing Mechanical Engineering degree in India. He went to Kansas State University for his graduate work and was then employed in Kansas City for 4 years as an Industrial Engineer, working mainly in developing algorithms for computer controlled manufacturing. After a while, He realized that his heart was not in it. He returned to school for pre-med courses and eventually got a medical degree from the University of Kansas in Kansas City and Wichita in the year 2000. He started his training in Family Medicine at the University of New Mexico and completed his residency at the University of Wisconsin, Madison and joined the UW Health system afterwards. He has also trained in holistic medicine and the Indian system of Ayurvedic medicine. He met his wife Ann in Madison 15 years ago; she now works for the WI State Department of Natural Resources in the area of water quality. In 2013, They adopted two orphaned siblings from Ethiopia. His daughter Melkiya is 12 and is doing very well in school. She is adept in violin and piano. His son Zerihun is eight and is good at cello and piano. He is also playing basketball and wants to play in college when he grows up.

Needless to say, He had to go part-time after adopting his kids so he could spend as much time as possible with them to develop bonding. Prior to adopting his children, he was very active in international volunteering in under-served areas in Africa, and South and Central America. He also volunteered multiple times in Haiti after the earthquake in 2010. He still works part-time as a doctor. At home he does lots of cooking and cleaning and very much enjoys taking the kids around town to their various activities.

He did mostly landscape photography for about 15 years prior to adopting his kids. Then he got interested in birds after reading an article about Arthur Morris in Outdoor Photographer many years ago, probably in the late 1990s; it talked about his transition from teaching in NYC to bird photography. Ravi did some bird photography for a few years after getting Artie’s first book on bird photography. His photography came to a standstill after adopting his kids, but he started out again gradually 3-4 years ago, focusing mainly on wildflowers in Wisconsin. He does not have the time to get out much except in early mornings on warmer days, which is perfect for wildflower photography. He hopes to get back to bird photography in a few years when his kids are a little older. He also practices mindfulness meditation and he is currently working on doing wildflower photography in a meditative way.

This image was created by Ravi Hirekatur. He used the tripod-mounted Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro USM lens with the Canon EOS 7D Mark II dSLR. ISO 800: 1/200 sec. at f/5.6. Image #2: Strings and Beads Image courtesy of and copyright 2018: Ravi Hirekatur

Strings and Beads

This one is evocative of John Shaw’s work. I distincly remember his cover on Natural History magazine from about a zillion years ago; it was quite similar to Ravi’s photograph but with a grey background. What I especially love about Strings and Beads is the single large drop of water top center. Ravi wrote in his BPN post here:

I saw this spider web covered with raindrops after an early morning shower. I was able to get a few images quickly. A couple of seconds after this image was made, the entire web collapsed from the weight of water drops. Such is the impermanence of nature! That lesson is especially important for macro photographers: take the image now (not later or tomorrow) as it might be gone in an instant. I am still working on learning that one …

This image was created by Ravi Hirekatur. He used the tripod-mounted Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro USM lens with the Canon EOS 7D Mark II dSLR. ISO 800: 1/100 sec. at f/8. Image #3: Potato Beetle Image courtesy of and copyright 2018: Ravi Hirekatur

Potato Beetle

Here again I enjoy the simple image design and the soft pastel colors that turn an ordinary subject into a work of art. You can see what others had to say about this image in Ravi’s BPN post here.

This image was created by Ravi Hirekatur. He used the tripod-mounted Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro USM lens with the Canon EOS 7D Mark II dSLR. ISO 800: 1/150 sec. at f/8. Image #4: Yellow Foxtail with Milkweed seed Image courtesy of and copyright 2018: Ravi Hirekatur

Yellow Foxtail with Milkweed seed

Here is my comment at Ravi’s BPN post here:

Sublimely superb. And I love the image design as is. The soft light and your use of the d-of are both great. And the BKGR is complimentary. All in all, very well done.

This image was created by Ravi Hirekatur. He used the tripod-mounted Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro USM lens with the Canon EOS 7D Mark II dSLR. ISO 800: 1/400 sec. at f/5.6. Image #5: Sweet Coneflower (Rudbeckia subtomentosa) Image courtesy of and copyright 2018: Ravi Hirekatur

Sweet Coneflower

For this image Ravi went to a higher than usual shutter speed to freeze the slowly swaying subject. He does his RAW conversions in DPP4 and optimizes them hi Photoshop (just as I did when I was using Canon gear). He added a bit of canvas on the right as the sepal was too close to the frame-edge and softened the right lower corner with the Healing Brush Too.He selectively applied NIK Color Efex Pro Tonal Contrast (at 35% opactiy) and Detail Extractor (at 30% opacity). By focusing on the flower center and working at a relatively wide aperture Ravi gave this image a surreal look.

See what others thought about tSweet Coneflower in Ravi’s BPN post here.

This image was created by Ravi Hirekatur. He used the tripod-mounted Canon EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro USM lens with the Canon EOS 7D Mark II dSLR. ISO 800: 1/400 sec. at f/5.6. Image #6: Showy Tick Trefoil Image courtesy of and copyright 2018: Ravi Hirekatur

Showy Tick Trefoil

In Ravi’s BPN post here, I learned that this one is a simple two-frame focus stack. I have often thought about trying that with birds …

Huge Thanks!

Huge thanks to Ravi for allowing me to share his wonderful images and his story with you here. Ravi’s work is absolute proof that by being selective and having a good eye one does not need to be prolific …

Wall-Hanger?

If you could own a large print of one of Ravi’s images, which one would you select? Please leave a comment and let us know why you made your choice.

If In Doubt …

If 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 New BAA Online Store 🙂

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

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

I would of course appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links 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 will be visiting 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 :).

Huge Late-registration UK Puffins, Gannets, and Red Kites Instructional Photo-Tour Discount Increased!

In an effort to fill a single remaining slot, I have increased the the late-registration discount for this great IPT from $3,000 to $3500. Scroll down for trip details. Please e-mail for additional information.

What’s Up?

While the morning photo sessions down by the lake have slowed down a bit, my 25-minute sunset sessions had been getting better and better each night. I absolutely killed it on Monday and continue to refine my techniques and framing. On Tuesday evening I was so engrossed in watching James Holzhauer continue his unprecedented run as Jeopary champion that I forgot to go down to the lake (depsite ideal conditions) 🙁 IAC, images soon. I’ve swum at least a mile for straight days, a new record, and plan on continuing unitl I fly to northern Ontario on June 6th. I will be back in the office late in the day on June 17th.

Today’s blog post took two hours to prepare.

FlexShooter Pro Updates

Jim shipped a load of FlexShooter Pro heads yesterday; tahnks to those who trusted us and ordered by phone. The FlexShooter Pro is now in stock here in the BIRDS AS ART Online Store

. We have about ten left and have already ordered a thrid batch of 20. If you have been living in a cave for the past three weeks you can learn about this great new head — I am using it for 100% of my tripod-mounted photogtraphy — here and here. Or see the video here.

I got my hands on the prototype for the new FLN-60 Bigfoot for the Nikon 600 VR. It is long enough to balance the 600 alone with any camera body and the best news is that the Wimberley F-1 Flash Bracket fits perfectly and mounts easily. I will post a photo for Brian Small and others here soon. We will have them in stock in about three weeks.

BIRDS AS ART

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

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, 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 currently has several D850s in stock along with a Nikon 600mm f/4 VR. He is taking pre-orders for the new Nikon 500 P and the Nikon Z6 mirrorless camera body.

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 the morning of Tuesday, May 29 2019 down by the lake near my home. Working while seated in the front seat of my SUV, I used the Induro GIT 304L/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4E FL ED VR lens, the Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III, and the mega mega-pixel Nikon D850 DSLR. ISO 400. Matrix metering at about +1/3 stop: 1/1000 sec. at f/9 in Manual mode was dead-solid perfect. AUTO1 WB at 7:2am on beautiful clear morning. Nikon Focus Peaking fine-tune value: a very significant +9. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here. A single AF point one up and one to the left of the center AF point Continuous (C in Nikon/AI Servo with Canon) AF was active at the moment of exposure. The point was on the base of the crest just behind the bird’s eye. Great Blue Heron scratching Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.

The FlexShooter Pro on a Tripod in my Vehicle

Each session I become more and more comfortable and efficient at setting up the tripod inside my SUV while I am seated in the driver’s seat. It really opens up a whole new world. I will be doing a video on just how to do that as soon as we get some clouds down here. It will be offered for sale for $20 but will be free to all who have purcahsed a FlexShooter Pro from BIRDS AS ART. Once the car is re-positioned it takes only a few seconds to level the silver ball and get to work. I had been setting up the tripod in my vehicle for about 25 years using first the Wimberley V2 head and then the Mongoose M3.6 but doing flight or following action with either of those was pretty much impossible. While shooting flight and action on a trpod from your vehicle with the FlexShooter Pro is not a piece of cake (as compared to standing at full height behind your tripod, it is, as you have seen here recently 100% do-able.

Great Blue Heron scratching Before and after White Balance Adjustment

White Balance Adjustment Tip

Whether I am doing a RAW conversion in ACR or Capture One Pro 12, I use the same White Balance trick. (It also works with DPP 4.)

• 1-Note the As Shot white balance. For ths GBH scratching image this value was K5690 and as you can see in the RAW (NEF) file, the left-hand photo above, the image was too warm and the sky was grey not blue.
• 2-Do a click White Balance adjustment by clicking on the brightest whites. This lowered the WB to K3851. Now the image was much too blue.
• 3-Re-set the As Shot WB and pull the slider to the left adjusting the WB to your taste. With today’s featured image I converted at K4655 (the right-hand image above shows the un-cropped converted TIFF.

It works every time. Note: at times, you may wind up at or very close to the As Shot WB, and at other times you might wind up at or very close to the Click WB value.

Note: this is just one of the many, many dozens of great post-processing tips detailed in The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II).

The 63% Crop!

As I created a long series of images depicting the GBH scratching, I knew that the pier railing was too ugly to be included in the image; milled lumber rarely makes an attractive perch. In addition the dark shadows and the whitewash on the wood were both very distracting. But I also knew that a super-sharp 45.7MP D850 image would stand up well to a large crop. A flattened 8-bit D850 image comes in at 130MB. My cropped and flattened 8-bit optmized image came in at 48.2MB. Thus, 63% of the original pixels were cropped away. Though I used only 37% of the original image, the sharpness and fine feather detail are remarkable.

Great Blue Heron scratching The Capture One Pro 12 Loupe

The Capture One Pro 12 Loupe

One of the features that I love about Capture One Pro 12 is that it offers an adjsutable magnifying loupe (Keyboard shoartcut P.) You can set both the size of the loupe and the magnification. I opt for Large Loupe Size and 200% magnification while Patrick Sparkman keeps his at Medium and 100%. Horses for courses.

This feature is pretty much mandatory for editing SONY images because SONY does NOT embed a large JPEG in their RAW files as both Canon and Nikon do. So when I am editing in Photo Mechanic I am ubable to check my SONY images for crtical sharpness. That is where the C-1 Pro 12 Loupe comes in quite handy to say the least.

Capture One Pro 12 Simplified MP4 Video

The Capture One Pro 12 Simplified MP4 video is complete and will be posted here soon.

Images and card design copyright: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART. All of the images on this card were created on the 2018 UK Puffins and Gannets IPT

The New, Expanded 2019 UK Puffins and Gannets IPT. Seahouses, Bempton Cliffs, and the Dunbar, Scotland Gannet boat to Bass Rock! Thursday June 27 (from EDI) through Tuesday, July 9, 2019 (on the ground; fly home on Wednesday July 10.): $9,999. Limit 5 photographers/Openings: 1

Please e-mail to learn about the very large late-registration discount

Join me in the UK in late June and early July 2019 to photograph Atlantic Puffin, Common Murre, Razorbill, Shag, and Northern Gannet, Red Kite, and more both in flight and at close range. We will also have great chances with Arctic and Sandwich Terns, both with chicks of all sizes; Black-headed, Lesser-Black-backed, and Herring Gulls, many of those chasing puffins with fish; Black-legged Kittiwake with chicks; plus Grey Seal. There will be tons of great flight photography. As on all IPTs, if you pay attention, you will learn a ton, especially about sky conditions and the relationship between light angle and wind direction and their effects on flight photography.

Why go all the way to Machias Seal Island off the coast of Maine, endure a two-hour boat ride, and have to photograph Atlantic Puffins from a cramped blind usually in bright sun (and well off sun angle) when you can hop a red-eye flight from Newark, NJ and be in Edinburgh, Scotland early the next morning. First we drive down to Bridlington for easy access to Bempton Cliffs where our primary targets will be Northern Gannet in flight. We will also get to photograph Razorbill, Northern Fulmar, Herring Gull, and Black-legged Kittiwake. While in Bridlington we will spend one afternoon visiting a Red Kite feeding station that should provide lots of flight photography action.

While in Bridlington we will staying at the White Horse Inn in Cranswick, about twenty minutes from Bempton Cliffs. After 3 1/2 days of photography there, we drive down to Seahouses in Northumberland to the two lodges that will be our home base for a week. After a short boat ride each day we will have hundreds of puffins posing at close range all day, every day — usually in ideal cloudy-bright conditions. While we are in Seahouses we will do six puffin/seabird trips, all weather permitting of course; last year we did not miss a single landing. In five years we have averaged losing less than one half day per year to bad weather. We land at Staple Island in the mornings and then sail over to Inner Farnes for our afternoon sessions. In addition, we may enjoy a session or two photographing nesting Black-legged Kittiwakes at eye level from a rocky beach in Seahouses.

In Seahouses, we stay 7 nights in gorgeous, modern, upscale lodges with Wi-fi. They are beyond lovely with large living areas and lots of open space for the informal image sharing and Photoshop sessions. The bedrooms are decent-sized. Each lodge has one double bedroom and two twin bedrooms. (See the single supplement info below.) At the lodges we cook our own breakfasts each morning and prepare our own lunches to be brought on the six puffin boat trips. For dinners we will alternate cooking in the lodges with fine dining at several excellent local restaurants. We stay two nights at the Marston’s Inn in Dunbar. We will enjoy a fine-dining Thank You dinner at the Dunbar Hotel on the Tuesday evening before we fly home.

On the morning of Monday, July 8, 2019, the plan is to sleep late, pack, and head up to Dunbar Harbor, Scotland for lunch and an afternoon gannet boat chumming trip: flight photography until you cannot lift your camera. The next morning, Tuesday July 9, we will enjoy our second gannet boat chumming trip (both weather permitting). On both trips we will enjoy great views of the huge gannetry at Bass Rock. Included will be two nights lodging at the Pine Martin by Marston’s Inn in Dunbar. Very early on the morning of Wednesday, July 10, we will drive up to Edinburgh Airport so that everyone can make their flights home. No moaning please. You will need a flight that leaves at 8:30am or later. Not too much later is generally best.

Images and card design copyright: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART. All images were created on the 2017 UK Puffins and Gannets IPT

The Details

This IPT is all-inclusive except for your airfare and alcoholic beverages. All ground transportation, lodging costs, meals, your National Trust membership, and all boat, entry, and landing fees are included. Weather permitting, we will enjoy three and one-half days (at least six sessions in all) at Bempton Cliffs, an afternoon with the Red Kites, six full days on the puffin boats, one amazing afternoon gannet chumming trip, and one spectacular morning gannet chumming trip.

IPT Details

If you are good to go sharing a room–couples of course are more than welcome, heck, we actually need two couples — please send your non-refundable $2,000/person deposit check now to save a spot. Please be sure to check your schedule carefully before committing to the trip and see the travel insurance info below. Your balance will be due on February 28, 2019. Please make your check out to “Arthur Morris” and send it to Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART, PO Box 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL, 33855.

Please shoot me an e-mail if you are good to go or if you have any questions.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance for big international trips is highly recommended as we never know what life has in store for us. I strongly recommend that you purchase quality insurance. Travel Insurance Services offers a variety of plans and options. Included with the Elite Option or available as an upgrade to the Basic & Plus Options you can also purchase Cancel for Any Reason Coverage that expands the list of reasons for your canceling to include things such as sudden work or family obligation and even a simple change of mind. My family and I use and depend on the great policies offered by TIS whenever we travel. You can learn more here: Travel Insurance Services. Do note that many plans require that you purchase your travel insurance within 14 days of our cashing your deposit check or running your credit card. Whenever purchasing travel insurance, be sure to read the fine print carefully even when dealing with reputable firms like TSI.

I truly hope that you can join me on this exciting venture.

If In Doubt …

If 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 New BAA Online Store 🙂

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

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

I would of course appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links 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 will be visiting the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.

Facebook

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

Typos

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

What’s Up?

Our second shipment of twenty FlexShooter Pro heads finally arrived late on Friday. We will be shipping to those who ordered by phone on Tuesday as Monday is a holiday. I will check out the new Nikon 600 VR Bigfoot on Tuesday and let you know what I have learned. We have been enjoying perfect weather every day along with some decent morning photography and my daily swims.

The 2018 B&H/BAA Bird Photography Holiday Contest Finalists!

Thanks to the generosity of the great folks at B&H, I am proud to announce the final four for the first-ever B&H/BAA Bird Photography Holiday Contest below. Please rate the four contest finalist images as noted below. The final placement of the winning and honored images will be announced soon.

Important, to me at least …

I learned yesterday that a guy who has visited and learned from the blog for years had recently purchased the Nikon 800mm VR lens with the dedicated 1.25X teleconverter. This gentleman has never been on an IPT. He often sends me photos for my comment and usually asks a few questions. I have always answered politely and in a timely fashion. When he began sending many images in a single e-mail, I suggested that he take advantage of the image critiquing service that I offer. He never took me up on that.

He told me that he had purchased the lens from B&H so I asked if he had used my affiliate link. The answer was “No.” I let him know that had he used my link as a way to thank me for the blog and the times that I spend answering e-mails like his it would not have cost him one penny more, that it was just a great way to say “Thank you.” I also let him know that my commission on a $16,296.95 sale would have been a tidy $570.39.

If you are purchasing new photo gear from B&H or Bedford’s, I would truly appreciate your writing for advice and using my affiliate links or discount codes. Again, doing so would not cost you one cent.

Huge thanks and gobs of appreciation to those who regularly use the BAA affiliate links and discount codes. With lots of love as well.

Please note: Today’s blog post took about five months and five hours to prepare 🙂

Huge Late-registration BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour Discounts

I an effort to fill a very few remaining slots, I am offering a $3,000 late registration discount on the UK Puffins, Gannets, and Red Kite IPT (one slot) and a $4,000 late registration discount on the Galapagos Photo Cruise of a lifetime (one slot) — the world’s very best Galapagos photo trip. We do the three world-class landings twice each: North Seymour, Hood, and Tower … Join us. Click here and scroll down for the trip details. Please e-mail with questions.

BIRDS AS ART

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

Contest-Related Used Gear Sales

Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM Lens
This is NOT Joe Sobelefsky’s lens 🙂

Eric Chen is offering a Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens in like-new condition for the BAA record-low price of $6998.00. The sale includes everything that came in the orignal box including the lens trunk, the lens strap, the front lens cover, the warranty card, a Realtree Max 4 LensCoat, a RRS replacement foot, the 52mm drop-in polarizer (a $229.00 value), a LensCoat Hoodie, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower 48 US addresses only. Your lens will not ship until your check clears unless another payment method is used.

Please contact Eric via e-mail or by phone at 1-413-210-3636 (Eastern time).

The 600 II has been the state of the art super-telephoto lens for birds, nature, wildlife, and sports for many years. When I was using Canon and could get it to my location, it was always my go-to weapon. It is fast and sharp and deadly alone or with either TC. With a new one going for $9,499, you can save a cool $2501.00 by grabbing Eric’s lens now. The lighter 600 III goes for $12,999.00! artie

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/4E FL ED VR Lens
This is the very lens used to create the Painted Bunting image below

Chris Tricou is offering a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/4E FL ED VR lens in excellent condition for $8296.95. The sale includes the rear lens cap, the lens trunk, the original Nikon neoprene tough front lens cover that goes over the hood, a camo LensCoat, a black hoodie (neoprene front cover), the lens strap, the original product box, the low profile Nikon tripod 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 Chris via e-mail or by phone at 225-445-6777 (Central time).

The 500 f/4 super telephoto lenses have been the world’s most popular for birds, nature, wildlife, and sports for many decades. This is Nikon’s latest/greatest version. It is super-sharp with the TC-14E III (the 1.4X teleconverter). This lens is relatively small and can be easily hand held by some folks. It is much easier to travel with, focuses closer than, and costs a lot less than the current Nikon 600 VR. This lens sells for $10,296.95. Grab Chris’s lens asap while $2000.00 for a pretty much new lens with extras. I loved my Canon 500 II. artie

Contest-Related Advertisement

A Guide to Pleasing Blurs

In A Guide to Pleasing Blurs by Denise Ippolito and yours truly, we discuss just about every technique ever used to create pleasingly blurred images. Ninety-nine point nine percent of pleasing blurs are not happy accidents. You can learn pretty much everything that there is to know about creating them in this instructive, well-written, easy to follow, beautifully illustrated e-Guide.

Money Saving Reminder

If you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H, would enjoy free overnight shipping, and would like a $50 discount on your first purchase, 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 currently has several D850s in stock along with a Nikon 600mm f/4 VR. He is taking pre-orders for the new Nikon 500 P and the Nikon Z6 mirrorless camera body.

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 by BPN member Paul Burdett. He used the hand held Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens (at 400mm) with theC Canon crop factor body, the EOS 7D Mark II dSLR. ISO 640: 1/500 sec. at f/5.6. Image #1: New Holland Honeyeater, Tasmania Image courtesy of and copyright 2019: Paul Burdett Click on the image to enjoy a larger version

The New Holland Honeyeater Story

This bird was photographed on Bruny Island, Tasmania. The island is separated from the Tasmanian mainland by the D’Entrecasteaux Channel; its east coast abuts the Tasman Sea. The island is noted for various birds that are endemic to Tasmania, some of which are endangered. My wife and I stayed at Inala, an amazing private nature reserve on the island, where I was able to see and photograph the Forty-spotted Pardalote as well as a number of other endemic birds. This New Holland Honeyeater was spotted a few minutes after photographing the Pardalote, and posed quite nicely for me.

You can see what others (including me) thought of this image in Paul’s BPN post here.

My Thoughts and Comments

I fell in love with this bird and this image the moment I saw it on BPN. It reminded me of some sort of breeding plumage Yellow-rumped Warbler hybrid on steroids! Thanks, Paul for entering this one.

This image was created by IPT veteran and BPN member Krishna Prasad Kotti. He used the Induro ballhead-mounted Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/4E PF ED VR lens with the Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III and the mega mega-pixel Nikon D850 dSLR.. ISO 100: 1/5 sec. at f/22. Image #2: Snow Goose blast-off, Bosque del Apache NWR, NM Image courtesy of and copyright 2019: Krishna Prasad Kotti Click on the image to enjoy a larger version

The Snow Geese Blast-off at Bosque Story

This image was taken at the main pond in Bosque Del Apache NM during my trip at the end of 2018. It was early evening and I was photographing Snow Geese on the road. After a while, they took off and landed far away in the pond. All the folks who had been photographing the birds on the road left. I stood there contemplating whether I should leave for crane pools or wait to see if the flock would blast off. With a muted sun behind me and overcast conditions, I stood waiting for more than 30 minutes. I composed the image, using the distant mountains as an anchor and waited for the birds to take off. I was just about to give up when the birds blasted off.

I learned a lot on your Gatorland IPT two years ago. I study your blog religiously and have also learned a ton in the Avian Forum; I joined BPN almost 3 years ago.

My Thoughts and Comments

As many of you know, I love blurs, especially ones that are well done. And I love that Krishna incorporated many of the things he has learned on BPN and in various BAA guides as well to come up with this fine image. His story reminds me in part of the story behind Blizzard in Blue — same place, same time of year, and lots of other photographers sitting in their cars because of the cold drizzle … Blizzard in Blue was runner-up in Composition and Form in a late-1990s vintage Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition. Who’d a thunk it? Creative blurs before digital!

In A Guide to Pleasing Blurs (and elsewhere), I have written, The slower your shutter speed the less chance you have a creating a successful image but the more chance you have of creating a contest-winning image …

This image was created by IPT veteran (and former BPN member) Joe Sobelefsky. He used the tripod-mounted Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens with my favorite Canon body, the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV dSLR.. ISO 2000: 1/1000 sec. at f/4.5. Processed in DPP4. Image #3: Wood Duck pair courting Image courtesy of and copyright 2019: Joe Sobelefsky Click on the image to enjoy a larger version

The Courting Wood Ducks Story

Each winter, during the freeze, I spend time prepping a location in Harford County, Maryland for Wood Ducks. The frozen mud in the marsh makes this the only time that you can move limbs, drop stumps, clean and reposition the nest boxes, perform needed maintenance, and build blinds. The arrival of my favorite waterfowl species is a time of pure bliss for me; I spend every spare moment for about three months in my blind photographing these beautiful ducks. Watching these elusive waterfowl interact, pair up, defend boxes, lay eggs, incubate and finally fledge their ducklings brings me to a place of inner peace that I have not experienced anywhere else on earth. Even though these are wild ducks, I feel as if I know them personally by the time that move on for the year.

My Thoughts and Comments

With Joe’s image, I love the soft light and the intimacy of the image. Note that there was plenty of depth-of-field even at the nearly wide open aperture of f/4.5. Why? The distance to the birds was relatively large.

This image was created by Chris Tricou with the mono-pod mounted Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/4E FL ED VR lens with the Nikon crop factor body, the D500 dSLR. ISO 320: 1/2000 sec. at f/5. Image #4: Painted Bunting displaying male Image courtesy of and copyright 2019: Chris Tricou Click on the image to enjoy a larger version

The Painted Bunting Story

I had been exploring a piece of private property that I had been granted access to near Baton Rouge on the banks of the Mississippi River between the levee and the river itself. It is only accessible when the river is low. As I hiked I was blown away by the amazing diversity of wildlife as well as the density. I heard the calls of Painted and Indigo Buntings. I located a spot where the territories of three male painteds overlapped. I went back the next day and the light was perfect in the late afternoon. I was out of sight down by the waterline. I reached a massive excavator that I was able to hide behind and waited patiently. The birds came. This image shows one male displaying against another. I could not photograph them fighting as they were inside of the lens’s minimum focusing distance.

It was amazing to watch such beautiful birds behave as if I were not there.

My Thoughts and Comments

I love the soft light and have always loved male Painted Buntings. Heck, the ladies are not bad either. IAC, add in the spectacular naturally occurring behavior and your image will pretty much make everyone smile.

Please Rate the Four Contest Finalist Images

First off, apologies for being so tardy with the contest results. At one point I feared that I had lost all of the images and would have to re-run the contest. But once the hard drive from my first and now very defunct MacBook Pro was rescued, it was just a matter of time …

I have already made up my mind as to the contest winners and the distribution of the generous prizes from B&H but I did want to give everyone here a chance to voice their opinions. Please do so by rating the four finalist images with a numbered list from 1 to 4 with one being your contest winner. In addition, your thoughts on why you made your choices are of course welcome.

Images and card design copyright: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART. All of the images on this card were created on the 2018 UK Puffins and Gannets IPT

The New, Expanded 2019 UK Puffins and Gannets IPT. Seahouses, Bempton Cliffs, and the Dunbar, Scotland Gannet boat to Bass Rock! Thursday, June 27 (from EDI) through Tuesday, July 9, 2019 (on the ground; fly home on Wednesday, July 10.): $9,999. Limit 5 photographers/Openings: 1

Please e-mail to learn about the very large late-registration discount

Join me in the UK in late June and early July 2019 to photograph Atlantic Puffin, Common Murre, Razorbill, Shag, and Northern Gannet, Red Kite, and more both in flight and at close range. We will also have great chances with Arctic and Sandwich Terns, both with chicks of all sizes; Black-headed, Lesser-Black-backed, and Herring Gulls, many of those chasing puffins with fish; Black-legged Kittiwake with chicks; plus Grey Seal. There will be tons of great flight photography. As on all IPTs, if you pay attention, you will learn a ton, especially about sky conditions and the relationship between light angle and wind direction and their effects on flight photography.

Why go all the way to Machias Seal Island off the coast of Maine, endure a two-hour boat ride, and have to photograph Atlantic Puffins from a cramped blind usually in bright sun (and well off sun angle) when you can hop a red-eye flight from Newark, NJ and be in Edinburgh, Scotland early the next morning. First we drive down to Bridlington for easy access to Bempton Cliffs where our primary targets will be Northern Gannet in flight. We will also get to photograph Razorbill, Northern Fulmar, Herring Gull, and Black-legged Kittiwake. While in Bridlington we will spend one afternoon visiting a Red Kite feeding station that should provide lots of flight photography action.

While in Bridlington we will staying at the White Horse Inn in Cranswick, about twenty minutes from Bempton Cliffs. After 3 1/2 days of photography there, we drive down to Seahouses in Northumberland to the two lodges that will be our home base for a week. After a short boat ride each day we will have hundreds of puffins posing at close range all day, every day — usually in ideal cloudy-bright conditions. While we are in Seahouses we will do six puffin/seabird trips, all weather permitting of course; last year we did not miss a single landing. In five years we have averaged losing less than one half day per year to bad weather. We land at Staple Island in the mornings and then sail over to Inner Farnes for our afternoon sessions. In addition, we may enjoy a session or two photographing nesting Black-legged Kittiwakes at eye level from a rocky beach in Seahouses.

In Seahouses, we stay 7 nights in gorgeous, modern, upscale lodges with Wi-fi. They are beyond lovely with large living areas and lots of open space for the informal image sharing and Photoshop sessions. The bedrooms are decent-sized. Each lodge has one double bedroom and two twin bedrooms. (See the single supplement info below.) At the lodges we cook our own breakfasts each morning and prepare our own lunches to be brought on the six puffin boat trips. For dinners we will alternate cooking in the lodges with fine dining at several excellent local restaurants. We stay two nights at the Marston’s Inn in Dunbar. We will enjoy a fine-dining Thank You dinner at the Dunbar Hotel on the Tuesday evening before we fly home.

On the morning of Monday, July 8, 2019, the plan is to sleep late, pack, and head up to Dunbar Harbor, Scotland for lunch and an afternoon gannet boat chumming trip: flight photography until you cannot lift your camera. The next morning, Tuesday July 9, we will enjoy our second gannet boat chumming trip (both weather permitting). On both trips we will enjoy great views of the huge gannetry at Bass Rock. Included will be two nights lodging at the Pine Martin by Marston’s Inn in Dunbar. Very early on the morning of Wednesday, July 10, we will drive up to Edinburgh Airport so that everyone can make their flights home. No moaning please. You will need a flight that leaves at 8:30am or later. Not too much later is generally best.

Images and card design copyright: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART. All images were created on the 2017 UK Puffins and Gannets IPT

The Details

This IPT is all-inclusive except for your airfare and alcoholic beverages. All ground transportation, lodging costs, meals, your National Trust membership, and all boat, entry, and landing fees are included. Weather permitting, we will enjoy three and one-half days (at least six sessions in all) at Bempton Cliffs, an afternoon with the Red Kites, six full days on the puffin boats, one amazing afternoon gannet chumming trip, and one spectacular morning gannet chumming trip.

IPT Details

If you are good to go sharing a room–couples, of course, are more than welcome, heck, we actually need two couples — please send your non-refundable $2,000/person deposit check now to save a spot. Please be sure to check your schedule carefully before committing to the trip and see the travel insurance info below. Your balance will be due on February 28, 2019. Please make your check out to “Arthur Morris” and send it to Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART, PO Box 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL, 33855.

Please shoot me an e-mail if you are good to go or if you have any questions.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance for big international trips is highly recommended as we never know what life has in store for us. I strongly recommend that you purchase quality insurance. Travel Insurance Services offers a variety of plans and options. Included with the Elite Option or available as an upgrade to the Basic & Plus Options you can also purchase Cancel for Any Reason Coverage that expands the list of reasons for your canceling to include things such as sudden work or family obligation and even a simple change of mind. My family and I use and depend on the great policies offered by TIS whenever we travel. You can learn more here: Travel Insurance Services. Do note that many plans require that you purchase your travel insurance within 14 days of our cashing your deposit check or running your credit card. Whenever purchasing travel insurance, be sure to read the fine print carefully even when dealing with reputable firms like TSI.

I truly hope that you can join me on this exciting venture.

If In Doubt …

If 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 New BAA Online Store 🙂

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

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

I would, of course, appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links 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 will be visiting 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 :).

The FlexShooter Pro Video

Click on the Play Arrow above to view this 17 1/2 minute instructional video.

Click here for detailed written instructions on setting up and leveling the FlexShooter Pro, the ballhead that acts like a gimbal head only better.

Click here to learn about shooting flight with the FlexShooter Pro.

Click here to purchase.

FlexShooter Pro Update: May 22, 2019

For incomprehensible reasons, our DHL shipment is being delayed despite the fact that I paid the duties and taxes online over the weekend. It is likely that it will be here fairly soon … We are presently hoping for this Thursday …

We’ve now sold eight of the 20 FlexShooter Pro heads that we will be receiving when our next shipment arrives. To ensure getting theirs, folks are encouraged to place their orders asap by phone: 863-692-0906. Your card will not be charged until your head ships.

It is fun to be changing the world of nature photography one head at time …

FlexShooter Pro labeled set-up diagram

In the video, I was a bit unclear as to when I position the bubble on the right (as in Image #1 below), and when I position it to the rear (as in Image #2 below). It takes a bit of wiggling and twisting to reposition the bubble. Here is a tip: start with both the Large Silver Ball Lever (unseen in both images below) and the Silver Bullet Knob loosened.

Side-view of FlexShooter Pro with the 600 VR on the tripod

Image #1: Side-view of FlexShooter Pro with the 600 VR on the tripod

When I will be photographing with the lens on the FlexShooter Pro while standing behind my tripod, I will almost always position the bubble as shown above with the bubble to the right of the lens, the clamp knob on the near-right, and the silver bullet knob on the near-left (the latter unseen in the photo above). This allows me to simply lean to my right for a clear line of sight view when I need to center the bubble on the FlexShooter Pro in the scribed circle.

Image #2: Rear-view of FlexShooter Pro in the car without a lens mounted

A Rear-view of FlexShooter Pro in the car without a lens mounted

When I am working off the tripod in a vehicle, seated behind the tripod in the field, or will be standing in one spot for a good while doing flight photography in a productive spot like Bosque del Apache NWR in New Mexico, it is easiest to level the FlexShooter Pro without the lens mounted with the bubble at the rear of the head (as seen in the photo above). Note that the clamp knob is positioned on my right with the silver bullet knob to my left. When seated on the ground or in a vehicle it is easiest to center the bubble in the scribed circle with the bubble positioned to the rear as seen in the photo above. If it is on the right (as in image #1), it is pretty impossible to see the bubble as it will be blocked by the lens …

Questions Welcome

All FlexShooter questions are welcome; please leave a comment below and I will get back to you.

Huge Late-registration Instructional Photo-Tour Discounts Made Public

I an effort to fill a very few remaining slots, I am offering a $3,000 late registration discount on the UK Puffins, Gannets, and Red Kite IPT (one slot) and a $4,000 late registration discount on the Galapagos Photo Cruise of a lifetime (one or two slots) — the world’s very best Galapagos photo trip. We do the three world-class landings twice each: North Seymour, Hood, and Tower … Click here and scroll down for the trip details. Please e-mail with questions.

What’s Up?

The weather has finally turned gorgeous here at ILE. Friday morning down by the lake was so-so and after a slow start Saturday offered many excellent chances under clear skies with a developing east wind. With the Nikon 500 PF with a D850 on it, the 500 PF — the subject of today’s blog post — shined and I created a slew of great flight shots of landing Black Vultures and an Osprey landing on nest atop a utility pole. In the last sequence it was carrying a fresh-caught (with the head still on!) bream for its three large, nearly-fledged chicks. Images and story here soon. I enjoyed my 50- and 100-length swims on Friday and Saturday afternoons respectively (88 lengths to the mile).

As the weather looks perfect for this morning, Sunday, May 19, 2019, I will be heading down to the lake at about 7am. I am continuing to experiment with Nikon single point AF vs. D9 AF and Grouop AF. I will of course share what I have learned here on the blog when I am absolutely sure of what I am learning.

Huge Late-registration Instructional Photo-Tour Discounts Made Public

I an effort to fill a very few remaining slots, I am offering a $3,000 late registration discount on the UK Puffins, Gannets, and Red Kite IPT (one slot) and a $4,000 late registration discount on the Galapagos Photo Cruise of a lifetime (one or two slots) — the world’s very best Galapagos photo trip. We do the three world-class landings twice each: North Seymour, Hood, and Tower … Join us. Click here and scroll down for the trip details. Please e-mail with questions.

FlexShooter Pro Updates

We’ve now sold six of the 20 FlexShooter Pro heads that we will be receiving next Monday or Tuesday. Folks are encouraged to place their orders asap by phone: 863-692-0906. Your card will not be charged until your head ships. Once folks have a chance to play with a friend’s FlexShooter Pro or run across me in the field with my 600 VR, I expect sales to boom. Think that I am full of it? Do you remember when everyone used Gitzo tripods? Today, all that you see in the world of nature photography are Induro tripods. Folks always gravitate to gear that is better, well made, more efficient, and less expensive …

I do have one barely used FlexShooter Pro head, the one with the very slightly smaller knob (11/16″ vs 7/8″) for sale. If I had not mentioned the difference in the size of the knobs, nobody would have noticed. In any case, if you would like to save $50, I’d be glad to sell it for $549.00. Phone orders only: 1-863-692-0906 Saturday or Sunday afternoon or any weekday. I will be sharing the info on the BigFoot lens feet here soon. Basically, we have BigFeet for most Canon big glass; the BigFeet for Nikon big glass are being re-designed and manufactured as we speak.

BIRDS AS ART

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

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, 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 currently has several D850s in stock along with a Nikon 600mm f/4 VR. He is taking pre-orders for the new Nikon 500 P and the Nikon Z6 mirrorless camera body.

Booking.Com

Many IPT folks have been using the Booking.Com link below to get great rates and save a handsome $25.00 in the process. If you too would like to give Booking.Com a shot, click here and to earn a $25 reward on your first booking. Thanks to the many who have already tried and used this great service.

Airbnb

I enjoyed another great inexpensive AirBNB on the recently concluded 2019 Fort DeSoto Sandbar Secrets IPT. For the past year, I have been using AirBNB for all of my travel lodging needs. Everyone on the Fort DeSoto Spring IPT stayed at AirBNB properties in Gulfport. Airbnb lists more than 4.5 million homes across 200 countries; you’ll find spacious, affordable options for every occasion. With Airbnb you will travel with confidence as reviews from past guests help you find the right fit. Once you do, their secure messaging makes it easy to coordinate with your host. And Airbnb support teams are available 24/7. And this morning, I made a 17-day reservation for an Airbnb condo for San Diego, 2020. I am staying with Rick again: his place has lots of room, a full kitchen, two bedrooms, and great WiFi. All for a lot less than the price of a chain hotel.

Yikes. I almost forgot the best part: Airbnb rates average less than half of even the least expensive chain hotels and motels. If you would like to save $40 on your first booking sign up by using this link: Airbnb. Airbnb does charge clean-up and service fees that make short stays less attractive bargains than long stays.

Those who prefer to stay in a motel or hotel are invited to use the Booking.com link above to save $25.00.

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 near Santiago, Chile on the way to the Falklands last December. I used the hand held Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR lens with the Nikon D5 with Dual XQD Slots. Matrix metering plus about 1/3 stop as framed: 1/2000 sec. at f/5.6. NATURAL AUTO WB at 9:49am on a cloudy day. Nikon Focus Peaking fine-tune value: -1. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here. Center Group (grp)/Continuous (C in Nikon/AI Servo with Canon) AF was active at the moment of exposure. The array was centered right on the bird’s neck. The left-most AF point caught the base of tghe bird’s bill. Inca Tern in flight with fish

If My Life Depended on Making One Great Flight Shot …

If my life depended on making one great flight shot, what hand holdable (for me) lens would I want in my hands? As part of the deal, understand that the birds are fairly large and the distances to the subject are not great.

Today, Sunday May 17, 2019, I have no doubt about my answer. I would opt for the Nikon 500mm PF lens. But I would go with the D850 instead of the D5. Why the 500 PF? Confidence is often difficult to explain. The 500 PF feels great in my hands, Nikon AF is superb, and this lens is light enough to make tracking birds in flight fairly easy for most folks including me. While I have — as you saw in the blog post here — done just fine recently with the tripod-mounted 600 VR on the FlexShooter Pro, I find that hand holding and tracking and framing the images of birds in flight is always at least a tad easier and yields more consistent results when hand holding.

The final reason? For the past year, nearly all of my favorite flight images have been made while hand holding the 500 PF/D850 rig.

Why Not the SONY FE 100-400 OSS with the a9 or the a7R iii?

Right off the bat going with the SONY 100-400 and the a9 with its light weight, incredible AF system, no blackout, and 15 frames per second in AF-C might seem the obvious choice. But I have never been thrilled with a9 image quality. Image quality with the a7R iii is superb but the AF and frame rate are somewhat lacking when compared to the a9. In addition, the 500 PF offers an extra 100mm of reach at f/5.6. Adding the FE 1.4X teleconverter to the SONY zoom gets you out to 560mm but the
cost is steep: one full stop of ISO. And right now I simply lack confidence in the SONY gear. A good deal of that is due to the fact that I have had a lot more field time and practice with the Nikon gear.

What will be in one year? I have no clue.

Patrick Sparkman uses his a7R iii with the SONY FE 400mm f/2.8 OSS lens for more than 95% of his bird photography, most often — about 80% of the time, with the FE 2X teleconverter in place. He uses his a9 mostly as a back-up body and ocassionally in pure flight situations. As I wrote in the My General SONY Conclusions … section of the blog post here:

There is a huge pool of nature and bird photographers who, as Jim Miller has discovered, for whom the SONY stuff above might be their very best option. By miles. Why? It is lightweight — what a pleasure it is to head into the field with just a single, hand holdable rig — and with a bit of instruction, it is easy to learn to use. And 560mm of reach is not chicken liver. Right now it is my firm belief that SONY gear is well up to the task of delivering sharp quality images, all while you are having more fun than ever before. And are creating outstanding images.

If you decide to try or switch to SONY, please e-mail for advice and please remember to use a BAA affilate link.

You?

If your life depended on making one great flight image, what rig would you use? Be sure to note the system, the lens, and the camera body.

Images and card design copyright: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART. All of the images on this card were created on the 2018 UK Puffins and Gannets IPT

The New, Expanded 2019 UK Puffins and Gannets IPT. Seahouses, Bempton Cliffs, and the Dunbar, Scotland Gannet boat to Bass Rock! Thursday June 27 (from EDI) through Tuesday, July 9, 2019 (on the ground; fly home on Wednesday July 10.): $9,999. Limit 5 photographers/Openings: 1

Please e-mail to learn about the very large late-registration discount

Join me in the UK in late June and early July 2019 to photograph Atlantic Puffin, Common Murre, Razorbill, Shag, and Northern Gannet, Red Kite, and more both in flight and at close range. We will also have great chances with Arctic and Sandwich Terns, both with chicks of all sizes; Black-headed, Lesser-Black-backed, and Herring Gulls, many of those chasing puffins with fish; Black-legged Kittiwake with chicks; plus Grey Seal. There will be tons of great flight photography. As on all IPTs, if you pay attention, you will learn a ton, especially about sky conditions and the relationship between light angle and wind direction and their effects on flight photography.

Why go all the way to Machias Seal Island off the coast of Maine, endure a two-hour boat ride, and have to photograph Atlantic Puffins from a cramped blind usually in bright sun (and well off sun angle) when you can hop a red-eye flight from Newark, NJ and be in Edinburgh, Scotland early the next morning. First we drive down to Bridlington for easy access to Bempton Cliffs where our primary targets will be Northern Gannet in flight. We will also get to photograph Razorbill, Northern Fulmar, Herring Gull, and Black-legged Kittiwake. While in Bridlington we will spend one afternoon visiting a Red Kite feeding station that should provide lots of flight photography action.

While in Bridlington we will staying at the White Horse Inn in Cranswick, about twenty minutes from Bempton Cliffs. After 3 1/2 days of photography there, we drive down to Seahouses in Northumberland to the two lodges that will be our home base for a week. After a short boat ride each day we will have hundreds of puffins posing at close range all day, every day — usually in ideal cloudy-bright conditions. While we are in Seahouses we will do six puffin/seabird trips, all weather permitting of course; last year we did not miss a single landing. In five years we have averaged losing less than one half day per year to bad weather. We land at Staple Island in the mornings and then sail over to Inner Farnes for our afternoon sessions. In addition, we may enjoy a session or two photographing nesting Black-legged Kittiwakes at eye level from a rocky beach in Seahouses.

In Seahouses, we stay 7 nights in gorgeous, modern, upscale lodges with Wi-fi. They are beyond lovely with large living areas and lots of open space for the informal image sharing and Photoshop sessions. The bedrooms are decent-sized. Each lodge has one double bedroom and two twin bedrooms. (See the single supplement info below.) At the lodges we cook our own breakfasts each morning and prepare our own lunches to be brought on the six puffin boat trips. For dinners we will alternate cooking in the lodges with fine dining at several excellent local restaurants. We stay two nights at the Marston’s Inn in Dunbar. We will enjoy a fine-dining Thank You dinner at the Dunbar Hotel on the Tuesday evening before we fly home.

On the morning of Monday, July 8, 2019, the plan is to sleep late, pack, and head up to Dunbar Harbor, Scotland for lunch and an afternoon gannet boat chumming trip: flight photography until you cannot lift your camera. The next morning, Tuesday July 9, we will enjoy our second gannet boat chumming trip (both weather permitting). On both trips we will enjoy great views of the huge gannetry at Bass Rock. Included will be two nights lodging at the Pine Martin by Marston’s Inn in Dunbar. Very early on the morning of Wednesday, July 10, we will drive up to Edinburgh Airport so that everyone can make their flights home. No moaning please. You will need a flight that leaves at 8:30am or later. Not too much later is generally best.

Images and card design copyright: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART. All images were created on the 2017 UK Puffins and Gannets IPT

The Details

This IPT is all-inclusive except for your airfare and alcoholic beverages. All ground transportation, lodging costs, meals, your National Trust membership, and all boat, entry, and landing fees are included. Weather permitting, we will enjoy three and one-half days (at least six sessions in all) at Bempton Cliffs, an afternoon with the Red Kites, six full days on the puffin boats, one amazing afternoon gannet chumming trip, and one spectacular morning gannet chumming trip.

IPT Details

If you are good to go sharing a room–couples of course are more than welcome, heck, we actually need two couples — please send your non-refundable $2,000/person deposit check now to save a spot. Please be sure to check your schedule carefully before committing to the trip and see the travel insurance info below. Your balance will be due on February 28, 2019. Please make your check out to “Arthur Morris” and send it to Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART, PO Box 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL, 33855.

Please shoot me an e-mail if you are good to go or if you have any questions.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance for big international trips is highly recommended as we never know what life has in store for us. I strongly recommend that you purchase quality insurance. Travel Insurance Services offers a variety of plans and options. Included with the Elite Option or available as an upgrade to the Basic & Plus Options you can also purchase Cancel for Any Reason Coverage that expands the list of reasons for your canceling to include things such as sudden work or family obligation and even a simple change of mind. My family and I use and depend on the great policies offered by TIS whenever we travel. You can learn more here: Travel Insurance Services. Do note that many plans require that you purchase your travel insurance within 14 days of our cashing your deposit check or running your credit card. Whenever purchasing travel insurance, be sure to read the fine print carefully even when dealing with reputable firms like TSI.

I truly hope that you can join me on this exciting venture.

If In Doubt …

If 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 New BAA Online Store 🙂

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

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

I would of course appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links 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 will be visiting the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.

Facebook

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

Typos

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

What’s Up?

Before my (slow) mile swim yesterday afternoon, I created a 17-minute introductory FlexShooter Pro video on my I-Phone. I should be able to get it posted here on the blog in a day or two … 🙂

We’ve now sold five of the 20 FlexShooter Pro heads that we will be receiving in our next shipment. Folks are encouraged to place their orders now by phone; your card will not be charged until your head ships. Once folks have a chance to play with a friend’s FlexShooter Pro, or run across me in the field with my 600 VR, I expect sales to boom. Think that I am full of it? Do you remember when everyone used Gitzo tripods? Today, all that you see in the world of nature photography are Induro tripods. Folks always gravitate to gear that is better, well made, more efficient, and less expensive …

I do have one barely used FlexShooter Pro head, the one with the very slightly smaller knob (11/16″ vs 7/8″) for sale. If I had not mentioned the difference in the size of the knobs, nobody would have noticed. In any case, if you would like to save $50, I’d be glad to sell it for $549.00. Phone orders only: 1-863-692-0906 Saturday or Sunday afternoon or any weekday. I will be sharing the info on the BigFoot lens feet here soon. Basically, we have BigFeet for most Canon big glass; the BigFeet for Nikon big glass are being re-designed and manufactured.

Important Note

By picking your favorite image and explaining why you made your choice you are improving your own editing and image evaluation skills and making yourself a better photographer. As the blog is designed to be interactive, try it. You just might like it and you just might learn something. 🙂

(Possibly) the Last Gatorland In-the-Field Session of the Season: Saturday, May 18, 2019.

I could do either Friday or Sunday as well …

The photo opps at Gatorland last Saturday were better than I expected and the Cattle Egrets finally showed up so I have decided to run this at least once more.

Join me at Gatorland this coming weekend and learn a ton. As you can see below, the Cattle Egrets in breeding plumage are specatular, and we might even have a shot at some nesting Little Blue Herons. There will still be lots of white chicks of all sizes. There were still one Snowy Egret nest with eggs on my last visit. Learn to shoot in the shade on sunny days! Most folks who visit Gatorland simply have no clue. Join me to learn how to photograph at easily accessible rookeries. An intermediate telephoto lens is all that you will need. I will have two of those and my 600 VR. Learn to think and see like a pro. A loaner FlexShooter Pro will likely be available.

Morning Session — 7-10am: $200.00
Morning Session with a 90-minute working lunch including image review and Photoshop: $300.00.

Call 863-692-0906 to register. I go with one!

Like Puffins?

Scroll down to save a ton of money.

BIRDS AS ART

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

Lessons From the Field/BIRDS AS ART Style is a 1 hour, 15 minute, 314 image, click and play MP4 video

Lessons From the Field/BIRDS AS ART Style: $10.00

Click here to order or see the Save $10 Bundle offer below.

Lessons From the Field/BIRDS AS ART Style is a 1 hour, 15 minute click and play MP4 video. It is available here in the BAA Online Store, by phone order, or by sending a Paypal for $10.00 to birdsasart@verizon.net. As the file is a large one, be sure to upload it when you have a good internet connection.

The video features 314 of artie’s best images, educational and otherwise. Based on his 35 years of in-the-field experience, it covers all the basics along with many fine points. Are you making mistakes that give you no chance to create a great image? Learning to avoid those and learning to think like a pro will make you a better photographer. If you purchase and study the video, it will surely prove to be the best ten dollars you’ve ever spent on photography.

Save Ten Bucks!

Order the Lessons From the Field MP4 video and add a copy of the birds as art: The Avian Photography of Arthur Morris/The Top 100 (via convenient download — normally sells for $20.00) for an additional 10.00.

Order the bundle for $20.00 by clicking here.

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, 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 currently has several D850s in stock along with a Nikon 600mm f/4 VR. He is taking pre-orders for the new Nikon 500 P and the Nikon Z6 mirrorless camera body.

Booking.Com

Many IPT folks have been using the Booking.Com link below to get great rates and save a handsome $25.00 in the process. If you too would like to give Booking.Com a shot, click here and to earn a $25 reward on your first booking. Thanks to the many who have already tried and used this great service.

Airbnb

I enjoyed another great inexpensive AirBNB on the recently concluded 2019 Fort DeSoto Sandbar Secrets IPT. For the past year, I have been using AirBNB for all of my travel lodging needs. Everyone on the Fort DeSoto Spring IPT stayed at AirBNB properties in Gulfport. Airbnb lists more than 4.5 million homes across 200 countries; you’ll find spacious, affordable options for every occasion. With Airbnb you will travel with confidence as reviews from past guests help you find the right fit. Once you do, their secure messaging makes it easy to coordinate with your host. And Airbnb support teams are available 24/7. And this morning, I made a 17-day reservation for an Airbnb condo for San Diego, 2020. I am staying with Rick again: his place has lots of room, a full kitchen, two bedrooms, and great WiFi. All for a lot less than the price of a chain hotel.

Yikes. I almost forgot the best part: Airbnb rates average less than half of even the least expensive chain hotels and motels. If you would like to save $40 on your first booking sign up by using this link: Airbnb. Airbnb does charge clean-up and service fees that make short stays less attractive bargains than long stays.

Those who prefer to stay in a motel or hotel are invited to use the Booking.com link above to save $25.00.

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 last Saturday’s Gatorland In-the-Field session with Terry Tsuchiyama. I used the Induro GIT 304L/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4E FL ED VR lens and the mega mega-pixel Nikon D850 DSLR. ISO 800. Matrix metering at about -1/3 stop: 1/4000 sec. at f/7.1 in Manual mode was perfect with the histogram pushed all the way to the right. AUTO1 WB at 7:40am on a clear, sunny morning. Nikon Focus Peaking fine-tune value: +3. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here. Center Group (grp) Continuous (C in Nikon/AI Servo with Canon) AF was active at the moment of exposure. As originally framed the array was centered on the bird’s rear flank yet the image is sharp on the eye. That is the wonder of Group for flight … Image #1: Breeding plumage Cattle Egret making a short flight near its nest Be sure to click on the image to see a larger version and better enjoy the sharpness.

Anticipation

The more you learn about bird behavior, the better bird photographer you will become. Do note that bird behavior is often repetitive. As we were setting up, I called out to Terry, “Move to your right; there are two Cattle Egrets flopping around in the bush.” They quit as I finished setting up the 600 VR on the FlexShooter Pro but got in position anyway. I set the exposure at -1/3 on a bird perched in the bush and then the behavior repeated. I made two frames; both were sharp. This is the first of the two.

This image was also created on last Saturday’s Gatorland In-the-Field session with Terry Tsuchiyama. I used the Induro GIT 304L/FlexShooter Pro-mounted Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4E FL ED VR lens, the Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III, and the mega mega-pixel Nikon D850 DSLR. ISO 800. Matrix metering at about +2/3 stop: 1/250 sec. at f/7.1 in Manual mode was perfect with the histogram pushed all the way to the right. AUTO1 WB at 8:01am in the shade of a large bush. Nikon Focus Peaking fine-tune value: a very significant +9. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here. A single AF point (two left of center) using Continuous (C in Nikon/AI Servo with Canon) AF was active at the moment of exposure. The point was squarely on the bird’s eye. I might be onto something there … Image #2: Breeding plumage Cattle Egret head portrait

Group AF in Low Light …

I have a theory. As regular readers know I have been having sharpness problems with my 600VR/TC-E14/D850 set-ups for several months. I think that possibly my reliance on Group AF when using the 1.4X teleconverter might be the cause of my problems. In low light, all of the images made with Group AF were noticeably soft. Once I went to Single Point the images were consistently sharp. So why do I use Group so much for static subjects: it seems to hold focus much better than single point so it offers some sort of security. My plan is to use Single Point for static birds and experiment with D-9 when I want a bit more Af security …

If you are a Nikon user with a 600 VR and the TC-E14 I would love to hear your thoughts on this subject.

This image was also created on last Saturday’s Gatorland In-the-Field session with Terry Tsuchiyama.I used the hand held Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x teleconverter (at 560mm) and the mega-high mega-pixel Sony Alpha a7R III Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 1000: 1/200 sec. at f/9 in Manual mode. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear dial … AWB at 9:46am in the shade of a shelter. Expand Flexible Spot on the bird’s right eye. Image #3: Face portrait of large Snowy Egret chick

SONY for Close Work

As we have seen here before, the SONY 100-400 OSS lens with or without the FE 1.4X teleconverter is superb when working at close range with tame birds. The .98 meter (3 feet 2 1/2 inches) matches the close focus of the Canon 100-400 II and OSS (Optical Steady Shot) technology in the 100-400 FE and the 5-axis SteadyShot INSIDE image stabilization in the a7R iii minimize the effects of camera and lens shake when shooting handheld at relatively slow shutter speeds.

With the teleconverter in play you have a lightweight rig that is easily hand holdable and offers 11.2X magnification (at 560mm). And with the a7R iii you enjoy superb 44MP image quality and the ability to work at some very slow shutter speeds. Hand holding is a huge advantage when working in tight spots at distraction-filled nesting bird rookeries. Note that for the image below I used one of my patented Gatorland techniques to get a relatively clean look at the nest.

This image was also created on last Saturday’s Gatorland In-the-Field session with Terry Tsuchiyama. Again I used the hand held Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x teleconverter (at 560mm) and the mega-high mega-pixel Sony Alpha a7R III Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 1600: 1/250 sec. at f/9 in Manual mode. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear dial … AWB at 10:01am in the shade of a shelter on a now cloudy morning. Expand Flexible Spot on the bird’s right eye. Image #4: Small Snowy Egret chick in the nest with siblings

Two System Insanity

For many, many year I assumed that attempting to work with two systems — in this case Nikon and SONY — would be pure insanity.

Here are some of the negatives:

1- Confusion operating different cameras from different manufacturers leads to lost time and missed images.

2- You need to travel with at least four camera bodies and with different batteries and battery chargers. And of course, with different lenses and teleconverters.

Can you think of any others?

Or Not?

I am actually quite comfortable working with the Nikon 600 VR and the SONY 100-400 OSS and their respective 1.4X teleconverters. Recently I have been using the 600VR without the TC more than I had in the past and go both ways with the SONY stuff, using the a7R iii with the TC a lot more than I expected to. The Nikon 600 gives me speed (at f/4) when I need it and 840mm of reach. The SONY stuff gives me amazing close focus and is hand holdable at 560mm. I know for sure that I will not be bringing the 600 VR on the Galapagos trip and will be bringing the SONY stuff with both bodies along with the Nikon 500 PF and my two D850 bodies. There are no camera stores or Fed-X deliveries in the archipelago.

On US-based trips where I need to bring the 600VR, I will likely ship some stuff to my location. But that leads me scratching my head as far as the upcoming UK Puffins and Gannets and Red Kites trip …

Your Favorite?

Which of today’s four featured images is your favorite? Be sure to let us know why.

SONY A9 Getting Started Guide with Video

If you are just getting started with your SONY a9 body and would like to know how to set the menu items that are relevant to bird photography, please send a Paypal for $22.00 to e-mail with SONY Quick Start Guide in the Subject line or at least somewhere in the e-mail. The guide also includes the best Focus Areas to use for photographing birds both in flight and action and at rest. Along with my comments.

Get a Free Copy!

If you have used my B&H or Bedford affiliate link to purchase a SONY a9 or the Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS Lens please shoot me your receipt via e-mail along with a request for your free copy of the SONY Quick Start Guide. Once I confirm that you have used the link correctly you will receive your guide with a link to the video via e-mail.

Images and card design copyright: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART. All of the images on this card were created on the 2018 UK Puffins and Gannets IPT

The New, Expanded 2019 UK Puffins and Gannets IPT. Seahouses, Bempton Cliffs, and the Dunbar, Scotland Gannet boat to Bass Rock! Thursday June 27 (from EDI) through Tuesday, July 9, 2019 (on the ground; fly home on Wednesday July 10.): $9,999. Limit 5 photographers/Openings: 1

Please e-mail to learn about the very large late-registration discount

Join me in the UK in late June and early July 2019 to photograph Atlantic Puffin, Common Murre, Razorbill, Shag, and Northern Gannet, Red Kite, and more both in flight and at close range. We will also have great chances with Arctic and Sandwich Terns, both with chicks of all sizes; Black-headed, Lesser-Black-backed, and Herring Gulls, many of those chasing puffins with fish; Black-legged Kittiwake with chicks; plus Grey Seal. There will be tons of great flight photography. As on all IPTs, if you pay attention, you will learn a ton, especially about sky conditions and the relationship between light angle and wind direction and their effects on flight photography.

Why go all the way to Machias Seal Island off the coast of Maine, endure a two-hour boat ride, and have to photograph Atlantic Puffins from a cramped blind usually in bright sun (and well off sun angle) when you can hop a red-eye flight from Newark, NJ and be in Edinburgh, Scotland early the next morning. First we drive down to Bridlington for easy access to Bempton Cliffs where our primary targets will be Northern Gannet in flight. We will also get to photograph Razorbill, Northern Fulmar, Herring Gull, and Black-legged Kittiwake. While in Bridlington we will spend one afternoon visiting a Red Kite feeding station that should provide lots of flight photography action.

While in Bridlington we will staying at the White Horse Inn in Cranswick, about twenty minutes from Bempton Cliffs. After 3 1/2 days of photography there, we drive down to Seahouses in Northumberland to the two lodges that will be our home base for a week. After a short boat ride each day we will have hundreds of puffins posing at close range all day, every day — usually in ideal cloudy-bright conditions. While we are in Seahouses we will do six puffin/seabird trips, all weather permitting of course; last year we did not miss a single landing. In five years we have averaged losing less than one half day per year to bad weather. We land at Staple Island in the mornings and then sail over to Inner Farnes for our afternoon sessions. In addition, we may enjoy a session or two photographing nesting Black-legged Kittiwakes at eye level from a rocky beach in Seahouses.

In Seahouses, we stay 7 nights in gorgeous, modern, upscale lodges with Wi-fi. They are beyond lovely with large living areas and lots of open space for the informal image sharing and Photoshop sessions. The bedrooms are decent-sized. Each lodge has one double bedroom and two twin bedrooms. (See the single supplement info below.) At the lodges we cook our own breakfasts each morning and prepare our own lunches to be brought on the six puffin boat trips. For dinners we will alternate cooking in the lodges with fine dining at several excellent local restaurants. We stay two nights at the Marston’s Inn in Dunbar. We will enjoy a fine-dining Thank You dinner at the Dunbar Hotel on the Tuesday evening before we fly home.

On the morning of Monday, July 8, 2019, the plan is to sleep late, pack, and head up to Dunbar Harbor, Scotland for lunch and an afternoon gannet boat chumming trip: flight photography until you cannot lift your camera. The next morning, Tuesday July 9, we will enjoy our second gannet boat chumming trip (both weather permitting). On both trips we will enjoy great views of the huge gannetry at Bass Rock. Included will be two nights lodging at the Pine Martin by Marston’s Inn in Dunbar. Very early on the morning of Wednesday, July 10, we will drive up to Edinburgh Airport so that everyone can make their flights home. No moaning please. You will need a flight that leaves at 8:30am or later. Not too much later is generally best.

Images and card design copyright: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART. All images were created on the 2017 UK Puffins and Gannets IPT

The Details

This IPT is all-inclusive except for your airfare and alcoholic beverages. All ground transportation, lodging costs, meals, your National Trust membership, and all boat, entry, and landing fees are included. Weather permitting, we will enjoy three and one-half days (at least six sessions in all) at Bempton Cliffs, an afternoon with the Red Kites, six full days on the puffin boats, one amazing afternoon gannet chumming trip, and one spectacular morning gannet chumming trip.

IPT Details

If you are good to go sharing a room–couples of course are more than welcome, heck, we actually need two couples — please send your non-refundable $2,000/person deposit check now to save a spot. Please be sure to check your schedule carefully before committing to the trip and see the travel insurance info below. Your balance will be due on February 28, 2019. Please make your check out to “Arthur Morris” and send it to Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART, PO Box 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL, 33855.

Please shoot me an e-mail if you are good to go or if you have any questions.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance for big international trips is highly recommended as we never know what life has in store for us. I strongly recommend that you purchase quality insurance. Travel Insurance Services offers a variety of plans and options. Included with the Elite Option or available as an upgrade to the Basic & Plus Options you can also purchase Cancel for Any Reason Coverage that expands the list of reasons for your canceling to include things such as sudden work or family obligation and even a simple change of mind. My family and I use and depend on the great policies offered by TIS whenever we travel. You can learn more here: Travel Insurance Services. Do note that many plans require that you purchase your travel insurance within 14 days of our cashing your deposit check or running your credit card. Whenever purchasing travel insurance, be sure to read the fine print carefully even when dealing with reputable firms like TSI.

I truly hope that you can join me on this exciting venture.

If In Doubt …

If 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 New BAA Online Store 🙂

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

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

I would of course appreciate your using our B&H affiliate links 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 will be visiting the New BIRDS AS ART Online Store as well.

Facebook

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

Typos

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

What’s Up?

I woke very early on Sunday May 12 and met retired Boeing materials engineer Terry Tsuchiyama — visiting from Seattle, WA — for a morning of instruction at Gatorland. As on my last visit, I found fewer birds than in any year in recent memory. But again, the photography was very good to excellent for those able to spot the good situations. We had a great time and Terry particularly enjoyed our working lunch. He had wanted to learn the NeatImage noise reduction techniques that I use, those detailed in Arash Hazeghi’s The Professional Post Processing e-Guide Based on NeatImage V 8.2. As this is an advanced technique, I created a six-minute Camtasia MP.4 video just for Terry. To introduce folks to our MP.4 videos I’d be glad to send all a free copy. Simply shoot me an e-mail to get your free copy.

We had so much fun that I did not get home from the “morning session” until 3:30pm. (I-4 was standing still from Orlando seemingly to Tampa so I had to take the scenic route. After my nap I was greeted by an afternoon of thunder and lightning so I wound up having dinner first and then getting in the pool when it was just about dark for a quick 50 lengths. On Saturday I did an even 100. 88 lengths is one mile. But I swim very slowly.

For sure I was the only person on the planet (aside from Steve Kerr and the rest of the Golden State Warriors) to believe that the Warriors without their injured superstar Kevin Durant but with Steph Curry and Klay Thompson and Draymond Green would vanquish the Houston Rockets (can you say James Harden and CP3?), their bitter rivals, from the NBA playoffs in Game 6 (at Houston no less!) But that is exactly what they did to the tune of 118 to 113. Hooray.

Like Puffins?

Scroll down to save a ton of money.

FlexShooter Pro Update

By first leveling the tripod platform and then leveling the FlexShooter Pro via the large silver ball, I was able to reposition my tripod on the boardwalk at Gatorland with impunity and was ready to go instantly with everything square to the world.

Not surprisingly, we have sold all twenty FlexShooter Pros that we received with our first shipment. Another twenty are on the way as we speak.Two of those are already accounted for. Folks are encouraged to place their orders now by phone; your card will not be charged until your head ships. Once folks have a chance to play with a friend’s FlexShooter Pro, or run across me in the field with my 600 VR, I expect sales to boom. Think that I am full of it? Do you remember when everyone used Gitzo tripods? Today, all that you see in the world of nature photography are Induro tripods. Folks always gravitate to gear that is better, well made, more efficient, and less expensive …

I do have one barely used FlexShooter Pro head, the one with the very slightly smaller knob (11/16″ vs 7/8″) for sale. If I had not mentioned the difference in the size of the knobs, nobody would have noticed. In any case, if you would like to save $50, I’d be glad to sell it for $549.00. Phone orders only: 1-863-692-0906 Saturday or Sunday afternoon or any weekday.

BIRDS AS ART

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

Lessons From the Field/BIRDS AS ART Style is a 1 hour, 15 minute, 314 image, click and play MP4 video

Lessons From the Field/BIRDS AS ART Style: $10.00

Click here to order or see the Save $10 Bundle offer below.

Lessons From the Field/BIRDS AS ART Style is a 1 hour, 15 minute click and play MP4 video. It is available here in the BAA Online Store, by phone order, or by sending a Paypal for $10.00 to birdsasart@verizon.net. As the file is a large one, be sure to upload it when you have a good internet connection.

The video features 314 of artie’s best images, educational and otherwise. Based on his 35 years of in-the-field experience, it covers all the basics along with many fine points. Are you making mistakes that give you no chance to create a great image? Learning to avoid those and learning to think like a pro will make you a better photographer. If you purchase and study the video, it will surely prove to be the best ten dollars you’ve ever spent on photography.

Save Ten Bucks!

Order the Lessons From the Field MP4 video and add a copy of the birds as art: The Avian Photography of Arthur Morris/The Top 100 (via convenient download — normally sells for $20.00) for an additional 10.00.

Order the bundle for $20.00 by clicking here.

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, 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 currently has several D850s in stock along with a Nikon 600mm f/4 VR. He is taking pre-orders for the new Nikon 500 P and the Nikon Z6 mirrorless camera body.

Booking.Com

Many IPT folks have been using the Booking.Com link below to get great rates and save a handsome $25.00 in the process. If you too would like to give Booking.Com a shot, click here and to earn a $25 reward on your first booking. Thanks to the many who have already tried and used this great service.

Airbnb

I enjoyed another great inexpensive AirBNB on the recently concluded 2019 Fort DeSoto Sandbar Secrets IPT. For the past year, I have been using AirBNB for all of my travel lodging needs. Everyone on the Fort DeSoto Spring IPT stayed at AirBNB properties in Gulfport. Airbnb lists more than 4.5 million homes across 200 countries; you’ll find spacious, affordable options for every occasion. With Airbnb you will travel with confidence as reviews from past guests help you find the right fit. Once you do, their secure messaging makes it easy to coordinate with your host. And Airbnb support teams are available 24/7. And this morning, I made a 17-day reservation for an Airbnb condo for San Diego, 2020. I am staying with Rick again: his place has lots of room, a full kitchen, two bedrooms, and great WiFi. All for a lot less than the price of a chain hotel.

Yikes. I almost forgot the best part: Airbnb rates average less than half of even the least expensive chain hotels and motels. If you would like to save $40 on your first booking sign up by using this link: Airbnb. Airbnb does charge clean-up and service fees that make short stays less attractive bargains than long stays.

Those who prefer to stay in a motel or hotel are invited to use the Booking.com link above to save $25.00.

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 also created on the 2019 DeSoto Sandbar Secrets IPT. I used the hand held Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x teleconverter (at 560mm) and the mega-high mega-pixel Sony Alpha a7R III Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 640: 1/500 sec. at f/16 in Manual mode. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear dial … AWB at 9:27am with some light clouds in play. Expand Flexible Spot on the bird’s right eye. Image #1: Great Blue Heron head and neck portrait from below

Binocular Vision in Herons and Egrets

I first came up with the concept for this image while lying on my back on the Sanibel Fishing Pier shooting up at a Great Egret. That was with film on a Southwest Florida IPT about a zillion years ago with friend Ellen Anon co-leading. Such images are possible whenever you find a situation where the bird is perched above you. I was standing at full height for this one.

Image #1 above clearly illustrates the fact that herons have binocular vision and can see objects beyond and below their bills, helpful if you make your living plucking fish out of the water. Among land or air based predators binocular vision is the norm. Herons’ (and egrets”) eyes are placed on the sides of their heads allowing them to see potential trouble heading their way from the side. They are however, far enough forward that both eyes can be used to peer down into the water at their prey. Two eyes are better than one when trying to gauge position and distance.

Birds such as mallards, and mammals like rabbits, have their eyes placed high and laterally dead center on their heads allowing them a 360 degree view of the world. It’s tough to sneak up on either. Although herons can’t see directly behind themselves, a simple turn of that long flexible neck lets them quickly check out anything sneaking up from behind. They give up some of their ability to see potential predators approaching from the rear in order to have binocular vision, but you still have be be on your tippy toes to sneak up on them.

This image was also created on May 7, 2019 on the 2019 DeSoto Sandbar Secrets IPT. Again I used the hand held Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x teleconverter (at 560mm) and the mega-high mega-pixel Sony Alpha a7R III Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 500: 1/2500 sec. at f/9 in Manual mode. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear dial … AWB at 6:27pm on a sunny afternoon. Center Zone AF. Image #2: Sandwich Tern double-overhead wing stretch

Loving the SONY a7R iii with the 1.4X FE Teleconverter

Though it has taken me a while to embrace the SONY a7R iii, I have become increasingly happy with the images and the image files made with this 42MP Mirrorless Digital camera body. Though neither the AF system nor the frame rate with the a7R iii are as fast as with the Sony Alpha a9, the more I use the a7 R iii the more I like it. I killed with it at Gatorland yesterday morning. Images soon.

I love the fine feather detail, the ability to withstand even large crops, and especially the color. The fact that it is eminently effective with the Sony FE 1.4x teleconverter is a huge plus. With the TC you get accurate AF across 93% of the frame.

That Image #2 is slightly sharper on the near wing than on the bird’s head is due to operator error. I was not able to properly frame the image when the bird unexpectedly jumped forward … Selectively sharpening the face with a Contrast Mask helped for web presentation.

This image was also created on the 2019 DeSoto Sandbar Secrets IPT. Again I used the hand held Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens, the Sony FE 1.4x teleconverter (at 560mm) and the mega-high mega-pixel Sony Alpha a7R III Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 640: 1/2500 sec. at f/9 in Manual mode. Exposure determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear dial … AWB at 5:38pm on a sunny afternoon. Center Zone AF. Image #3: Royal Tern in flight

The SONY a7R iii with the 1.4X FE Teleconverter for Flight Photography

I was glad to see that the a7R iii/FE 1.4X TC, SONY 100-400 OSS combo is viable for photographing birds in flight. I am not quite sure what is so different about doing flight with this SONY gear, but with practice, I am getting better and better with each session. I created lots of flight keepers on the afternoon of May 7. I am liking the SONY a7R iii with the 100-400 OSS combo that my seller’s remorse over my Nikon 80-400 VR is fading quickly … And we will see in a future blog post that it is deadly for close work as well.

Your Favorite?

Which of today’s three featured images is your favorite? Be sure to let us know why.

Images and card design copyright: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART. All of the images on this card were created on the 2018 UK Puffins and Gannets IPT

The New, Expanded 2019 UK Puffins and Gannets IPT. Seahouses, Bempton Cliffs, and the Dunbar, Scotland Gannet boat to Bass Rock! Thursday June 27 (from EDI) through Tuesday, July 9, 2019 (on the ground; fly home on Wednesday July 10.): $9,999. Limit 5 photographers/Openings: 1

Please e-mail to learn about the very large late-registration discount

Join me in the UK in late June and early July 2019 to photograph Atlantic Puffin, Common Murre, Razorbill, Shag, and Northern Gannet, Red Kite, and more both in flight and at close range. We will also have great chances with Arctic and Sandwich Terns, both with chicks of all sizes; Black-headed, Lesser-Black-backed, and Herring Gulls, many of those chasing puffins with fish; Black-legged Kittiwake with chicks; plus Grey Seal. There will be tons of great flight photography. As on all IPTs, if you pay attention, you will learn a ton, especially about sky conditions and the relationship between light angle and wind direction and their effects on flight photography.

Why go all the way to Machias Seal Island off the coast of Maine, endure a two-hour boat ride, and have to photograph Atlantic Puffins from a cramped blind usually in bright sun (and well off sun angle) when you can hop a red-eye flight from Newark, NJ and be in Edinburgh, Scotland early the next morning. First we drive down to Bridlington for easy access to Bempton Cliffs where our primary targets will be Northern Gannet in flight. We will also get to photograph Razorbill, Northern Fulmar, Herring Gull, and Black-legged Kittiwake. While in Bridlington we will spend one afternoon visiting a Red Kite feeding station that should provide lots of flight photography action.

While in Bridlington we will staying at the White Horse Inn in Cranswick, about twenty minutes from Bempton Cliffs. After 3 1/2 days of photography there, we drive down to Seahouses in Northumberland to the two lodges that will be our home base for a week. After a short boat ride each day we will have hundreds of puffins posing at close range all day, every day — usually in ideal cloudy-bright conditions. While we are in Seahouses we will do six puffin/seabird trips, all weather permitting of course; last year we did not miss a single landing. In five years we have averaged losing less than one half day per year to bad weather. We land at Staple Island in the mornings and then sail over to Inner Farnes for our afternoon sessions. In addition, we may enjoy a session or two photographing nesting Black-legged Kittiwakes at eye level from a rocky beach in Seahouses.

In Seahouses, we stay 7 nights in gorgeous, modern, upscale lodges with Wi-fi. They are beyond lovely with large living areas and lots of open space for the informal image sharing and Photoshop sessions. The bedrooms are decent-sized. Each lodge has one double bedroom and two twin bedrooms. (See the single supplement info below.) At the lodges we cook our own breakfasts each morning and prepare our own lunches to be brought on the six puffin boat trips. For dinners we will alternate cooking in the lodges with fine dining at several excellent local restaurants. We stay two nights at the Marston’s Inn in Dunbar. We will enjoy a fine-dining Thank You dinner at the Dunbar Hotel on the Tuesday evening before we fly home.

On the morning of Monday, July 8, 2019, the plan is to sleep late, pack, and head up to Dunbar Harbor, Scotland for lunch and an afternoon gannet boat chumming trip: flight photography until you cannot lift your camera. The next morning, Tuesday July 9, we will enjoy our second gannet boat chumming trip (both weather permitting). On both trips we will enjoy great views of the huge gannetry at Bass Rock. Included will be two nights lodging at the Pine Martin by Marston’s Inn in Dunbar. Very early on the morning of Wednesday, July 10, we will drive up to Edinburgh Airport so that everyone can make their flights home. No moaning please. You will need a flight that leaves at 8:30am or later. Not too much later is generally best.

Images and card design copyright: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART. All images were created on the 2017 UK Puffins and Gannets IPT

The Details

This IPT is all-inclusive except for your airfare and alcoholic beverages. All ground transportation, lodging costs, meals, your National Trust membership, and all boat, entry, and landing fees are included. Weather permitting, we will enjoy three and one-half days (at least six sessions in all) at Bempton Cliffs, an afternoon with the Red Kites, six full days on the puffin boats, one amazing afternoon gannet chumming trip, and one spectacular morning gannet chumming trip.

IPT Details

If you are good to go sharing a room–couples of course are more than welcome, heck, we actually need two couples — please send your non-refundable $2,000/person deposit check now to save a spot. Please be sure to check your schedule carefully before committing to the trip and see the travel insurance info below. Your balance will be due on February 28, 2019. Please make your check out to “Arthur Morris” and send it to Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART, PO Box 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL, 33855.

Please shoot me an e-mail if you are good to go or if you have any questions.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance for big international trips is highly recommended as we never know what life has in store for us. I strongly recommend that you purchase quality insurance. Travel Insurance Services offers a variety of plans and options. Included with the Elite Option or available as an upgrade to the Basic & Plus Options you can also purchase Cancel for Any Reason Coverage that expands the list of reasons for your canceling to include things such as sudden work or family obligation and even a simple change of mind. My family and I use and depend on the great policies offered by TIS whenever we travel. You can learn more here: Travel Insurance Services. Do note that many plans require that you purchase your travel insurance within 14 days of our cashing your deposit check or running your credit card. Whenever purchasing travel insurance, be sure to read the fine print carefully even when dealing with reputable firms like TSI.

I truly hope that you can join me on this exciting venture.