{"id":33042,"date":"2016-05-09T03:13:32","date_gmt":"2016-05-09T07:13:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/?p=33042"},"modified":"2016-05-08T20:16:07","modified_gmt":"2016-05-09T00:16:07","slug":"gatorland-report-100-400-ii-versatility-and-depth-of-field-question","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/baa\/2016\/05\/09\/gatorland-report-100-400-ii-versatility-and-depth-of-field-question\/","title":{"rendered":"Gatorland Report, 100-400 II Versatility, and Depth-of-Field Question&#8230;"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3>What&#8217;s Up?<\/h3>\n<p>I had lots more energy on Sunday than I did on Saturday. I took care of some Nature&#8217;s Best Contest business and micro-adjusted several lenses with my new 1D X. I have never seen such tight AF clusters&#8230; Overall I had one of my best days in recent memory.<\/p>\n<p>I am heading over to Fort DeSoto a day early so that I can do some scouting for the IPT on Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning.  <\/p>\n<p><center><noscript><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/servedby.flashtalking.com\/click\/8\/55973;1705289;0;209;0\/?ft_width=728&#038;ft_height=90&#038;url=9277912\" target=\"_blank\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" src=\"http:\/\/servedby.flashtalking.com\/imp\/8\/55973;1705289;205;gif;BirdsAsArt;728x90\/?\"><\/a><br \/>\n<\/noscript><br \/>\n<script language=\"Javascript1.1\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\nvar ftClick = \"\";\nvar ftExpTrack_1705289 = \"\";\nvar ftX = \"\";\nvar ftY = \"\";\nvar ftZ = \"\";\nvar ftOBA = 1;\nvar ftContent = \"\";\nvar ftCustom = \"\";\nvar ft728x90_OOBclickTrack = \"\";\nvar ftRandom = Math.random()*1000000;\nvar ftBuildTag1 = \"<scr\";\nvar ftBuildTag2 = \"<\/\";\nvar ftClick_1705289 = ftClick;\nif(typeof(ft_referrer)==\"undefined\"){var ft_referrer=(function(){var r=\"\";if(window==top){r=window.location.href;}else{try{r=window.parent.location.href;}catch(e){}r=(r)?r:document.referrer;}while(encodeURIComponent(r).length>1000){r=r.substring(0,r.length-1);}return r;}());}\nvar ftDomain = (window==top)?\"\":(function(){var d=document.referrer,h=(d)?d.match(\"(?::q\/q\/)+([qw-]+(q.[qw-]+)+)(q\/)?\".replace(\/q\/g,decodeURIComponent(\"%\"+\"5C\")))[1]:\"\";return (h&&h!=location.host)?\"&ft_ifb=1&ft_domain=\"+encodeURIComponent(h):\"\";}());\nvar ftTag = ftBuildTag1 + 'ipt language=\"javascript1.1\" type=\"text\/javascript\" ';\nftTag += 'src=\"http:\/\/servedby.flashtalking.com\/imp\/8\/55973;1705289;201;js;BirdsAsArt;728x90\/?ftx='+ftX+'&fty='+ftY+'&ftadz='+ftZ+'&ftscw='+ftContent+'&ft_custom='+ftCustom+'&ftOBA='+ftOBA+ftDomain+'&ft_referrer='+encodeURIComponent(ft_referrer)+'&cachebuster='+ftRandom+'\" id=\"ftscript_728x90\" name=\"ftscript_728x90\"';\nftTag += '>' + ftBuildTag2 + 'script>';\ndocument.write(ftTag);\n<\/script><\/center><\/p>\n<h3>The Streak<\/h3>\n<p>Today\u2019s blog post marks 185 days in a row with a new educational blog post, dozens of new topics to cover, and no end in sight until my big South America trip next fall. As always-\u2013and folks have been doing a really great job recently\u2013-please remember to use our B&#038;H links for your major gear purchases. For best results use one of our many product-specific links; after clicking on one of those you can continue shopping with all subsequent purchases invisibly tracked to BAA. Your doing so is always greatly appreciated. Please remember: web orders only. Please remember that if you are shopping for items that we carry in the BAA Online Store (as noted in red at the close of this post below) we would appreciate your business.<\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/baa\/wp-content\/gallery\/general\/great-egret-large-chick-_t0a6086-gatorland-kissimmee-fl.jpg\" class='shutterset'><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"ngg-singlepic ngg-center\" src=\"https:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/baa\/wp-content\/gallery\/general\/great-egret-large-chick-_t0a6086-gatorland-kissimmee-fl.jpg\" alt=\"great-egret-large-chick-_t0a6086-gatorland-kissimmee-fl\" title=\"great-egret-large-chick-_t0a6086-gatorland-kissimmee-fl\" width=800 \/><\/a>  <\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>This image was created at Gatorland last Thursday with the hand held <a href=\"http:\/\/www.bhphotovideo.com\/c\/product\/1092632-REG\/canon_9524b002_ef_100_400mm_f_4_5_5_6l_is.html\/BI\/6633\/KBID\/7226\/kw\/CA1004002LIS\/DFF\/d10-v2-t1-xCA1004002LIS\" target=\"_blank\">Canon EF 100-400mm f\/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens<\/a> (at 360mm) and the mega mega-pixel <a href=\"http:\/\/www.bhphotovideo.com\/c\/product\/1119027-REG\/canon_0582c002_eos_5ds_r_dslr.html\/BI\/6633\/KBID\/7226\/kw\/CAE5DSR\/DFF\/d10-v2-t1-xCAE5DSR\" target=\"_blank\">Canon EOS 5DS R.<\/a> ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1\/3 stop: 1\/3200 sec. at f\/6.3. Daylight WB.  <\/p>\n<p>The selected AF point was two to the right and one row up from the center AF point\/AI Servo Expand\/Rear Focus AF as framed was active at the moment of exposure (as is always best when hand holding).  The selected point fell on the bottom part of the bird&#8217;s eye. Click <a href=\"https:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/baa\/2013\/10\/31\/if-this-doesnt-get-the-point-across-nothing-will\/\">here<\/a> to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial.  Click on the image to see a larger version.  <\/p>\n<h2><strong>Great Egret large chick  <\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"468\" scrolling=\"no\" height=\"60\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"border:none;\" border=\"0\" src=\"http:\/\/mer54715.datafeedfile.com\/widget\/aff_widget_prdt_generate-2.0.php?aff_num=7226&#038;aff_net=1&#038;size=468x60&#038;mode=m&#038;bucket_num=7761&#038;link_target=y&#038;sid=\" marginheight=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\"><\/p>\n<p>Your browser does not support iFrame.<\/p>\n<p><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<h3>Gatorland Report<\/h3>\n<p>As noted previously, I spent Thursday morning past at Gatorland with private clients Dixon and Carolyn Soracco. They were amazed by the birds and the nests and their proximity to the boardwalk. I did mention to them that as far as quality photographic opportunities for early May that the place was poor overall. We had a few very good opportunities, especially with the large chick shown in today&#8217;s featured image. Do note that for folks with long lenses afternoons may be better. <\/p>\n<p>There were fewer than a dozen photographers present. In most years on this date there would be two or three dozen shooters. I took that to mean that the word is out: there are just not as many good situations as in a typical year. As is usual at Gatorland, most folks simply had no clue as to what a good situation is. Folks were working well off light angle and pointing their lenses at incredibly cluttered nests. All the while our single large chick posed for us for more than an hour with lovely distant backgrounds&#8230;  The more things change, the more they stay the same. <\/p>\n<h3>100-400 II Versatility<\/h3>\n<p>To start the day I loaned my 100-400II to Carolyn. When our subject came into the sun I called her over and coached her to some great images. I was working with the 70-200mm f\/2.8L IS and the 2X III TC but the 100-400 II was much better for the job because of its one-meter close focus. After Carolyn made lots of good ones I borrowed my lens to create the image above. The 1-4II is unbeatable when working in close quarters. <\/p>\n<h3>Depth-of-Field Question&#8230;<\/h3>\n<p>With the bird&#8217;s eye super-sharp and the tip of the beak not in sharp focus, would I have been better off going to a small aperture like f\/13?  Why or why not? I did have lots of shutter speed to work with&#8230;<\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/baa\/wp-content\/gallery\/general\/nickersoncardajuly2016layers.jpg\" class='shutterset'><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"ngg-singlepic ngg-center\" src=\"https:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/baa\/wp-content\/gallery\/general\/nickersoncardajuly2016layers.jpg\" alt=\"nickersoncardajuly2016layers\" title=\"nickersoncardajuly2016layers\" width=800 \/><\/a>  <\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>From upper left clockwise to center: Black Skimmer head portrait, American Oystercatcher dining on surf clam flesh, Common Tern at sunset, Common Tern adult swallowing flatfish, Black Skimmer in flight, newborn Common Tern chick, American Oystercatcher with chick, fresh juvenile Common Tern (with fill flash), and Common Terns copulating. <\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<h3>Nickerson Beach Terns\/Skimmers\/Oystercatchers Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT): July 18-22, 2016. 4 1\/2 DAYS: $1899. Limit 10\/Openings 8.<\/h3>\n<h2><strong>Meet and greet at 3pm on the afternoon of Monday, July 18. Limit 10.<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The primary subject species of this IPT will be the nesting Common Terns. The trip is timed so that we will get to photograph tiny chicks as well as fledglings. There will be lots of flight photography including adults flying with baitfish. Creating great images of the chicks being fed is a huge challenge. In addition to the terns we will get to photograph lots of Black Skimmers courting, setting up their nesting territories, and in flight (both singles and large pre-dawn flocks blasting off). Midair battles are guaranteed on sunny afternoons. And with luck, we might even see a few tiny chicks toward the end of the trip. We will also get to photograph the life cycle of American Oystercatcher. This will likely include nests with eggs and tiny chicks, young being fed, and possibly a few fledglings. <\/p>\n<p>Nesting Piping Plover is also possibly. There will be lots of gulls to photograph; most years I am able to find a few Lesser Black-backed Gulls of varying ages in addition to the Herring, Ring-billed, and Great Black-backed Gulls. You will learn to identify and age the various gull species. There will likely be some Willets feeding along the surf and with luck we might get to photograph a handsome juvenile or two. In addition to the locally breeding shorebirds, we will likely get to see some southbound migrant arctic-and sub-arctic breeding shorebird species such as Sanderling, Semipalmated Plover, and maybe even Red Knot. <\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/baa\/wp-content\/gallery\/general\/nicerksoncardjuly2016blayers-1.jpg\" class='shutterset'><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"ngg-singlepic ngg-center\" src=\"https:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/baa\/wp-content\/gallery\/general\/nicerksoncardjuly2016blayers-1.jpg\" alt=\"nicerksoncardjuly2016blayers-1\" title=\"nicerksoncardjuly2016blayers-1\" width=800 \/><\/a>  <\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>From upper left clockwise to center: Black Skimmers with tiny chick, Common Tern landing with baitfish for young, fledged Common Tern chick in dunes, American Oystercatchers\/display flight, adult Common Tern with pipefish for chick, Common Tern fledgling in soft light, American Oystercatcher on nest with eggs, American Oystercatcher 3-egg clutch, battling Black Skimmers. <\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<h3>The IPT Logistics<\/h3>\n<p>The tour will begin with a meet and greet on the afternoon of Monday, July 18, 2016. That will be followed by our first shooting session at the beach. From Tuesday through and including all of Friday we will have two photography sessions daily. Our morning sessions will start very early so that we are on the beach well before sunrise. We usually photograph for about four hours. Then we will enjoy a group brunch. We will always have a midday break that will include a nap for me. That followed by our daily afternoon classroom sessions that will include image review, workflow and Photoshop, and a review\/critique of five of your trip images. Folks are always invited to bring their laptops to brunch for image sharing. I always have mine with me but heck, I am a big show-off. Afternoon in-the-field sessions generally run from 5pm through sunset. <\/p>\n<p>Breakfasts are grab what you can. Four brunches are included. Dinners (if at all) will be on your own as we will often get back to the hotel at about 9pm. There is a fridge in every room and a supermarket within walking distance of the hotel so nobody should starve. You will learn a ton during the nine shooting sessions, the four in-classroom sessions, and even at lunch. Early morning and late afternoon parking is free. If we want to head back to the beach early we will need to arrange tight carpools and share the $30\/vehicle parking fee. Non-photographer spouses, friends, or companions are welcome for $100\/day, $450 for the whole IPT.   <\/p>\n<p>Save a space by calling Jim or Jen at the office at 863-692-0906 and arranging to leave your deposit of $599&#8211;credit cards are accepted for deposits only. Your balance will be due on April 18, 2016. I hope that you can join me for what will be an exciting and educational IPT. <\/p>\n<h3>Please Remember to use our Affiliate Links \ud83d\ude42<\/h3>\n<p>To show your appreciation for my continuing efforts here, we ask, as always, that you get in the habit of using my B&#038;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 <a href=\"https:\/\/store.birdsasart.com\/shop\/default.aspx\">BIRDS AS ART Online Store<\/a>, especially the <a href=\"https:\/\/store.birdsasart.com\/shop\/item.aspx?itemid=274\">Mongoose M3.6 tripod heads<\/a>, Induro tripods and ballheads, Wimberley <a href=\"https:\/\/store.birdsasart.com\/shop\/item.aspx?itemid=35\">heads<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/store.birdsasart.com\/shop\/category.aspx?catid=8\">plates<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/store.birdsasart.com\/shop\/category.aspx?catid=17\">LensCoats and accessories<\/a>, and the like. 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 we are always glad to answer your gear questions via <a href=\"mailto:samandmayasgrandpa@att.net\">e-mail<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>I would of course appreciate your using our B&#038;H affiliate links for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. <font color=red><strong>For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. <\/strong><\/font> Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and visiting the <a href=\"https:\/\/store.birdsasart.com\/shop\/default.aspx\">BAA Online<\/a> store as well.   <\/p>\n<p>I would of course appreciate your using our B&#038;H affiliate links for all of your major gear, video, and electronic purchases. <font color=red><strong>For the photographic stuff mentioned in the paragraph above we, meaning BAA, would of course greatly appreciate your business. <\/strong><\/font> Here is a huge thank you to the many who have been using our links on a regular basis and visiting the <a href=\"https:\/\/store.birdsasart.com\/shop\/default.aspx\">BAA Online<\/a> store as well. <\/p>\n<h3>Facebook<\/h3>\n<p>Be sure to like and follow BAA on Facebook by clicking on the logo link upper right. Tanks a stack!<\/p>\n<h3>Typos<\/h3>\n<p>In all blog posts and Bulletins, feel free to <a href=\"mailto:samandmayasgrandpa@att.net\">e-mail<\/a><\/center> or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors. Just be right \ud83d\ude42 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What&#8217;s Up? <\/p>\n<p>I had lots more energy on Sunday than I did on Saturday. I took care of some Nature&#8217;s Best Contest business and micro-adjusted several lenses with my new 1D X. I have never seen such tight AF clusters&#8230; Overall I had one of my best days in recent memory.<\/p>\n<p>I am heading over [&#8230;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[599],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-33042","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-599","odd"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/baa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33042","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/baa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/baa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/baa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/baa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33042"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/baa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33042\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/baa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33042"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/baa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33042"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/baa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33042"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}