{"id":51416,"date":"2017-11-06T05:47:22","date_gmt":"2017-11-06T09:47:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/?p=51416"},"modified":"2017-11-06T10:25:35","modified_gmt":"2017-11-06T14:25:35","slug":"tough-stormy-conditions-part-i-fun-in-the-high-winds-and-spray-and-just-playin-in-photoshop","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/baa\/2017\/11\/06\/tough-stormy-conditions-part-i-fun-in-the-high-winds-and-spray-and-just-playin-in-photoshop\/","title":{"rendered":"Tough Stormy Conditions Part I: Fun in the High Winds and Spray! And Just Playin&#8217; in Photoshop."},"content":{"rendered":"<h3>Stuff<\/h3>\n<p>The UFC 217 Pay Per View on Saturday evening November 4, was the best $59.95 I ever spent on sports entertainment. I was rooting for Rose  Namajunas  to defeat the big favorite, the undefeated Strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk. I was rooting for another underdog, TJ Dillashaw, to crush loud-mouthed braggart Bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt. Lastly, I was hoping that Georges (Rush) St-Pierre who had not fought for four years and was moving up a weight class, would be able to dethrone Middleweight champion Michael Bisping. I was a delirious three for three, two huge upsets and three new champions! \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n<p>More than a dozen folks responded to the RAW File\/Image Optimization Challenge #2 in yesterday&#8217;s blog post <a href=\"https:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/baa\/2017\/11\/05\/fort-desoto-early-winter-ipt-and-raw-fileimage-optimization-challenge-2\/\" target=\"_blank\">here<\/a>. It is not too late for you to take a crack at it. <\/p>\n<p>On Sunday I worked on blog posts, got some more work done on the 5D Mark IV  User&#8217;s Guide, swam an easy one mile, and exercised a lot. All that while enjoying NFL Sunday Ticket games&#8230;<\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><center>ngg_shortcode_0_placeholder<\/center><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<h2><strong>Recent Fort DeSoto Images<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>From bottom left clockwise back to center: Great Egret, blasting sunrise highlights; Black Skimmer, winter plumage in pre-dawn light; Roseate Spoonbill foraging; Brown Pelican, juvenile landing;  hybrid heron X egret; American Oystercatcher feeding; Royal Tern, worn juvenile; Great Blue Heron from below.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<h3>Fort DeSoto Early Winter IPT. 3 1\/2 days: $1599<\/h3>\n<h2><strong>Saturday DEC 2 (afternoon session) through the full day on Tuesday DEC 5, 2017. Meet and Greet Introduction on SAT DEC 2, 2017<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>With no water in Estero Lagoon, Corkscrew Swamp and Anhinga Trail total busts for many years, and Ding Darling NWR managed into oblivion, Fort DeSoto has emerged as the premier bird photography location in the state. Join me in early winter to escape the cold weather and photograph lots of tame terns, gulls, herons, egrets (including Reddish Egret), shorebirds (including and especially Marbled Godwit), Osprey, and Brown Pelican. Long-billed Curlew, Wood Stork, and Roseate Spoonbill all range somewhere between likely and possible. <\/p>\n<p>Learn to get the right exposure every time, to approach free and wild (and often tame!) birds, and to design a pleasing image. And learn the location of my new Fort DeSoto hotspot along with my favorite sunset location (sky conditions permitting). To register call Jim or Jen at the office at 863-692-0906 or shoot me an <a href=\"mailto:samandmayasgrandpa@att.net\">e-mail<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>DeSoto IPT Details<\/h3>\n<p>This IPT will include four 3 hour afternoon sessions, three 3 1\/2 hour morning sessions, three lunches, and after-lunch image review and Photoshop sessions. To ensure early starts, breakfasts will be your responsibility. Dinners are on your own so that we can get some sleep. <\/p>\n<p>Because of the narrow time frame, your $499 non-refundable deposit can be paid not by credit card. Call Jim or Jennifer at the office with a credit card at 863-692-0906 to register. Your balance must be paid by check once you sign up. The balance check (made out to &#8220;BIRDS AS ART) should me mailed to us at BIRDS AS ART, PO Box 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL, 33855. Please print, complete, and sign the form that is linked to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/baa\/ipt-registration-and-release-forms\/\">here<\/a> and shoot it to us along with your balance check.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via <a href=\"mailto:samandmayasgrandpa@att.net\">e-mail<\/a><\/center>.<\/p>\n<p>Canon lens rentals are available on a limited basis: 600 II, 500 II, 400 DO II, and 200-400 f\/4 with Internal TC.<\/p>\n<h3>The Streak<\/h3>\n<p>Today makes one hundred one days in a row with a new educational blog post! This one took less than an hour to prepare. With all of my upcoming free time (or not &#8230;), the plan right now is to break the current record streak of 480 &#8230; Good health and good internet connections willing. <\/p>\n<h3>Booking.Com<\/h3>\n<p>Booking.Com came through for me twice again recently with both the DeSoto Fall IPT and next July&#8217;s UK Puffins, Gannets, and Bempton Pre-trip room reservations. And all the rates were great. If you&#8217;d like to give Booking.Com a shot, click <a href=\"https:\/\/www.booking.com\/s\/ea1bab74\">here<\/a> and you will earn a $25 reward. Thanks to the many who have already tried and used this great service. <\/p>\n<p><center><A href=\"http:\/\/www.bhphotovideo.com\/c\/buy\/Photography-Deals\/ci\/18560\/ipp\/48\/N\/4143096970\/view\/GRID?BI=6633&#038;KW=&#038;KBID=7226&#038;img=bestdeals-am.jpg\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.bhphotovideo.com\/images\/affiliateimages\/bestdeals-am.jpg\" border=\"0\"><\/a><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/affiliates.bhphotovideo.com\/showban.asp?id=7226&#038;img=bestdeals-am.jpg\" border=0><\/center><\/p>\n<h3>Gear Questions and Advice<\/h3>\n<p>Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of folks whom I see in the field, and on <a href=\"http:\/\/www.birdphotographers.net\/forums\/content.php?s=52d51423c223b39bdca1765c6839ffc2\" target=\"_blank\">BPN<\/a>, are&#8211;out of ignorance&#8211;using the wrong gear especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads&#8230; Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via <a href=\"mailto:samandmayasgrandpa@att.net\">e-mail<\/a>.<\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><center>ngg_shortcode_1_placeholder<\/center><\/p>\n<p>This image was created at Fort DeSoto with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bhphotovideo.com\/c\/product\/1158041-REG\/induro_git304l_3grnd_stealth_carbon.html\/BI\/6633\/KBID\/7226\/kw\/INL3GSSCFT4S\/DFF\/d10-v2-t1-xINL3GSSCFT4S\" target=\"_blank\">Induro GIT304L Grand Series 3 Stealth Carbon Fiber Tripod<\/a>\/<a href=\"http:\/\/birdsasart-shop.com\/mongoose-action-head\/\">Mongoose M3.6<\/a>-mounted  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bhphotovideo.com\/c\/product\/754508-REG\/Canon_5125B002_EF_600mm_f_4L_IS.html\/BI\/6633\/KBID\/7226\/kw\/CA6004LIFEF2\/DFF\/d10-v2-t1-xCA6004LIFEF2\" target=\"_blank\">Canon EF 600mm f\/4L IS II USM lens<\/a> and my favorite bunker photography camera body, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bhphotovideo.com\/c\/product\/1274705-REG\/canon_eos_5d_mark_iv.html\/BI\/6633\/KBID\/7226\/kw\/CAE5D4\/DFF\/d10-v2-t1-xCAE5D4\" target=\"_blank\">Canon EOS 5D Mark IV.<\/a> ISO 800. Evaluative metering +2 1\/3 stops as framed: 1\/200 sec. at f\/4 in Manual mode. AWB in totally beyond overcast conditions.  <\/p>\n<p>LensAlign\/FocusTune micro-adjustment: -2.<\/p>\n<p>Center AF point\/AI Servo\/Expand\/Rear Button AF on the upper right corner of the large structure and re-compose.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Derelict bunker at old fort at Fort DeSoto<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"468\" scrolling=\"no\" height=\"60\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"border:none;\" border=\"0\" src=\"https:\/\/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=4538&#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>Tough Stormy Conditions Part I<\/h3>\n<p>On the morning of October 28, 2017 the skies were cloudy and spitting, the winds were about 45mph out of the north northwest, and the Gulf was a roiling mass of whitecaps and breaking waves. Conditions were quite Armageddon-like. Only Lee Sommie and I remained from the Saturday group. We had a ton of fun trying to create a few meaningful images in almost un-photographable conditions. For today&#8217;s featured image I chose a derelict offshore bunker that was originally part of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.pinellascounty.org\/park\/pdf\/Fort_DeSoto_historic_guide.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">the historic fort<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>My original plan for the bunker was to go to a low ISO and create some really long exposures of from 2 to four seconds to render the waves a soft, silky blur. It was a great plan but with the relatively fierce wind blowing at me from my right, the lens hood was vibrating like a drum and though I made about 20 very slow shutter speed images, the structure was completely blurred in each and every frame. I could not remove the lens hood &#8212; usually a good plan when using a long lens in high winds &#8212; because the spray would have covered the front lens element in seconds. Then I tried a variety of fast shutter speeds ranging from 1\/80 to 1\/200 sec. I like that even with the relatively fast shutter speed of 1\/200 second today&#8217;s featured image conveyed the stormy day concept quite well. <\/p>\n<p>I will be sharing more images from that memorably stormy morning with you here. <\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><center>ngg_shortcode_2_placeholder<\/center><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<h2><strong>Just Playing: Filter > Distort > Wave<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<h3>Just Playing: Filter > Distort > Wave<\/h3>\n<p>Since my super slow blurs did not work I decided to experiment in Photoshop. I tried Filter > Distort > Wave<\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><center>ngg_shortcode_3_placeholder<\/center><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<h2><strong>Just Playing: Filter > Distort > Twirl\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<h3>Just Playing: Filter > Distort > Twirl<\/h3>\n<p>Next, and again just for fun, I decided to experiment in Photoshop this time with Filter > Distort > Wave.<\/p>\n<h3>Your favorite?<\/h3>\n<p>Which of today&#8217;s three images, straight up, Wave, or Twirl do you like best. Why?<\/p>\n<h3>More Cheap Weekend Fort DeSoto In-the-Field Instruction<\/h3>\n<p><font color=red><strong>Sign up for the full day Saturday 11 NOV and the Friday afternoon session (4:30pm till sunset) on 10 NOV is free!<\/strong><\/font> <\/p>\n<h2><strong>Saturday, November 11, 2017: Morning session &#8212; 6:45am for 3 1\/2 hours: $149. Add lunch, image review, and Photoshop session: $249 (total).<\/p>\n<p>Saturday, November 11, 2017: Afternoon session &#8212; 4:30pm for 3 hours: $99.<\/p>\n<p>Saturday, November 11, 2017, both sessions including lunch: $329. Sign up for the full day Saturday and enjoy a Friday afternoon session for free. <\/p>\n<p>Sunday, November 12, 2017: Morning session &#8212; 6:45am for 3 1\/2 hours: $149.<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Learn to get the right exposure every time, to approach free and wild (and often tame!) birds, and to design a pleasing image. And learn the location of my new Fort DeSoto hotspot along with my favorite sunset location (sky conditions permitting). To register call Jim or Jen at the office at 863-692-0906 or shoot me an <a href=\"mailto:samandmayasgrandpa@att.net\">e-mail<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Canon lens rentals are available on a limited basis: 600 II, 500 II, 400 DO II, and 200-400 f\/4 with Internal TC.<\/p>\n<p>Cheap but great instruction. <\/p>\n<h3>If In Doubt &#8230;<\/h3>\n<p>If in doubt about using the BAA B&#038;H affiliate link correctly, you can always start your search by clicking <a href=\"http:\/\/www.bhphotovideo.com\/?BI\/6633\/KBID\/7226\" target=\"_blank\">here<\/a>. Please note that the tracking is invisible. Web orders only. Please, however, remember to shoot me your receipt via <a href=\"mailto:samandmayasgrandpa@att.net\">e-mail<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p><center><A href=\"http:\/\/www.bhphotovideo.com\/c\/promotion\/12352\/canon-rebates.html?BI=6633&#038;KW=&#038;KBID=7226&#038;img=CanonSaveBig-728x90.jpg\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.bhphotovideo.com\/images\/affiliateimages\/CanonSaveBig-728x90.jpg\" border=\"0\"><\/a><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/affiliates.bhphotovideo.com\/showban.asp?id=7226&#038;img=CanonSaveBig-728x90.jpg\" border=0><\/center><\/p>\n<p><center><br \/>\n<A href=\"http:\/\/www.bhphotovideo.com\/c\/promotion\/11810\/canon-dslr-lens-rebates.html?BI=6633&#038;KW=&#038;KBID=7226&#038;img=canon_lensesspeediltes-728x90.jpg\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.bhphotovideo.com\/images\/affiliateimages\/canon_lensesspeediltes-728x90.jpg\" border=\"0\"><\/a><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/affiliates.bhphotovideo.com\/showban.asp?id=7226&#038;img=canon_lensesspeediltes-728x90.jpg\" border=0><\/center><\/p>\n<h3>Please Remember to use my Affiliate Links and to Visit the New BAA Online Store \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=\"http:\/\/birdsasart-shop.com\/\">New BIRDS AS ART Online Store<\/a>, especially the <a href=\"http:\/\/birdsasart-shop.com\/mongoose-action-head\/\">Mongoose M3.6 tripod head<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/birdsasart-shop.com\/plates-and-replacement-feet\/wimberley-arca-swiss-style-lens-plates\/\">Wimberley lens plates<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/birdsasart-shop.com\/digital-media\/\">Delkin flash cards and accessories<\/a>, and <a href=\"http:\/\/birdsasart-shop.com\/lenscoat-covers\/\">LensCoat stuff<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>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 <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, and for everything else in the new store, 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 those who will be visiting the <a href=\"http:\/\/birdsasart-shop.com\/\">New BIRDS AS ART Online Store<\/a> as well.<\/p>\n<p><center><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/rcm-na.amazon-adsystem.com\/e\/cm?t=arthurmorrisb-20&#038;o=1&#038;p=9&#038;l=ur1&#038;category=amazonhomepage&#038;f=ifr&#038;linkID=JIBVXBCFKIBE72GU\" width=\"180\" height=\"150\" scrolling=\"no\" border=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" style=\"border:none;\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/center><\/p>\n<h3>Amazon.com<\/h3>\n<p>Those who prefer to support BAA by shopping with Amazon may use the logo link above. <\/p>\n<h3>Amazon Canada<\/h3>\n<p>Many kind folks from north of the border, eh, have e-mailed stating that they would love to help us out by using one of our affiliate links but that living in Canada and doing so presents numerous problems.  Now, they can help us out by using our Amazon Canada affiliate link by starting their searches by clicking <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.ca\/?_encoding=UTF8&#038;camp=15121&#038;creative=330641&#038;linkCode=ur2&#038;tag=amb07-20\" target=\"_blank\">here<\/a>. <\/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 :).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Stuff <\/p>\n<p>The UFC 217 Pay Per View on Saturday evening November 4, was the best $59.95 I ever spent on sports entertainment. I was rooting for Rose Namajunas to defeat the big favorite, the undefeated Strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk. I was rooting for another underdog, TJ Dillashaw, to crush loud-mouthed braggart Bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt. [&#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":[625],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-51416","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-625","odd"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/baa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51416","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=51416"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/baa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51416\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/baa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=51416"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/baa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=51416"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/baa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=51416"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}