{"id":52833,"date":"2018-01-07T04:36:43","date_gmt":"2018-01-07T08:36:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/?p=52833"},"modified":"2018-01-08T07:47:00","modified_gmt":"2018-01-08T11:47:00","slug":"1200mm-fill-flash-just-ducky-perfection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/baa\/2018\/01\/07\/1200mm-fill-flash-just-ducky-perfection\/","title":{"rendered":"1200mm +  Fill Flash = Just Ducky Perfection!"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3>Stuff<\/h3>\n<p>Bryan Holliday and I had a great day starting with a wicked sunrise and some great duck photography at the Riparian Preserve at Gilbert Water Ranch where the ducks were so cooperative on the still water with gorgeous reflections that we thought that a hunter had put out a raft of decoys. After lunch we continued to enjoy the bright overcast conditions at Freestone Park where I made today&#8217;s featured images of a handsome duck that has long eluded me. Thanks to the several folks who suggested Freestone for Canvasbacks!<\/p>\n<p>I am still far behind on e-mails. Please bear with me; you should hear from me by late Monday at the worst. <\/p>\n<p><center>ngg_shortcode_0_placeholder<\/center><\/p>\n<h2><strong><center>Click on the logo-link above for great holiday savings!<br \/>\n$300 off on the Canon 100-400 II!<\/center> <\/strong><\/h2>\n<h3>The Streak<\/h3>\n<p>Today makes one hundred sixty-one days in a row with a new educational blog post! This one took about an hour to prepare including the time spent optimizing the image. 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 and my continuing insanity 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><\/p>\n<div id=\"ez_banner_container_28_10\" style=\"margin:auto;position:relative;width:300px;height:250px;overflow:hidden;\">\n   <script src=\"https:\/\/ajax.googleapis.com\/ajax\/libs\/webfont\/1\/webfont.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n   <script type=\"text\/javascript\" charset=\"utf-8\" src=\"https:\/\/mer54715.datafeedfile.com\/ez_banner\/?b=28&#038;v=1.0&#038;aff_num=7226&#038;sid=EZBANNER\"><\/script>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/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>. Those questions might deal with systems, camera bodies, accessories, and\/or lens choices and decisions. <\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><center>ngg_shortcode_1_placeholder<\/center><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>This image was created at Freestone Park in Phoenix, AZ on the afternoon of Saturday, January 6.  I was seated behind my lowered tripod using 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>, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bhphotovideo.com\/c\/product\/732111-USA\/Canon_4410B002_Extender_EF_2X_III.html\/BI\/6633\/KBID\/7226\/kw\/CA2XEF3\/DFF\/d10-v2-t1-xCA2XEF3\" target=\"_blank\">Canon Extender EF 2X III<\/a>, and my favorite duck 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 400. Evaluative metering about 1 1\/3 stops: 1\/200 sec. at f\/10 in Manual mode. AWB: at 3:59pm on a cloudy afternoon. <\/p>\n<p>LensAlign\/FocusTune micro-adjustment: -10.  <\/p>\n<p>One AF point above the center AF point\/AI Servo\/Expand shutter button AF was active at the moment of exposure. The selected AF point was placed squarely on the duck&#8217;s neck right on the same plane as its eye. Click on the image to enjoy the spectacular larger version.  <\/p>\n<p>Fill flash at -1 stop with the fabulous <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bhphotovideo.com\/c\/product\/1341868-REG\/godox_v860ii_f_canon_kit_v860ii_for_canon_kit.html\/BI\/6633\/KBID\/7226\/kw\/GOV860IICNK\/DFF\/d10-v2-t1-xGOV860IICNK\" target=\"_blank\">Godox VING V860IIC TTL Li-Ion Flash Kit for Canon Cameras<\/a> with a <a href=\"http:\/\/birdsasart-shop.com\/better-beamer-flash-extender\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Better Beamer FX-6 Flash Extender<\/a>. <\/p>\n<h2><strong>DPP 4 Screen Capture <\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"728\" scrolling=\"no\" height=\"90\" 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=728x90&#038;mode=m&#038;bucket_num=8408&#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>The DPP 4 Screen Capture for Today&#8217;s Featured Image<\/h3>\n<p>Note that the original was a bit under-exposed; I added 1\/3 stop of light during the RAW conversion in DPP 4 by moving the Brightness slider to +0.33. And even though the flash brightened the canny&#8217;s brick red head nicely moving the Shadow slider to +4 really brought it to life without bringing up the noise. That is a huge plus to DPP 4 conversions. All that I did with the TIFF in Photoshop was some Digital Eye Doctor work on the pupil. <\/p>\n<p>I will be sharing lots more info on the Godox flash for Canon in the near future; briefly it costs only a fraction of the Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT but is every bit as good with a great rechargeable battery. And, I will teach you how to set fill simply in ETTL mode. <\/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<p>This image was created at Freestone Park in Phoenix, AZ on the afternoon of Saturday, January 6.  I was seated behind my lowered tripod lowered using 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>, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bhphotovideo.com\/c\/product\/732111-USA\/Canon_4410B002_Extender_EF_2X_III.html\/BI\/6633\/KBID\/7226\/kw\/CA2XEF3\/DFF\/d10-v2-t1-xCA2XEF3\" target=\"_blank\">Canon Extender EF 2X III<\/a>, and my favorite duck 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 400. Evaluative metering about 1 1\/3 stops: 1\/200 sec. at f\/10 in Manual mode. AWB: at 3:59pm on a cloudy afternoon. <\/p>\n<p>LensAlign\/FocusTune micro-adjustment: -10.  <\/p>\n<p>One AF point above the center AF point\/AI Servo\/Expand shutter button AF was active at the moment of exposure. The selected AF point was placed squarely on the duck&#8217;s neck right on the same plane as its eye. Click on the image to enjoy the spectacular larger version.  <\/p>\n<p>Fill flash at -1 stop with the fabulous <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bhphotovideo.com\/c\/product\/1341868-REG\/godox_v860ii_f_canon_kit_v860ii_for_canon_kit.html\/BI\/6633\/KBID\/7226\/kw\/GOV860IICNK\/DFF\/d10-v2-t1-xGOV860IICNK\" target=\"_blank\">Godox VING V860IIC TTL Li-Ion Flash Kit for Canon Cameras<\/a> with a <a href=\"http:\/\/birdsasart-shop.com\/better-beamer-flash-extender\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Better Beamer FX-1B Flash Extender<\/a>. <\/p>\n<h2><strongThis is the optimized Canvasback drake image <\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"728\" scrolling=\"no\" height=\"90\" 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=728x90&#038;mode=m&#038;bucket_num=8408&#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>1200mm +  Fill Flash = Just Ducky Perfection!<\/h3>\n<p>Bryan Holliday took on on the chin for the team by driving my rental car back to Gilbert to grab a box of duck bait in the form of oat cereal; bread is not an allowed food but the oat cereal is. While he was one of the three drake Canvasbacks swam by me &#8230;  I made hay with the one perfect frame out of a series of about twenty. As this was one of my target species for Phoenix I was a very happy man. <\/p>\n<h3>So What is Perfect?<\/h3>\n<p>There are several elements that make this photograph pretty close to perfect. What are they?  On the other hand, does anything about this image bug you? Either way, please leave a comment. <\/p>\n<h3>More on Coming Soon<\/h3>\n<p>February 2018 Spoonbill Boat IPT: FEB 23-25, 2018\/2 1\/2 days with three morning spoonbill sessions on the boat (definite!)<br \/>\nTwo Fort DeSoto IPTs (April and May, 2018)<br \/>\nThree Gatorland IPTs (March, April, and May, 2018 &#8212; including early entry and late stay &#8212; tentative)<br \/>\nThree Sandhill Crane chicks and colts Master Classes at Indian Lake Estates (March)<\/p>\n<p>The Master Classes will be small groups &#8212; strictly limited to four photographers &#8212; with the first folks who register staying at my home and the others staying at a chain motel in Lake Wales. Live, think, and breathe photography from Friday afternoon through lunch on Monday morning; all meals included. We will enjoy three morning photography sessions with the main subjects being tame Sandhill Cranes almost surely with chicks or colts. Also vultures and Cattle Egrets and more. Limpkins possible. There will be three afternoon photo sessions with hopefully glorious sunsets like the ones you have been seeing on the blog recently. I will micro-adjust one of your lenses during a group instructional session and all will be welcome to practice what they have learned during the breaks using my lightingbgear. We will sit together around my dining room table and pick everyone&#8217;s keepers, enjoy guided Photoshop sessions, and, on Monday before lunch, folks can make a single large print of their favorite image. <\/p>\n<p>Folks who would like advance notice on any of the above are welcome to shoot me an <a href=\"mailto:samandmayasgrandpa@att.net\">e-mail<\/a>. Right now there are two folks signed up for the spoonbill IPT with just four openings left. If you would like to join us, please do not tarry. <\/p>\n<p><center><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/rcm-na.amazon-adsystem.com\/e\/cm?o=1&#038;p=12&#038;l=ur1&#038;category=amazonhomepage_2017&#038;f=ifr&#038;linkID=0c7fef03053dd77e48962ef7b0b832a5&#038;t=biasar0c-20&#038;tracking_id=biasar0c-20\" width=\"300\" height=\"250\" scrolling=\"no\" border=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" style=\"border:none;\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/center><\/p>\n<h3>Support the Blog<\/h3>\n<p>Please help support my (stupendous) efforts here on the blog by remembering to click on the logo link above each time that you shop Amazon. That would be greatly appreciated. There is no problem using your Prime account; just click on the link and log into your Prime account. With love, artie<\/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<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>Bryan Holliday and I had a great day starting with a wicked sunrise and some great duck photography at the Riparian Preserve at Gilbert Water Ranch where the ducks were so cooperative on the still water with gorgeous reflections that we thought that a hunter had put out a raft of decoys. After lunch [&#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":[626],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-52833","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-626","odd"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/baa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52833","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=52833"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/baa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52833\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/baa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=52833"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/baa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=52833"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/baa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=52833"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}