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- The 2019 Fall Sandbar Secrets Fort DeSoto IPT\/September 27-30, 2019: One-half and three FULL DAYS: $1499.00. Free Morning Session on Tuesday, October 1. Limit 6\/Openings 2. Afternoon session on Friday, September 25 at 4pm, followed by three full days. We photograph till sunset on Monday, September 30<\/li>\n
- The Return to Bosque Reduced Rate Scouting IPT. NOV 26-28, 2019 — 3 FULL DAYS: $1199.00. Limit: 8\/Openings: 6. Extra Day Options: Join me for one to three extra In-the-Field Days at the end of the IPT as follows: FRI 29 NOV, SAT 30 NOV, and SUN 1 DEC for only $300.00\/day.<\/li>\n
- The 2020 San Diego 4 1\/2-DAY BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT) WED JAN 8, 2020 thru and including the morning session on SUN JAN 12: 4 1\/2 days: $2099.(Limit: 8\/Openings: 5)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Click here<\/a> for complete. IPT info. Couples, IPT veterans, and folks wishing to sign up with a friend or with a partner are asked to contact me via e-mail<\/a><\/p>\n
FlexShooter Pro News<\/h3>\n
All FlexShooter Pro BigFeet are now in the BAA Online Store here<\/a>. They should all be in stock in a day or two at most. <\/p>\n
FlexShooter Pro Update<\/h3>\n
We currently have FlexShooter Pro heads in stock here<\/a>. We have all but one of the BigFeet in stock (phone orders only for now: 863-692-0906) but are sold out of the new FLN-60 BigFoot that was recently re-designed for the Nikon 600 VR. Click here<\/a> to access the pretty much complete FlexShooter Pro story with videos. <\/p>\n
BIRDS AS ART<\/h3>\n
BIRDS AS ART is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.<\/p>\n
Selling Your Used Photo Gear Through BIRDS AS ART<\/h3>\n
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<\/a> or shoot us an e-mail<\/a><\/center> 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 the 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 since the introduction of the 600 III. You can always see the current listings by clicking here<\/a> or on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.<\/p>\n
As used gear sales have slowed a bit in recent months — especially with dSLR bodies, there are lots of great buys right now on the Used Gear Page<\/a><\/p>\n
Sony FE 400 mm F2.8 GM OSS<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Sale Pending first day of listing!<\/strong><\/font><\/p>\n
IPT veteran and dear friend Patrick Sparkman is offering an FE 400 mm F2.8 GM OSS Lens in like-new condition for $10,698.00. This immaculate lens is only four months old and has seen little use. The sale includes the lens hood, original product box, the lens trunk, the front lens cover, the rear lens cap, the lens strap, and insured shipping via Fed Ex Ground. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.<\/p>\n
Please contact Patrick via e-mail<\/a><\/center>.<\/p>\n
This super-fast lens is amazingly light at 6.4 lbs, the same weight as the Nikon 300mm f\/2.8. Patrick made lots of great images at St. Paul in the Pribilof Islands last July with the lens alone and with either the 1.4x and 2x teleconverters. He really enjoys the 8.86 ft close-focusing capability and the beautiful bokeh that the lens produces. Now that he owns the new SONY 600mm f\/4GM OSS lens, he cannot justify owning both. As this lens sells new right now for $11,998.00, you can save a cool $1,300.00 by grabbing his virtually new lens asap. <\/em> artie<\/p>\n
ps: at the time of publication this lens is very hard to get; it is not in stock at B&H or at Bedfords. <\/p>\n
ngg_shortcode_0_placeholder<\/center><\/p>\n Money Saving Reminder<\/h3>\n
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<\/a> 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<\/a> 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 getting folks the hot new SONY stuff: the 200-600, the 600 f\/4 GM, and the 7R iv. And the wait-list is short for the Nikon 500 P. <\/p>\n
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<\/center><\/p>\nGear Questions and Advice<\/h3>\n
Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN<\/a>, 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<\/a>. Those questions might deal with systems, camera bodies, accessories, and\/or lens choices and decisions. <\/p>\n
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\n \n ngg_shortcode_1_placeholder<\/center><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \n This image was in St. Paul, AK by good friend Patrick Sparkman. He used the handheld Sony FE 400mm f\/2.8 GM OSS lens<\/a> with the Sony FE 2.0x teleconverter<\/a> and the Sony Alpha a7R III Mirrorless digital camera body.<\/a> ISO: 400. Multi-metering. Exposure determined via the Zebra feature: 1\/400 sec. at f\/5.6.<\/p>\n
Image #1: Parakeet Auklet head portrait<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Image courtesy of and copyright 2019: Patrick Sparkman. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version.<\/p>\n