Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

Stuff

I spent Tuesday afternoon with IPT veteran Michael Goodman at Nickerson. We had a rough start with winds from the east and mostly sunny skies but by 5:30pm the clouds came in and the birds got very active. We stayed so late that I wound up working at ISO 8000! We even had some skimmers skimming in the ocean. I meet Michael again on Wednesday afternoon; conditions are forecast to be perfect: partly cloudy with WSW winds. If you would like to join us, call me on my cell at 863-221-2372.

Big News on the Galapagos Front

Right now I have eight deposits for the 2019 Galapagos Photo Cruise with another couple interested … The trip needs ten registered within two months so right now things are looking very good. If the archipelago is on your bucket list, please get in touch via e-mail with questions. If you might be registering with a friend or a spouse do ask about the two at a time discount. See the complete details here.

Long Island Small Group Instruction

I will be returning to my old haunts on Long Island from 15-27 August, prime time for bird photography. The skimmer sessions have all run with a single registrant and the photography has been great.

Shorebird Sessions

Because of the flooded conditions at the East Pond, it is highly likely that the JBWR sessions will run at Nickerson Beach … The plan was for folks to join me at the East Pond at Jamaica Bay WR on the ideal tides to photograph southbound migrant juvenile shorebirds. With full frame bodies, a minimum of a 500mm lens with TCs is recommended. 400mm OK with crop factor bodies.

Important note: The Shorebird Mornings are dependent on suitable water levels at the East Pond. If the pond is flooded, the sessions will be conducted at Nickerson Beach.

JBwR Shorebird Morning: Friday, AUG 24, 2018. 6:00 – 9:30am plus a working brunch: $375/session. Limit 4/Openings 3.
JBwR Shorebird Morning: Saturday, AUG 25, 2018. 6:00 – 9:30am plus a working brunch: $375/session. Limit 4/Openings 3.

Please inquire via e-mail for multiple session discounts.

To register, please call Jim or Jen with your credit card in hand: 863-692-0906. I hope that you can join me.

BIRDS AS ART

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

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. You can always see the current listings by clicking on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.

Unsolicited, via e-mail, from Pierre Williot

I would encourage anyone who wants to sell some of their photographic equipment to contact Art. High-end photographic equipment can be difficult to sell. Art, with is widely read daily posts, will allow you to sell your equipment fairly easily for a reasonable price and commission. Please, seriously consider the price that he suggests as it can be hard to face the reality of the actual value of well loved equipment! Art is well aware of the current market for second-hand photographic equipment.

Used Gear Page News

After a month or so in the summer doldrums, sales on the Used Gear page have been picking up recently:

Todd Koudelka sold his Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM lens (“the “old five”) in very good plus condition for the BAA record-low price of $3199.00.
Pierre Williot sold his canon EF 600mm f/4L IS USM lens (the original 600 IS) in very good to excellent condition for $3999.00 in mid-August.
Todd Koudelka sold a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV in near-mint condition (but for a few tiny, barely visible scratches) for the BAA record-low-by-far of $2249.00 (was $2449.00) in early August.
Ron Gates requested that the listing for his Canon 70-200mm lens be removed and kindly sent me a check for 4% of the original asking price.
Julie Brown sold her Canon EF 300mm f/2.8 L IS lens (the original version) in excellent condition for $2099 in early August.
IPT veteran Bill Wingfield sold a Wimberley V-2 WH-200 Gimbal Head in very good condition for a ridiculously low $299.00 and a Gitzo GT3532LS Carbon Fiber tripod in good condition for only $249.00, bot in early August.
IPT veteran Bill Wingfield sold his Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS II USM lens in excellent to near-mint condition for $1049.00 in late July 2018.
Pierre Williot sold his Canon EOS 5DS R in like-new condition for the BAA record-low-by-far price of $1999.00 (was $2399.00).

New Listings

Canon EF 500mm f/4 L IS Lens (the original IS model) plus extras!

Richard Gollar is offering a Canon EF 500mm f/4 L IS (the original IS model, the “old five”) in near-mint condition for $3399.00. The sale includes the rear lens cap, the lens trunk, the original tough front lens cover, the lens strap, a Really Right Stuff LCF-50 plate (along with the original foot), a LensCoat, and insured ground shipping via major courier to US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Richard via e-mail or by phone at 1-810-922-8598 (Eastern time).

The 500mm f/4 lenses have been the world’s most popular telephoto lenses for birds, nature, wildlife, and sports for many decades. I owned and used and loved my “old five” for many years. If you don’t have the cash for a 500 II and can handle the additional 1 1/2 pounds, then this is your best super-telephoto option. Most everyone can produce sharp images with this lens and a 1.4X TC. Folks with good to excellent sharpness techniques can do the same with a 2X TC. With the new 500 II selling for $8,999 you can save a bundle by grabbing Richard’s virtually pristine lens. artie

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 IS II USM Lens

Roger Williams is offering a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 IS II USM lens in like-new condition (but for a single faint scratch on the front element) for the “it’s-your-lucky-day” price of only $899.00. The sale includes the original rear and front lens covers, the CD, the tough fabric carrying case and strap, the original product box, and insured ground shipping via major courier to US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Roger via e-mail or by phone at 1-651-402-8125 (Central time).

I owned and used this incredibly versatile lens for birds and wildlife and landscapes and Urbex for many years with both teleconverters. It was great indoors for events like granddaughter Maya’s dance recitals. A new copy of the 70-200 II currently sells for $1,949 so you can save a pretty penny by grabbing Roger’s lens right now. artie

Tan, men’s extra large Xtrahand Magnum Vest

John Lowin is offering a tan, (men’s extra large) Xtrahand Magnum vest by Vested Interest for $229.00. The sale includes two additional large lens pouches and a rain cover/half pancho that covers the photographer’s head, shoulders, camera, and a long lens. Photos are available upon request. All in near-mint condition. The sale also includes insured ground shipping by major courier to mainland US addresses only (unless other shipping arrangements are made). Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact John via e-mail or by phone at 1-262-242-3559. Central time.

As most of you know, I use and depend on my (Magnum) Xtrahand Vest extensively both in the field and for air travel. At spots in the Southern Ocean and in the Galapagos archipelago, it is absolutely indispensable as it allows me to carry the extra lenses that I might need, along with water, food, and extra clothing. Without a backpack! As Vested Interest has gone out of business, this represents a rare chance to get yourself an Xtrahand Vest at a greatly reduced price. artie

Navy blue (woman’s small) Xtrahand Magnum Vest

John Lowin also offering a navy blue (woman’s small) Xtrahand Magnum vest by Vested Interest for $199.00. The vest is in like-new condition. The sale also includes insured ground shipping by major courier to mainland US addresses only (unless other shipping arrangements are made). Please contact John via e-mail or by phone at 1-262-242-3559. Central time.

As most of you know, I use and depend on my (Magnum) Xtrahand Vest extensively both in the field and for air travel; it has saved my butt many times when traveling on small planes and puddle jumpers when they want to check or gate-check your roll aboard. At spots in the Southern Ocean and in the Galapagos archipelago, it is absolutely indispensable as it allows me to carry the extra lenses that I might need, along with water, food, and extra clothing. Without a backpack! As Vested Interest has gone out of business, this represents a rare chance to get yourself an Xtrahand Vest at a greatly reduced price. artie

Canon EF 200-400 f/4L IS USM Lens with Internal 1.4x Extender (with extras!)

Price dropped $300 on 21 AUG 2018!

Mike Diersing is offering a Canon EF 200-400 f/4L IS USM lens with Internal 1.4x Extender in very good-plus condition (the glass is immaculate) for the crazy, BAA record-low-by-far price of $6,899.00 (was $7,199.00). The sale includes a Really Right Stuff LCF-53 lens foot, a Realtree Max-5 LensCoat, the front and rear lens caps, the original tripod and monopod mounts, the lens trunk with keys, the lens strap, the lens manual, and insured ground shipping via FedEx to US addresses only.

Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Mike via e-mail.

This is the world’s best lens for a trip to Africa. It kills also in the Galapagos and in South Georgia, the Falklands, and Antarctica. And I use mine a lot at Bosque and other dusty places where the built-in TC helps to keep your sensor clean. And I love it in the Palouse for its versatility. Recently, I often found myself wishing that I had taken the 200-400 rather than my 500 II on the Bear Boat Cubs IPT. Many nature photographers use it as their workhorse telephoto lens as it offers 884mm at f/8 with an external 1.4X TC added. The lens sells new at B&H right now for $10,999.00. You can save a neat $4,100.00 by grabbing Mike’s lens right now. artie

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.

Booking.Com

Several folks on the UK IPT used the Booking.Com link below for there Edinburgh hotels, got great rates, and saved 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.

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 August 19, 2018 at Nickerson Beach, Gilgo Beach, Long Island, NY. I used the Induro GIT 304L/Mongoose M3.6-mounted Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4E FL ED VR lens with the Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III and the Nikon D850. ISO 800. Matrix metering + 1/3 stop: 1/1000 sec. at f/6.3. AUTO 0 WB at 5:02pm on a cloudy afternoon. Center Group (grp)/Continuous (AI Servo in Canon)/Shutter button AF was active at the moment of exposure. The bottom point of the array was right on the large chick’s eye. Be sure to click on the image to see a larger version. Focus peaking AF Fine-tune: +5. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here. Image #1: American Oystercatchers adult feeding fledged young

Aging American Oystercatcher

Adult American Oystercatchers have yellow irises, bright red eye skins, and bright orange bills. The young birds have smokey brown irises, dull orange eye skins, and much duller orange bills with the distal half of the bill brown shading to black. If you take a close look at the feathers of the upperparts of the large fledgling, you will see that nearly all of the buffy fringes that characterize the younger juveniles have worn away and that some black first winter feathers are growing in.

A Common Over-saturation Misconception

A common misconception is that the colors seen in a RAW file are never over-saturated. “But I did not increase the saturation!” is a common defense. The orange bills of the adult oystercatchers are a prefect example. The oranges of the adult bills in images created either in warm sunlight or cloudy conditions are often over-saturated as the images come out of the camera. Period. If you do a Levels adjustment and set the Highlight point the ORANGEs and the REDs will often show as over-saturated. And the same may be true when you are viewing the RGB histogram either on the back of the camera or on a computer.

Post-Processing Adult Skimmer Bills

It is best to tame these over-saturated ORANGEs during the RAW conversion. Both ACR and DPP have HSL tabs — Hue/Saturation/Luminance. Simply open the HSL tab, be sure that you are on Luminance, and move the slider to the left to decrease the Luminance. This approach works much better than reducing the Saturation as that results in the bills appearing just plain dull, which they are not. If you need to tone down the bill color a bit more once the image is in Photoshop, select the offending bill, put the selection on its own layer, go Image > Adjustments > Selective Color and add 40-90 points of CYAN to the REDs.

Everything above plus tons and tons more is covered in detail in Digital Basics II.

This image was also created on August 19, 2018 at Nickerson Beach, Gilgo Beach, Long Island, NY. I used the Induro GIT 304L/Mongoose M3.6-mounted Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4E FL ED VR lens with the Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III and the Nikon D850. ISO 800. Matrix metering + 1/3 stop: 1/800 sec. at f/6.3. AUTO 0 WB at 5:23pm on a cloudy afternoon. Center Group (grp)/Continuous (AI Servo in Canon)/Shutter button AF was active at the moment of exposure. This time, the bottom point of the array was right on the adult’s head. Focus peaking AF Fine-tune: +5. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here. Image #2: American Oystercatcher, fledged young eating sand crab

Evaluating and Comparing Similar Images …

Surprisingly, today’s two featured images are not part of a series; Image #2 was created 21 minutes after Image #1. Enlarge each image by clicking on them. Leave a comment detailing the strengths and weakness of each image. Which young bird has the most engaging head position? Which adult is sharper? Which image has the most pleasing background. Be sure to explain your answers.

Help Support the Blog

Please help support my 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

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. Tanks a stack.

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 :).

Stuff

I met up with IPT veteran and long-time friend Greg Gulbransen for an afternoon photo session on Sunday. We tried the East Pond with no luck at all. Then we decided to do the cormorants on the pilings at the north end of what I call the South Channel Bridge. When we arrived, every piling had a bird on it. By the time we set up in the parking lot, they were all gone. As many south shore beaches had been closed in the morning as a result of washed up medical waste, we called Nickerson to find out if it was open. Good news there. We took the back roads to avoid the Southern State traffic. That brought back many memories of me: lots of striped bass in Far Rockaways and the Capri Beach Club in Atlantic Beach. With thick clouds and an east/northeast wind there was only one place to be. We went right to it and had too much fun and lots of great skimmer flight photography with almost constant midair battles. When those opportunities abated we headed down to the surf where dozens of tame oystercatcher families were feeding on sand crabs and feeding their large chicks.

i-Phone 8+ double selfie

Last was a fine dinner in nearby Point Lookout. It was great seeing and working with Greg again.

News on the Galapagos Front

Right now I have six deposits for the 2019 Galapagos Photo Cruise … The trip needs ten registered in about two months to run. If the archipelago is on your bucket list, please get in touch via e-mail with questions. If you might be registering with a friend or a spouse do ask about the two at a time discount. See the complete details here.

The Podcast YouTube Link

You can view and comment on the recent Understand Photography podcast on YouTube here.

The Topics

As many of you know, I had great fun doing the 100th Understand Photography episode with Peggy Farren in Naples last Friday afternoon past. We talked in depth about my getting fired by Canon as an Explorer of Light, my switch from Canon to Nikon, the pros and cons of each system for bird photographers, the best tripod head for bird photography, and lots more. And we did get to include the Long Lens Sharpness Misconceptions and Tips demo.

Long Island Small Group Instruction

I will be returning to my old haunts on Long Island from 15-27 August, prime time for bird photography. The schedules below may be expanded based on demand.

Skimmer Sessions

Join me at Nickerson Beach to photograph Black Skimmers and lots more. Gull predation of young skimmers is likely. With full frame bodies, a minimum of a 500mm lens with TCs is recommended. 400mm OK with crop factor bodies.

Skimmer Afternoon (usually best for flight): Tuesday AUG 21, 2018. 5:00pm till sunset: $250/session. Limit 4/Openings 3.
Skimmer Morning: Wednesday, AUG, 22, 2018. 5:30 – 9:00am plus a working brunch: $375/session. Limit 4.
Skimmer Afternoon (usually best for flight): Wednesday AUG 22, 2018. 5:00pm till sunset: $250/session. Limit 4/Openings 3.

Please inquire e-mail for multiple session discounts.

To register, please call Jim or Jen with your credit card in hand: 863-692-0906. I hope that you can join me.

Shorebird Sessions

Join me at the East Pond at Jamaica Bay WR on the ideal tides to photograph southbound migrant juvenile shorebirds. With full frame bodies, a minimum of a 500mm lens with TCs is recommended. 400mm OK with crop factor bodies.

Important note: The Shorebird Mornings are dependent on suitable water levels at the East Pond. If the pond is flooded, the sessions will be conducted at Nickerson Beach.

JBwR Shorebird Morning: Friday, AUG 24, 2018. 6:00 – 9:30am plus a working brunch: $375/session. Limit 4/Openings 3.
JBwR Shorebird Morning: Saturday, AUG 25, 2018. 6:00 – 9:30am plus a working brunch: $375/session. Limit 4/Openings 3.

Please inquire via e-mail for multiple session discounts.

To register, please call Jim or Jen with your credit card in hand: 863-692-0906. I hope that you can join me.

BIRDS AS ART

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

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. You can always see the current listings by clicking on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.

Unsolicited, via e-mail, from Pierre Williot

I would encourage anyone who wants to sell some of their photographic equipment to contact Art. High-end photographic equipment can be difficult to sell. Art, with is widely read daily posts, will allow you to sell your equipment fairly easily for a reasonable price and commission. Please, seriously consider the price that he suggests as it can be hard to face the reality of the actual value of well loved equipment! Art is well aware of the current market for second-hand photographic equipment.

Used Gear Page News

After a month or so in the summer doldrums, sales on the Used Gear page have been picking up recently.

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. Patrick Sparkman saved $350 on a recent purchase!

Hard to Find Nikon Stuff Available Now

Steve Elkins has several Nikon D850s in stock right now. In addition, he has a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4E FL ED VR lens and an AF-S 180-400mm f/4E TC1.4 FL ED VR lens in stock! E-mail Steve about a special deal on either big Nikon lens. The 180-400, like its Canon counterpart, the EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM with Internal Extender 1.4x lens — is especially great for trips to Africa, the Southern Ocean, or the Galapagos.

Booking.Com

Several folks on the UK IPT used the Booking.Com link below for there Edinburgh hotels, got great rates, and saved 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.

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 afternoon of Friday, August 17 at Nickerson Beach. I used the Induro GIT 304L/Mongoose M3.6-mounted Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4E FL ED VR lens and the mega mega-pixel Nikon D850 DSLR.. ISO 400. Matrix metering -1/3 stop as framed. 1/5000 sec. at f/5 in Manual mode. AUTO1 WB at 4:05pm on a sunny afternoon (before the clouds took over). Center Group (grp)/Shutter Button/Continuous (AI Servo in Canon) AF was active at the moment of exposure. Phase detection AF Fine-tune value: +1. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here. Image #1: Black Skimmer incoming/calling in flight

Nickerson Afternoons

Nickerson afternoons are generally great for flight photography. South, southwest, or west winds are great when it is sunny. If it is cloudy with winds from other directions there will always be at least one good location that will provide lots of flight photography afternoons; the trick is to keep the wind at your back …

This image was created on the afternoon of Friday, August 17 at Nickerson Beach. Again I used the Induro GIT 304L/Mongoose M3.6-mounted Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4E FL ED VR lens and the mega mega-pixel Nikon D850 DSLR.. ISO 400. Matrix metering -1/3 stop as framed. 1/5000 sec. at f/5 in Manual mode. AUTO1 WB at 4:15pm on a sunny afternoon (before the clouds took over). Center Group (grp)/Shutter Button/Continuous (AI Servo in Canon) AF was active at the moment of exposure. Phase detection AF Fine-tune value: +1. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here. Image #2: Black Skimmer/level flight

Sit or Stand for Flight?

In general, you will have more opportunities for green backgrounds if you stand behind your tripod at full height. And you will have more opportunities for sky backgrounds if you sit behind your lowered tripod.

As far as flight photography is concerned, I have great confidence with my Nikon gear. Image #2A: This is an unsharpened 100% crop of Black Skimmer/level flight

What Can I Say?

For me, and I repeat, for me, I am able to create a far higher percentage of sharp flight images with my Nikon gear than I was with my comparable Canon gear. For me …

This image was created on the afternoon of Friday, August 17 at Nickerson Beach. Again I used the Induro GIT 304L/Mongoose M3.6-mounted Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4E FL ED VR lens and the mega mega-pixel Nikon D850 DSLR.. ISO 800. Matrix metering +1 2/3 stops off the light blue sky: 1/2000 sec. at f/5 in Manual mode. AUTO1 WB at 4:36pm on a now mostly cloudy afternoon. Center Group (grp)/Shutter Button/Continuous (AI Servo in Canon) AF was active at the moment of exposure. Phase detection AF Fine-tune value: +1. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here. Image #3: Black Skimmer/breaking off after an aerial battle

Here Come The Clouds

Serious students can learn a ton about exposure by studying the EXIF data for the four images presented today. When the clouds first covered the sun, there were still a few patches of light blue sky. But in effect, the birds were shaded so I doubled the ISO and halved the shutter speed. I was very happy with the brightness of the NEF file with this image but still needed to move the Exposure to +0.20 before setting the WHITE point.

This image was created on the afternoon of Friday, August 17 at Nickerson Beach. Again I used the Induro GIT 304L/Mongoose M3.6-mounted Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4E FL ED VR lens and the mega mega-pixel Nikon D850 DSLR.. ISO 800. Matrix metering +1 2/3 stops off the light blue sky: 1/2000 sec. at f/4.5 in Manual mode. AUTO1 WB at 6:10pm on a now very cloudy afternoon. Center Group (grp)/Shutter Button/Continuous (AI Servo in Canon) AF was active at the moment of exposure. Phase detection AF Fine-tune value: +1. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here. Image #4: Black Skimmer with needlefish for young

Very Cloudy

It continued to get darker as the clouds thickened. I opted not to raise the ISO so I opened the aperture from f/5 to f/4.5. That was not enough. For this one I needed
to move the Exposure to +0.60 before setting the WHITE point. The NEF file here was more than 1/2 stop under-exposed but with the great dynamic range of D850 image files the optimized image looks just fine.

The Lessons

When it is sunny, determine a good exposure while working in Manual mode by checking the histogram and checking for blinkies. With white and black birds like skimmers having a few blinkies on the bright white flanks is just fine; this ensures that the blacks will have maximum or near-maximum detail.

When it is cloudy, you need to be at least 2 stops over the grey sky. And the darker it gets, the more you need to go plus. Do that by raising the ISO, using a wider aperture, and setting a slower shutter speed. Most folks (at times including me) will tend to underexpose images created in cloudy conditions … You can do better than I did by being sure to have at least a smattering of blinkies in the sky.

Your Opinion Requested

#1: Which image is the most dynamic?

#2: Which image has the most evenly lit near-underwing?

#3: Which image here is the strongest? Be sure to let us know why you made your choice.

Help Support the Blog

Please help support my 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

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. Tanks a stack.

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 :).

Stuff

Nickerson was great on Thursday morning. If you live nearby, consider joining me tomorrow for either a morning or an afternoon session of next Tuesday or Wednesday, all as below. If you would like to make tomorrow morning be sure to call my cell after 4:30pm today and before 8:30pm: 863-221-2372 and in addition, shoot me an e-mail.

From Dianne Heggie via e-mail

I had SUCH a great time today! It’s always inspiring to spend time learning from you. Your generosity in sharing knowledge and insights is really exceptional. I shouldn’t let another 8 years pass before joining you for another workshop! Thanks for your kind words in the post. Very nice! The first thing I did when I got home was to take a nap! I can’t believe you had the energy to put the blog together. Be well!

Dianne

Long Island Small Group Instruction

I am back to my old haunts on Long Island from 15-27 August, prime time for bird photography. The schedules below may be expanded based on demand.

Skimmer Sessions

Join me at Nickerson Beach to photograph Black Skimmers and lots more. Gull predation of young skimmers is likely. With full frame bodies, a minimum of a 500mm lens with TCs is recommended. 400mm OK with crop factor bodies.

Skimmer Morning: Friday AUG, 17, 2018. 5:30 – 9:00am plus a working brunch: $375/session. Limit 4/Openings 3.

Skimmer Afternoon (usually best for flight): Skimmer Afternoon (usually best for flight): Friday, AUG 17, 2018. 5:00pm till sunset: $250/session. Limit 4/Openings 3.

Skimmer Afternoon (usually best for flight): Tuesday AUG 21, 2018. 5:00pm till sunset: $250/session. Limit 4/Openings 3.

Skimmer Morning: Wednesday, AUG, 22, 2018. 5:30 – 9:00am plus a working brunch: $375/session. Limit 4.

Skimmer Afternoon (usually best for flight): Wednesday AUG 22, 2018. 5:00pm till sunset: $250/session. Limit 4/Openings 3.

Please inquire e-mail for multiple session discounts.

To register, please call Jim or Jen with your credit card in hand: 863-692-0906. I hope that you can join me.

Image #1: Photographer’s shadows and skimmer flock i-Phone 8+ image by yours truly

If I’ve Heard It Once I’ve Heard it 1,000 Times!

Over the years I have heard from a friend that the place that I am headed for to do some bird photography sucked. No birds. No good. Nothing exciting. I heard that from BPN Avian Moderator and good friend Isaac Grant on Wednesday afternoon. He had heard that from his friends who knew the place “very well.”

I can assure you that Nickerson did not suck on Thursday morning …

Don’t Forget

Point your shadow at the subject …

The Advantages of Standing

When standing behind your tripod at full height it is a lot easier to get into position without disturbing the birds. And that goes double for older folks if they are no good at butt crawling and if it is harder for them to get back up than it is to get on the ground … A second advantage is that opting for a higher perspective will often eliminate birds from the upper background that would be in the frame had you been lower.

The Advantages of Getting Low

Lots of folks, as I did when I was younger, love to sit or lie on the ground. Leave a comment if you know some of the advantages of choosing a lower perspective.

This image was created on Thursday, August 16 at Nickerson Beach. I used the Induro GIT 304L/Mongoose M3.6-mounted Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4E FL ED VR lens, the Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-17E II, and the mega mega-pixel Nikon D850 DSLR.. ISO 400. Matrix metering +2/3 stop: 1/400 sec. at f/10 in Manual mode. AUTO1 WB at 7:13am on the partly cloudy very bright morning. One AF point below the center AF point d-9/Shutter Button/Continuous (AI Servo in Canon) AF was active at the moment of exposure. The selected AF point was squarely on the chick’s face. Phase detection AF Fine-tune value: +1. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here. Image #2: Black Skimmer large chick begging/ducking!

An Intimate Perspective from On High

Working with long effective focal lengths (600 X 1.7 = 1020mm or 20.4X magnification for the image above) often makes it seem as if you had chosen a much lower perspective even when you are standing. Why? Your angle of declination (the angle in degrees from the plane of the lens point parallel to the ground to the plane of the lens pointed at the subject) is not steep at all … Compare the image above with the one you would make by walking up to a tame chick and pointing the lens down 45 degrees to fill half the width of the frame with the subject …

This image was also created on Thursday, August 16 at Nickerson Beach. Dianne Heggie used the tripod mounted Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR lens, the Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III, and the mega mega-pixel Nikon D850 DSLR.. ISO 800. Matrix metering +2/3 stop: 1/640 sec. at f/9 in Manual mode. AUTO1 WB at 7:34am on the partly cloudy very bright morning. Image #3: Black Skimmer — adult with two chicks Image courtesy of and Copyright 2018 Dianne Heggie/post processing by yours truly

Way To Go Dianne

Mazel tov to Dianne Heggie and husband Reggie on their recent retirements, she from a 40-year career as a Social Worker, he from IT. Dianne is a multiple IPT veteran having been crawling in the mud with me at Jamaica Bay in about 1997 and on a Nickerson Beach IPT in 2011 or so. Image #2 above is Dianne’s. I did the Photoshop work over lunch at the Diner Luxe in Bethpage. We both had a great time photographing and catching up.

Post-processing Questions

Is one of today’s two featured images (#s 2 & 3) pretty much right out of camera? If not, which of the two had the most work done in Photoshop? If you see any telltale signs of manipulation (my favorite word!), please leave a comment and explain your proof. Remember, this stuff is much more difficult when you do not see the original 🙂 I will post JPEGs here at some point representing the full frame RAW captures for both featured images. You might be shocked. Either way.

Help Support the Blog

Please help support my 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

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. Tanks a stack.

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 :).

Stuff

I fly to Long Island tomorrow to visit family and do some bird photography. I have one person signed up for pretty much every session so if you can join us, you will be assured of a very small group … Complete details below.

Good News on the Galapagos Front

Right now it is looking as if we are up to seven for the 2019 Galapagos Photo Cruise … Click here for the complete details.

A Great Discussion

In yesterday’s Would You Remove a Cigarette Butt From an Otherwise Great Image? A Great Quick Mask/Layer Masking Trick. And Lots More … blog post here, there is a great discussion going on. Do check out the comments and my replies. Have you sold a photo for “editorial use” in the last five years I haven’t. I don’t even know what editorial use is …

The Podcast YouTube Link

You can view and comment on the podcast on YouTube here.

The Topics

As I mentioned yesterday, I had great fun doing the 100th Understand Photography episode with Peggy Farren in Naples on Friday afternoon past. We talked in depth about my getting fired by Canon as an Explorer of Light, my switch from Canon to Nikon, the pros and cons of each system for bird photographers, the best tripod head for bird photography, and lots more. We did get to include the Long Lens Sharpness Misconceptions and Tips demo.

Long Island Small Group Instruction

I will be returning to my old haunts on Long Island from 15-27 August, prime time for bird photography. The schedules below may be expanded based on demand.

Skimmer Sessions

Join me at Nickerson Beach to photograph Black Skimmers and lots more. Gull predation of young skimmers is likely. With full frame bodies, a minimum of a 500mm lens with TCs is recommended. 400mm OK with crop factor bodies.

Skimmer Morning: Thursday, AUG 16, 2018. 5:30 – 9:00am plus a working brunch: $375/session. Limit 4/Openings 3.
Skimmer Morning: Friday AUG, 17, 2018. 5:30 – 9:00am plus a working brunch: $375/session. Limit 4/Openings 3.
Skimmer Morning: Wednesday, AUG, 22, 2018. 5:30 – 9:00am plus a working brunch: $375/session. Limit 4.

Skimmer Afternoon (usually best for flight): Skimmer Afternoon (usually best for flight): Friday, AUG 17, 2018. 5:00pm till sunset: $250/session. Limit 4/Openings 3.
Skimmer Afternoon (usually best for flight): Tuesday AUG 21, 2018. 5:00pm till sunset: $250/session. Limit 4/Openings 3.
Skimmer Afternoon (usually best for flight): Wednesday AUG 22, 2018. 5:00pm till sunset: $250/session. Limit 4/Openings 3.

Please inquire e-mail for multiple session discounts.

To register, please call Jim or Jen with your credit card in hand: 863-692-0906. I hope that you can join me.

Shorebird Sessions

Join me at the East Pond at Jamaica Bay WR on the ideal tides to photograph southbound migrant juvenile shorebirds. With full frame bodies, a minimum of a 500mm lens with TCs is recommended. 400mm OK with crop factor bodies.

Important note: The Shorebird Mornings are dependent on suitable water levels at the East Pond. If the pond is flooded, the sessions will be conducted at Nickerson Beach.

JBwR Shorebird Morning: Friday, AUG 24, 2018. 6:00 – 9:30am plus a working brunch: $375/session. Limit 4/Openings 3.

JBwR Shorebird Morning: Saturday, AUG 25, 2018. 6:00 – 9:30am plus a working brunch: $375/session. Limit 4/Openings 3.

Please inquire via e-mail for multiple session discounts.

To register, please call Jim or Jen with your credit card in hand: 863-692-0906. I hope that you can join me.

Stuff

Last February, a friend and I signed up for Andrew McLachlan’s Cayman Brac/Brown Booby Workshop. We had a great time, learned a bunch, and wound up with a ton of great images (as seen on the blog). Andrew is a moderator in the Landscapes, Cityscapes and Travel Forum on BirdPhotographer’s.Net. His e-guide to frog photography will be published this fall by BIRDS AS ART books. Nuf’ said …

Join Andrew McLachlan and Mark Pepper (Understory Enterprises) for an exclusive photography retreat within the Cordillera Escalera, near Tarapoto, Peru. This location is situated within the foothills of the Andes Mountains, in Amazonian Rainforest. The dates for this event are October 19 – October 26, 2019 (6 ½ days of photography). Maximum number of participants is 6 / 8 depending on participants attending (if two couples are attending the tour we can extend the capacity to 8). The minimum number of participants for this tour is 3. The photo tour fee is $3800.00 US Currency. We need to arrive in Tarapoto, Peru on October 19, 2019 and we will depart for home on October 26, 2019. Depending on everybody’s departure time on October 26, 2019, we may be able to fit in one additional half day of photography.

The focus of this photo tour will be landscapes and micro fauna of the Cordillera Escalera. There is nothing quite like watching the sun rise over the foothills of the Andes Mountains as each new day awakens, standing in awe at towering waterfalls, photographing dart frogs in their natural habitat, or venturing out to explore the night life of the Amazon rainforest. One highlight of the night-time excursions will be photographing the endangered Cochran Frog, which has a very limited range in the Cordillera Escalera. We will also be photographing many species of insects endemic to this region. The biodiversity of the Cordillera Escalera leaves no shortage of subjects to photograph.

For more info or to register, please contact Andrew via e-mail.

Mark Pepper

We could not ask for a more friendly and knowledgeable guide. Mark Pepper has been exploring this rainforest environment for over 15 years. Mark has even worked with BBC film crews filming in the area. Using his extensive knowledge and keen eye he will locate several species of dart frogs for us to photograph, not to mention some very fascinating insects!

Some locations during this tour will require the ability of being able to walk several kilometres over uneven terrain in a humid environment. If you have any concerns regarding this please do not hesitate to inquire for additional information.

Our accommodations will be at the luxurious Understory House, which is also equipped with a gorgeous infinity pool over-looking the Cordillera Escalera, within the foothills of the Andes Mountains and Amazonian rainforest. There are two rooms with one queen bed each and one room with two sets of adult bunkbeds. Many of our morning sunrise sessions will be conducted on site, as we have an outstanding view of the sun rising over the mountain range.

Itinerary:

Daily excursions will be determined based on the current weather conditions.
Image review sessions will be conducted both in the field via LCD and at the Understory House via laptop computers.
Breakfast – at the Understory House
Lunch – at various locations during the tour based on each day’s travel plans
Dinner – in the town of Tarapoto at one of the many fine restaurants

What’s Included:

In-depth Photographic instruction
Accommodation at the Understory House
Transportation to and from Understory House and to all photographic destinations
Pick-up and drop-off at the Tarapoto airport for your arrival and departure
Free Wifi at the Understory House
All meals

What’s Not Included:

Your airfare to and from Tarapoto, Peru (via Lima).

Alcoholic beverages
Travel insurance
Medical insurance

The Details

Photo Tour Fee: $3800.00 US per person.

To secure your spot a non-refundable deposit of $1,200 US is due now. The balance of the fee, $2600.00 US, is due no later than March 31, 2019. A signed Waiver of Liability form must accompany the non-refundable deposit. Waiver of Liability forms will be emailed to those wishing to register.

Travel Insurance: Participants are encouraged to purchase their own medical, travel, and trip cancellation insurance.

The Cancellation Policy: Full refund less $1200 US non-refundable deposit up to 91 days prior to Photo Tour date. No refunds 90 days prior to the date.

If fewer than three folks sign up you will receive a complete refund that will include your non-refundable deposit.

Understanding Photography Podcast Today, Friday August 9, 2018! from Naples, FL

From the lovely and irrepressible Peggy Farren’s Understanding Photography FaceBook page:

This Friday, August 10 at 4 pm EDT – the fabulous Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART will be the guest on our 100th episode of The Understand Photography Show! Get your questions ready as this will be a live question and answer show! With prizes! Be sure to comment or ask questions over on the Understand Photography page while watching the show to enter!

Also, we are selecting a very small studio audience. If you’d like to attend the live show, shoot me an email asap to peggy@understandphotography.com.

From Me

On the podcast we will be talking in depth about my switch from Canon and Nikon, the pros and cons of each system for bird photographers, the best tripod head for bird photography, and the most common mistakes made by bird photographers. And lots more.

ps: you can scroll down on the FB page to see the first episode that I did with Peggy.

Long Island Small Group Instruction

I will be returning to my old haunts on Long Island from 15-27 August, prime time for bird photography. If you would like to learn how to photograph the skimmers at Nickerson Beach, do consider joining me.

Skimmer Sessions

Join me at Nickerson Beach to photograph Black Skimmers and lots more. Gull predation of young skimmers is likely. With full frame bodies, a minimum of a 500mm lens with TCs is recommended. 400mm OK with crop factor bodies.

Skimmer Morning: Thursday, AUG 16, 2018. 5:30 – 9:00am plus a working brunch: $375/session. Limit 4/Openings 3.
Skimmer Morning: Friday AUG, 17, 2018. 5:30 – 9:00am plus a working brunch: $375/session. Limit 4/Openings 3.
Skimmer Morning: Wednesday, AUG, 22, 2018. 5:30 – 9:00am plus a working brunch: $375/session. Limit 4.

Skimmer Afternoon (usually best for flight): Skimmer Afternoon (usually best for flight): Friday, AUG 17, 2018. 5:00pm till sunset: $250/session. Limit 4/Openings 3.
Skimmer Afternoon (usually best for flight): Tuesday AUG 21, 2018. 5:00pm till sunset: $250/session. Limit 4/Openings 3.
Skimmer Afternoon (usually best for flight): Wednesday AUG 22, 2018. 5:00pm till sunset: $250/session. Limit 4/Openings 3.

Please inquire e-mail for multiple session discounts.

To register, please call Jim or Jen with your credit card in hand: 863-692-0906. I hope that you can join me.

Please inquire via e-mail for multiple session discounts.

To register, please call Jim or Jen with your credit card in hand: 863-692-0906. I hope that you can join me.

BIRDS AS ART

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

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. You can always see the current listings by clicking on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.

Recent Sales

IPT veteran Bill Wingfield sold a Wimberley V-2 WH-200 Gimbal Head in very good condition for a ridiculously low $299.00 and a Gitzo GT3532LS Carbon Fiber tripod in good condition for only $249.00, both in early August.
IPT veteran Bill Wingfield sold his Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS II USM lens in excellent to near-mint condition for $1049.00 in late July 2018.
Pierre Williot sold his Canon EOS 5DS R in like-new condition for the BAA record-low-by-far price of $1999.00 (was $2399.00).
Carolyn Peterson sold a Canon GPS receiver GP-E2 for EOS camera bodies in near-mint condition for $149 in mid-July.
BAA-friend “Bug” Bob Allen sold a Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM Zoom lens in excellent condition for the a BAA record low price of $527.00 in mid-July.
NANPA President Don Carter sold his Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM lens in excellent condition for the BAA record-low-by-far price of $525 the first day it was listed. Yours truly sold his like-new Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS lens for $699 in late June.
Ray Maynard sold his Canon 300mm f/2.8 L IS lens (the original version) in near-mint condition for the BIRDS AS ART record-low price of $2349.000 and a Canon 2X III teleconverter in near-mint condition for $285.00 both in mid-July.

Sigma 150-500mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM Lens (for Canon EF mount)

Ron Gates is offering a Sigma 150-500mm F5-6.3 DG OS (optical stabilization) HSM Lens (for Canon EF mount) in excellent plus condition (with a smudge on the lens hood) and a Wimberley P-20 plate for the bargain price of $449. The sale includes the front and back lens covers, the Wimberley P-20 plate (a $58 value), the carrying case, and insured ground shipping via major courier. Your lens will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Ron via e-mail or by phone at 972-890-4105 (Central time.)

I have seen lots of sharp images made with a variety of Sigma telephoto zoom lenses; Ron’s lens would be great for someone looking for an inexpensive quality telephoto zoom. artie

Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM Lens

Price dropped $749 on 8 AUG 2018!

Mansoor Assadi is offering a barely used Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens in mint condition for the astounding BIRDS AS ART record-low price of $6999.00 (was $7748.00). The sale includes the original box and everything that came in it including the lens trunk along with insured ground shipping via major courier. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Mansoor via e-mail or by phone at 415-559-8027 (Pacific time).

This fast, super-sharp, relatively lightweight (8.49 pounds) super-telephoto lens is a versatile lens for wildlife photographers, especially for those who live in the west and do large mammals in low light. And it is a hugely popular lens with sports photographers. For bird photographers working at close range at feeder set-ups will really love the 3m (9.8 feet) close focus. And best of all, it creates super-sharp images with both the 1.4X III and the 2X III Extenders. It currently sells new at B&H for $9,999. You can save some a very significant 3000 bucks by grabbing Mansoor’s lens right now. artie

Price Drop!

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV

Price Reduced $200 on August 10, 2018.

Todd Koudelka is also offering a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV in near-mint condition (but for a few tiny, barely visible scratches) for the BAA record-low-by-far of $2249.00 (was $2449.00). The body has less than 7,000 shutter actuations. The sale includes the front body cap, the lens strap, the original battery and charger, the USB cord, the two CDs, the manual, and insured ground shipping via major courier to US addresses. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Todd e-mail or by phone at 1-608-577-5375 (Central time)

What can I say. The 5D IV was my favorite-ever Canon dSLR. Fabulous image files and an excellent AF system. I owned and use three of them while my 1DX II sat on the shelf in my garage for two years. If you have been dreaming of a 5D IV, grab Todd’s practically new copy asap. The 5D IV currently sells new for $3099.00 so you will be saving a cool $650. artie

Great Buy!

Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM Lens

Todd Koudelka is offering a Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM lens (“the “old five”) in very good plus condition for the BAA record-low price of $3199.00. The lens which -functions perfectly — would be excellent but for the fact that Todd used camo tape rather than a LensCoat and when he removed the tape he pulled off some paint. He did paint over the area with the correct Canon paint. The sale includes the lens trunk with key, the rear cap, the front lens cover, the lens strap, and insured ground shipping via major courier to US addresses. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Todd e-mail or by phone at 1-608-577-5375 (Central time).

The 500mm f/4 lenses have been the world’s most popular telephoto lenses for birds, nature, wildlife, and sports for many decades. I owned and used and loved my “old five” for many years. If you don’t have the cash for a 500 II and can handle the additional 1 1/2 pounds, then this is your best super-telephoto option. Most everyone can produce sharp images with this lens and a 1.4X TC. Folks with good to excellent sharpness techniques can do the same with a 2X TC. With the new 500 II selling for $8,999 you can save a bundle by grabbing Todd’s lens at this record-low BAA price. artie

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. Patrick Sparkman saved $350 on a recent purchase!

Hard to Find Nikon Stuff Available Now

Steve Elkins has several Nikon D850s in stock right now. In addition, he has a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4E FL ED VR lens and an AF-S 180-400mm f/4E TC1.4 FL ED VR lens in stock! E-mail Steve about a special deal on either big Nikon lens. The 180-400, like its Canon counterpart, the EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM with Internal Extender 1.4x lens — is especially great for trips to Africa, the Southern Ocean, or the Galapagos.

Booking.Com

Several folks on the UK IPT used the Booking.Com link below for there Edinburgh hotels, got great rates, and saved 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.

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 Juy 20, 2016 at Nickerson Beach, Long Island, NY with the Induro GIT 304L/Mongoose M3.6-mounted Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens and the mega-mega-pixel Canon EOS 5DS R. ISO 400. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/3200 sec. at f/4.5 in Manual mode. AWB at 6:44pm on a sunny afternoon. Center AF point/AI Servo (C in Nikon)/Shutter button/Expand AF was active at the moment of exposure. The selected AF point was on the bird’s lower mandible. AF micro-adjustment: fine-tune: -2. See the The LensAlign/FocusTune Micro-Adjusting Tutorial e-Guide here. Image #1: Great Black-backed Gull, worn juvenile snacking on skimmer wing

Sun Angle, Sun Angle, Sun Angle

Notice that with both of todays featured images I was working almost exactly right down sun angle; do as I say and do as I preach. I will be talking about the most common mistakes made by bird photographers on the podcast; working well of sun angle is #1 by far …. By working on sun angle your subject will be evenly lit and you will minimize the shadows cast by the subject on itself.

The Canon EOS 5DS R

Two Canon EOS 5DS R bodies served admirably as my workhorse camera bodies for more than a year. Sharp image files from a 5DS R body produced almost incomparable fine feather detail …

This image was created on August 20, 2016 at Nickerson Beach, Long Island, NY with the Induro GIT 304L/Mongoose M3.6-mounted Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens, the Canon Extender EF 1.4X III, and the mega-mega-pixel Canon EOS 5DS R. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/2000 sec. at f/6.5 in Manual mode (should have been +1 stop). AWB at 5:21pm on a partly sunny afternoon. One row down and two to the right of the center AF point/AI Servo (C in Nikon)/Shutter button/Expand AF was active at the moment of exposure. The selected AF point was on the gull’s neck. AF micro-adjustment: fine-tune: +2. See the The LensAlign/FocusTune Micro-Adjusting Tutorial e-Guide here. Image #2: Great Black-backed Gull (2nd yr? or 1st summer?) trying to swallow large Common Tern chick

I Root For the Predators

Gulls gotta eat too. And falcons and shrikes. I have no problem at all photographing successful predators devouring their prey. In late July the young of the year Great Black-backed Gulls prey on tern chicks and adult skimmers. At the West Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge I once saw an adult black-backed walk up to a sleeping skimmer, grab it, and break its neck with one hard shake. And at Montauk, Long Island I saw a single adult Great Black-backed Gull grab a Surf Scoter and hold it underwater. It drowned after 15 minutes and several other gulls joined in to rip the hapless and now dead duck apart.

In mid- to late August it is not uncommon to see either the black-backs or the Herring Gulls chowing down on both fledged and unfledged Black Skimmers. I hope that you can join me for a day at Nickerson. (See the schedule above.)

Your Favorite?

Which of today’s featured images do you find most interesting? Why?

Help Support the Blog

Please help support my 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

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. Tanks a stack.

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 :).

Stuff

On Tuesday I tied up a lot of loose ends having to do with my Norwegian adventure and the UK Gannets and Puffins pre-trip. I will be announcing the dates for the 2019 UK Gannets and Puffins and Red Kites IPT very soon.

Long Island Small Group Instruction

I will be returning to my old haunts on Long Island from 15-27 August, prime time for bird photography. If you would like to learn to get close to shorebirds in the mud, do consider joining me.

Shorebird Sessions

Join me at the East Pond at Jamaica Bay WR (JBWR) on the ideal tides to photograph southbound migrant juvenile shorebirds. With full frame bodies, a minimum of a 500mm lens with TCs is recommended. 400mm is OK with crop factor bodies and a 1.4X TC.

Important note: The Shorebird Mornings are dependent on suitable water levels at the East Pond. If the pond is flooded, the sessions will be conducted at Nickerson Beach where we will likely encounter some shorebirds as well as the skimmer and terns.

JBWR Shorebird Morning: Friday, AUG 24, 2018. 6:00 – 9:30am plus a working brunch: $375/session. Limit 4/Openings 3.

JBWR Shorebird Morning: Saturday, AUG 25, 2018. 6:00 – 9:30am plus a working brunch: $375/session. Limit 4/Openings 3.

Please inquire via e-mail for multiple session discounts.

To register, please call Jim or Jen with your credit card in hand: 863-692-0906. I hope that you can join me.

BIRDS AS ART

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

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. You can always see the current listings by clicking on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.

Recent Sales

IPT veteran Bill Wingfield sold a Wimberley V-2 WH-200 Gimbal Head in very good condition for a ridiculously low $299.00 and a Gitzo GT3532LS Carbon Fiber tripod in good condition for only $249.00, both in early August.
IPT veteran Bill Wingfield sold his Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS II USM lens in excellent to near-mint condition for $1049.00 in late July 2018.
Pierre Williot sold his Canon EOS 5DS R in like-new condition for the BAA record-low-by-far price of $1999.00 (was $2399.00).
Carolyn Peterson sold a Canon GPS receiver GP-E2 for EOS camera bodies in near-mint condition for $149 in mid-July.
BAA-friend “Bug” Bob Allen sold a Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM Zoom lens in excellent condition for the a BAA record low price of $527.00 in mid-July.
NANPA President Don Carter sold his Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM lens in excellent condition for the BAA record-low-by-far price of $525 the first day it was listed. Yours truly sold his like-new Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS lens for $699 in late June.
Ray Maynard sold his Canon 300mm f/2.8 L IS lens (the original version) in near-mint condition for the BIRDS AS ART record-low price of $2349.000 and a Canon 2X III teleconverter in near-mint condition for $285.00 both in mid-July.

Unsolicited, via e-mail, from Pierre Williot

I would encourage anyone who wants to sell some of their photographic equipment to contact Art. High-end photographic equipment can be difficult to sell. Art, with is widely read daily posts, will allow you to sell your equipment fairly easily for a reasonable price and commission. Please, seriously consider the price that he suggests as <em>it can be hard to face the reality of the actual value of well loved equipment! Art is well aware of the current market for second-hand photographic equipment.

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. Patrick Sparkman saved $350 on a recent purchase!

Hard to Find Nikon Stuff Available Now

Steve Elkins has several Nikon D850s in stock right now. In addition, he has a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4E FL ED VR lens and an AF-S 180-400mm f/4E TC1.4 FL ED VR lens in stock! E-mail Steve about a special deal on either big Nikon lens. The 180-400, like its Canon counterpart, the EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM with Internal Extender 1.4x lens — is especially great for trips to Africa, the Southern Ocean, or the Galapagos.

Booking.Com

Several folks on the UK IPT used the Booking.Com link below for there Edinburgh hotels, got great rates, and saved 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.

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 at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge on August 17, 2017 with the Induro GIT 304L/Mongoose M3.6-mounted Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens, the Canon Extender EF 2X III, and the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II. ISO 2000. Evaluative metering at zero: 1/250 sec. at f/9 in Manual mode. AWB at 8:18am on a cloudy dark morning. One row down and two to the left of the center AF point/AI Servo (C in Nikon)/Shutter button/Expand AF was active at the moment of exposure. The selected AF point was on the bird’s back. AF micro-adjustment: fine-tune: +5. See the The LensAlign/FocusTune Micro-Adjusting Tutorial e-Guide here. Image #1: Photo Mechanic screen capture: original Short-billed Dowitcher juvenile, underexposed original

The Under-exposed Original

At times, it might be the best strategy to intentionally under-expose an image while maintaining a fast-enough shutter speed and opting not to set a higher ISO. As I likely did with the image above. Images created from the last several generations of digital camera bodies allow us to open up too-dark RAW files with success and without too, too much noise. The 5D IV is the best of the lot with Canon, and the Nikon D850 is even better.

Image #2: DPP 4 screen capture: original Short-billed Dowitcher juvenile, showing the selected AF point

A Big AF-with-TCs Edge to Canon …

As noted here before, my personal experience is that the Nikon 600 with both the TC-E14 and the TC-E17 (the 1.4X and 1.7 X TCs) as well as the 80-400 VR and the 200-500 f/5.6, both with the TC-E14, have lots of problems focusing in low light with any AF point away from the center. With the 600 and the 2X you are practically limited to the center AF point and perhaps one beyond that. With the other combinations mentioned the farther from the center AF point you venture the more problems you may run into. The Nikon reps at the Memphis EXPO explained that these problems have to do with the number and position of cross-type AF points. With the Nikon 300 an 400mm f/2.8s such problems would likely not be a problem at all. Most importantly, note that with the Canon 500s and 600s, with the 400 DO lenses, and with both 100-400 IIs, similar problems occur only rarely and then only in extreme low light/low contrast situations.

On my upcoming Long Island Visit my plan is to stick with the 600/1.4X TC with the D850 and rely on cropping while taking advantage of the superb image quality of sharp D850 files. I will bring the 1.7X and 2X TCs along and plan to further experiment with those with the 600.

Lastly, note that the use of the 1.7X or the 2X TCs with either the Nikon 80-400 or 200-500 is not recommended as you lose AF. And the same goes for using a 2XTC with the Canon 100-400s. If you are working on a tripod with a totally still subject you can get decent results with any of those combinations either by focusing manually or using Live View and focusing via contrast off the sensor.

Image #3: The optimized image: original Short-billed Dowitcher in fresh juvenal plumage

The Optimized Image

I lightened this image considerably during the RAW conversion without moving the Shadow slider at all. Contrast was increased just a bit; this is something that I do with less then one out of 100 images. In Photoshop I did a bit of mud clean-up using the Patch Tool, the Spot Healing Brush, and Content Aware Fill. For the most part I eliminated some dark or black spots or areas. Lastly I applied a 65 pixel Gaussian Blur and added a Hide-all (Inverse or Black) Mask. I painted the effect in at 100% across the top of the frame to soften the BKGR especially the too-well defined reeds in the upper right. Then I painting in the effect with a 33% Opacity brush across the middle of the image. I finished by raising the Opacity to 66% and painting the effect in on the out-of-focus ridge at the very bottom of the frame. With the latter two I made absolutely sure that I stayed away from the bird … Then a relatively small crop.

No NeatImage noise reduction was needed.

The Lesson

With the latest generations of digital camera bodies it is possible to open up (lighten) under-exposed images considerably while maintaining decent image quality. It is however, almost always best to expose to the right.

The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II). You can order your copy from the BAA Online Store here, by sending a Paypal for $40 here, or by calling Jim or Jennifer weekdays at 863-692-0906 with your credit card in hand.

The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II)

Your guessed it, everything mentioned above and tons more is covered in detail in the BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II), an instructional PDF that is sent via e-mail. Learn more and check out the free excerpt in the blog post here. While the new e-Guide reflects my Macbook Pro/Photo Mechanic/DPP 4/Photoshop workflow, folks using a PC and/or BreezeBrowser will also benefit greatly by studying the material on DB II. Do note that you will find the RGB Curves Adjustment Color Balancing tutorial only in the new e-guide. Note: folks working on a PC and/or those who do not want to miss anything Photoshop may wish to purchase the original Digital Basics along with DB II while saving $15 by clicking here to buy the DB Bundle.

The two most recent and many of the older MP4 Photoshop Tutorial videos releases go hand and hand with the information in DB II):

• The Wingtip Repairs MP4 Video here.
• The MP4 Crow Cleanup Video here.

Folks who learn well by following along rather than by reading can check out the complete collection of MP 4 Photoshop Tutorial Videos by clicking here.

Though I have become more proficient converting my Nikon RAW (NEF) files in Adobe Camera Raw, I continue to optimize my Canon image in DPP 4. You can learn how and why I converted (and still convert) nearly all of my Canon digital RAW files in DPP 4 in the DPP 4 RAW Conversion Guide here. And, yes, I still have many Canon images to work on. 🙂 The RAW conversions for all three of today’s featured images was straightforward once I entered my camera/ISO specific recipes (as detailed in the DPP 4 RAW Conversion Guide). You can learn advanced Quick Masking and advanced Layer Masking techniques in APTATS I & II. You can save $15 by purchasing the pair. Folks can learn sophisticated sharpening and (NeatImage) Noise Reduction techniques in the The Professional Post Processing Guide by Arash Hazeghi and yours truly.

Help Support the Blog

Please help support my 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

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. Tanks a stack.

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 :).

Stuff

The first day of the Memphis EXPO was great. I particularly enjoyed two presentations. The first was by Patrick Murphy-Racey, an eclectic, independent digital journalist who loves to photograph sports and weddings and travel and people, ad lots more. The second was by the super-hip, super-creative fashion photographer Lindsay Adler. Though neither of them photographs nature let alone birds, I found their programs enlightening, entertaining, and informative. Each of them blew me away with their creativity and passion. I had a great time connecting with Patrick after his program and it was wonderful seeing Lindsay again. I had not seen her for seventeen years when she was a NANPA high school scholarship student and I was an instructor. In addition, it was great seeing old Anchorage, AK-friend Steve Freno and his two adopted daughters.

My afternoon Photoshop program went well. On Friday evening a small group of us went to Beale Street for dinner and some street photography; we had a blast. My EXPO-closing keynote is at 5pm on Saturday. Huge thanks to the folks at Bedford’s Camera — John Rose, Steve Elkins, Jeff Beauchamp, and Jason Beford — for sponsoring my appearance here in Memphis.

Long Island Small Group Instruction

I will be returning to my old haunts on Long Island from 15-27 August, prime time for bird photography. The schedules below may be expanded based on demand.

Skimmer Sessions/New Expanded Scehdule

Join me at Nickerson Beach to photograph Black Skimmers and lots more. Gull predation of young skimmers is likely. With full frame bodies, a minimum of a 500mm lens with TCs is recommended. 400mm OK with crop factor bodies.

Skimmer Morning: Thursday, AUG 16, 2018. 5:30 – 9:00am plus a working brunch: $375/session. Limit 4/Openings 3.
Skimmer Morning: Friday AUG, 17, 2018. 5:30 – 9:00am plus a working brunch: $375/session. Limit 4/Openings 3.
Skimmer Morning: Wednesday, AUG, 22, 2018. 5:30 – 9:00am plus a working brunch: $375/session. Limit 4.

Skimmer Afternoon (usually best for flight): Thursday, AUG 16, 2018. 5:00pm till sunset: $250/session. Limit 4.
Skimmer Afternoon (usually best for flight): Friday, AUG 17, 2018. 5:00pm till sunset: $250/session. Limit 4/Openings 3.
Skimmer Afternoon (usually best for flight): Tuesday AUG 21, 2018. 5:00pm till sunset: $250/session. Limit 4/Openings 3.
Skimmer Afternoon (usually best for flight): Wednesday AUG 22, 2018. 5:00pm till sunset: $250/session. Limit 4/Openings 3.

Please inquire e-mail for multiple session discounts.

To register, please call Jim or Jen with your credit card in hand: 863-692-0906. I hope that you can join me.

Shorebird Sessions

Join me at the East Pond at Jamaica Bay WR on the ideal tides to photograph southbound migrant juvenile shorebirds. With full frame bodies, a minimum of a 500mm lens with TCs is recommended. 400mm OK with crop factor bodies.

Important note: The Shorebird Mornings are dependent on suitable water levels at the East Pond. If the pond is flooded, the sessions will be conducted at Nickerson Beach.

JBWR Shorebird Morning: Friday, AUG 24, 2018. 6:00 – 9:30am plus a working brunch: $375/session. Limit 4/Openings 3.

JBWR Shorebird Morning: Saturday, AUG 25, 2018. 6:00 – 9:30am plus a working brunch: $375/session. Limit 4/Openings 3.

Please inquire via e-mail for multiple session discounts.

To register, please call Jim or Jen with your credit card in hand: 863-692-0906. I hope that you can join me.

BIRDS AS ART

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

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. You can always see the current listings by clicking on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.

Recent Sales

IPT veteran Bill Wingfield sold his Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS II USM lens in excellent to near-mint condition for $1049.00 in late July 2018.
Pierre Williot sold his Canon EOS 5DS R in like-new condition for the BAA record-low-by-far price of $1999.00 (was $2399.00).
Carolyn Peterson sold a Canon GPS receiver GP-E2 for EOS camera bodies in near-mint condition for $149 in mid-July.
BAA-friend “Bug” Bob Allen sold a Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM Zoom lens in excellent condition for the a BAA record low price of $527.00 in mid-July.
NANPA President Don Carter sold his Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM lens in excellent condition for the BAA record-low-by-far price of $525 the first day it was listed. Yours truly sold his like-new Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS lens for $699 in late June.
Ray Maynard sold his Canon 300mm f/2.8 L IS lens (the original version) in near-mint condition for the BIRDS AS ART record-low price of $2349.000 and a Canon 2X III teleconverter in near-mint condition for $285.00 both in mid-July.

Unsolicited, via e-mail, from Pierre Williot

I would encourage anyone who wants to sell some of their photographic equipment to contact Art. High-end photographic equipment can be difficult to sell. Art, with is widely read daily posts, will allow you to sell your equipment fairly easily for a reasonable price and commission. Please, seriously consider the price that he suggests as <em>it can be hard to face the reality of the actual value of well loved equipment! Art is well aware of the current market for second-hand photographic equipment.

This image was created on January 21, 2018 at La Jolla, CA with the hand held Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR lens (at 500mm) and the blazingly fast professional digital camera body, the Nikon D5 DSLR camera body with dual XQD slots). ISO 800. Matrix metering probably -1/3 stop: 1/1600 sec. at f/9 in Manual mode. AUOT0 WB at 8:01am on sunny San Diego morning. Group/Shutter Button AF. The array was on the bird’s breast just to our right of center, pretty much on the same plane as the pelican’s eye. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version. Brown Pelican, Pacific race, incoming — this JPEG represents the RAW (NEF) file

What’s Your Plan?

The JPEG above represents the RAW (NEF) file as it came out of the camera. The image is (only a bit) under-exposed as I did not want to burn the WHITEs on the bird’s neck. The inclusion of just the right part of the pelican on the lower right was — to me — serendipitous. Would you leave it or lose it?

Before you scroll down to see the optimized version, think about what your goals would be during post processing.

This image was created on January 21, 2018 at La Jolla, CA with the hand held Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR lens (at 500mm) and the blazingly fast professional digital camera body, the Nikon D5 DSLR camera body with dual XQD slots). ISO 800. Matrix metering probably -1/3 stop: 1/1600 sec. at f/9 in Manual mode. AUOT0 WB at 8:01am on sunny San Diego morning. Group/Shutter Button AF. The array was on the bird’s breast just to our right of center, pretty much on the same plane as the pelican’s eye. Click on the image to enjoy a larger version. Brown Pelican, Pacific race, incoming — this JPEG represents the optimized master file

The Image Optimization

I lightened the image during the RAW conversion in ACR. These were the settings: Exposure: +0.4; Contrast: -5; Highlights: 0; Shadows: +64; Whites: +22, Blacks; -21, Clarity -5; Vibrance: +9;and Saturation: 0. Once I brought the image into Photoshop the key to success of the image was adding canvas above and left where it was too tight. I using John Haedo Content Aware Fill to fill in the new canvas.

The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II). You can order your copy from the BAA Online Store here, by sending a Paypal for $40 here, or by calling Jim or Jennifer weekdays at 863-692-0906 with your credit card in hand.

The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II)

Your guessed it, everything mentioned above and tons more is covered in detail in the BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II), an instructional PDF that is sent via e-mail. Learn more and check out the free excerpt in the blog post here. While the new e-Guide reflects my Macbook Pro/Photo Mechanic/DPP 4/Photoshop workflow, folks using a PC and/or BreezeBrowser will also benefit greatly by studying the material on DB II. Do note that you will find the RGB Curves Adjustment Color Balancing tutorial only in the new e-guide. Note: folks working on a PC and/or those who do not want to miss anything Photoshop may wish to purchase the original Digital Basics along with DB II while saving $15 by clicking here to buy the DB Bundle.

The two most recent and many of the older MP4 Photoshop Tutorial videos releases go hand and hand with the information in DB II):

• The Wingtip Repairs MP4 Video here.
• The MP4 Crow Cleanup Video here.

Folks who learn well by following along rather than by reading can check out the complete collection of MP 4 Photoshop Tutorial Videos by clicking here.

Though I have become more proficient converting my Nikon RAW (NEF) files in Adobe Camera Raw, I continue to optimize my Canon image in DPP 4. You can learn how and why I converted (and still convert) nearly all of my Canon digital RAW files in DPP 4 in the DPP 4 RAW Conversion Guide here. And, yes, I still have many Canon images to work on. 🙂 The RAW conversions for all three of today’s featured images was straightforward once I entered my camera/ISO specific recipes (as detailed in the DPP 4 RAW Conversion Guide). You can learn advanced Quick Masking and advanced Layer Masking techniques in APTATS I & II. You can save $15 by purchasing the pair. Folks can learn sophisticated sharpening and (NeatImage) Noise Reduction techniques in the The Professional Post Processing Guide by Arash Hazeghi and yours truly.

San Diego offers a wealth of very attractive natural history subjects, including and especially the Pacific race of California Brown Pelican. With annual visits spanning more than four decades, I have lots of photographic experience there … Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

2019 San Diego 4 1/2-DAY BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT) SUN JAN 20, 2019 thru and including the morning session on THURS JAN 24: 4 1/2 days: $2099.

(Limit: 10/Openings: 7)

Introductory Meet and Greet at 7:00pm on the evening before the IPT begins; SAT JAN 19, 2019.

Please see the Dancing Grebe Morning Add-On Info below

Join me in San Diego to photograph the spectacular breeding plumage Brown Pelicans with their fire-engine red and olive green bill pouches; Brandt’s (nesting with eggs and possibly chicks) and Double-crested Cormorants; breeding plumage Wood and Ring-necked Duck; other duck species possible including Lesser Scaup, Redhead, and Surf Scoter; a variety of gulls including Western, California, and the gorgeous Heermann’s, all in full breeding plumage; shorebirds including Marbled Godwit, Willet, Sanderling and Black-bellied Plover; many others are possible including Least, Western, and Spotted Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Black and Ruddy Turnstone, Semipalmated Plover, and Surfbird; Harbor Seals (depending on the current regulations) and California Sea Lions; and Bird of Paradise flowers. And as you can see by studying the IPT cards, there are some nice bird-scape and landscape opportunities as well. Not to mention a ton of excellent flight photography opportunities and instruction.

Please note: where permitted and on occasion, ducks and gulls will be attracted (or re-located) with offerings of grains and healthy breads.

Learning Exposure, Whether You Like It Or Not

Whether you like it or not, we will be beating the subject of exposure like a dead horse. In every new situation you will hear my thoughts on the exposure situation along with my thoughts on both Nikon and Canon histograms and the subject of blinkies. Whether you like it or not, you will learn to work in manual mode and to get the right exposure every time as long as a bird gives you ten seconds with the light constant.And you will learn what to do when the light is changing constantly. What you learn about exposure will be one of the great take-aways on every IPT.

Though the pelicans will be the stars of the show on this IPT, there will be many other handsome and captivating subjects in wonderful settings. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

It Ain’t Just Pelicans

With gorgeous subjects just sitting there waiting to have their pictures taken, photographing the pelicans on the cliffs is about as easy as nature photography gets. With the winds from the east almost every morning there is usually some excellent flight photography as well. And the pelicans are almost always doing something interesting: preening, scratching, bill pouch cleaning, or squabbling. And then there are those crazy head throws that are thought to be a form of intra-flock communication. You will be guided as to how to make the best of all of those opportunities. And depending on the weather and local conditions and tides, there are a variety of fabulous photo chances available in and around San Diego.

The San Diego Details

This IPT will include five 3 1/2 hour morning photo sessions, four 2 1/2 hour afternoon photo sessions, four lunches, and after-lunch image review and Photoshop sessions. To ensure early starts, breakfasts will be your responsibility. An so that we can get some sleep, dinners will be on your own.

A $599 non-refundable deposit is required to hold your slot for this IPT. You can send a check (made out to “Arthur Morris) to us at BIRDS AS ART, PO Box 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL, 3385, or call Jim or Jennifer at the office with a credit card at 863-692-0906. Your balance, payable only by check, will be due on 10/11//2018. If we do not receive your check for the balance on or before the due date we will try to fill your spot from the waiting list. Please print, complete, and sign the form that is linked to here and shoot it to us along with your deposit check. If you register by phone, please print, complete and sign the form as noted above and either mail it to us or e-mail the scan. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via e-mail.

Getting Up Early and Staying Out Late

On all BIRDS AS ART IPTS including and especially the San Diego IPT, we get into the field early to take advantage of unique and often spectacular lighting conditions and we stay out late to maximize the chances of killer light and glorious sunset silhouette situations. We often arrive at the cliffs a full hour before anyone else shows up to check out the land/sea scape opportunities.

The Dancing Grebes Add-On. FRI JAN 25, 2019: $399.

Those registering for the 2019 San Diego IPT might wish to join me for the Dancing Grebe Add-On Morning as above. Please read the details carefully. You will need to wade at least mid-thigh deep with your tripod over an uneven bottom. Lightweight chest waders are advised. Long lenses are needed; a 100-400 will not cut it at this spot, even with a TC. Chances at this location (easily accessible from the IPT hotel), vary from day to day so there will be no guarantees. But when those grebes dance, it can be an amazing rush. We may also enjoy chances to photograph both species, Western and Clarke’s Grebes, at fairly close range.

Help Support the Blog

Please help support my 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

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. Tanks a stack.

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 :).

Stuff

The left knee continues to feel a bit better each day. The daily rains and thunderstorms continue. I am thisclose to finishing the A Bird Photographer’s Story Memphis keynote program.

Three folks have sent deposit checks for the 2019 Galapagos Photo Cruise of a Lifetime. We need seven more folks in the next few months for the trip to go. Click here and scroll down a bit for the details.

It is rare that a blog post goes two days without a single comment, especially when a question is posed. I am wondering if folks received notice of and/or saw Friday’s Tenacity. Simplicity. blog post here.

Long Island Small Group Instruction

I will be returning to my old haunts on Long Island from 15-27 August, prime time for bird photography. The schedules below may be expanded based on demand.

Skimmer Sessions

Join me at Nickerson Beach to photograph Black Skimmers and lots more. Gull predation of young skimmers is likely. With full frame bodies, a minimum of a 500mm lens with TCs is recommended. 400mm OK with crop factor bodies.

Skimmer Mornings: AUG 16 & 17, 2018. 5:30 – 9:00am plus a working brunch: $375/session. Limit 4.

Skimmer Afternoons (usually best for flight): AUG 16 & 17, 2018. 5:00pm till sunset: $250/session. Limit 4.

Please inquire e-mail for multiple session discounts.

Shorebird Sessions

Join me at the East Pond at Jamaica Bay WR on the ideal tides to photograph southbound migrant juvenile shorebirds. With full frame bodies, a minimum of a 500mm lens with TCs is recommended. 400mm OK with crop factor bodies.

Important note: The Shorebird Mornings are dependent on suitable water levels at the East Pond. If the pond is flooded, the sessions will be conducted at Nickerson Beach.

Shorebird Mornings: AUG 24 & 25, 2018. 6:00 – 9:30am plus a working brunch: $375/session. Limit 4.

Please inquire via e-mail for multiple session discounts.

To register, please call Jim or Jen with your credit card in hand: 863-692-0906. I hope that you can join me.

PHOTOEXPO 2018

If you missed the PHOTOEXPO 2018 announcement and live anywhere within driving or flying distance of Memphis, TN, click here for the info. I have rides to Beale Street for both nights. If you are attending, please stop by the BAA table for a handshake and a hug.

BIRDS AS ART

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

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. You can always see the current listings by clicking on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.

Recent Sales

Pierre Williot sold his Canon EOS 5DS R in like-new condition for the BAA record-low-by-far price of $1999.00 (was $2399.00).
Carolyn Peterson sold a Canon GPS receiver GP-E2 for EOS camera bodies in near-mint condition for $149 in mid-July.
BAA-friend “Bug” Bob Allen sold a Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM Zoom lens in excellent condition for the a BAA record low price of $527.00 in mid-July.
NANPA President Don Carter sold his Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM lens in excellent condition for the BAA record-low-by-far price of $525 the first day it was listed. Yours truly sold his like-new Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS lens for $699 in late June.
Ray Maynard sold his Canon 300mm f/2.8 L IS lens (the original version) in near-mint condition for the BIRDS AS ART record-low price of $2349.000 and a Canon 2X III teleconverter in near-mint condition for $285.00 both in mid-July.
Bill Ketterer sold his Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM lens in excellent condition for the lowest ever BAA price of $3399.00 in early June.
Jim Keener sold his Canon EOS-1DX Mark II in near-mint condition for $3,999.00 the first day it was listed.
Ray Maynard sold his Canon 1.4X III teleconverter in near-mint condition for the low price of $299.00 in late June, 2018.
Randall Ennis sold his Canon EOS-1D Mark IV in excellent condition for $849.00 in late June.
Joel Williams sold his Sony Vario-Tessar T FE 16-35 f/4 ZA OSS lens in like-new condition for $629 (was $749) in late June, 2018.
Joel Williams also sold his Fujifilm XF 50-140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR lens in like-new condition for $749 (was $949) in April 2018.
Pierre Williot sold his Canon EOS 7D Mark II in like-new condition for a very fair $848.00 in late June, 2018.
Top BAA used gear seller Jim Keener sold his Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L IS III USM Lens in like-new condition for the BAA record low price of $1349.00 the first day it was listed in late June.
Jim Keener sold a Canon EOS 5D Mark III body in excellent condition for the BAA record-low price of $999.00 (was $1149.00) in mid-June.
Jim Keener sold a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens in like-new condition for the BAA record low price of $1099.00 in early June.

Unsolicited, via e-mail, from Pierre Williot

I would encourage anyone who wants to sell some of their photographic equipment to contact Art. High-end photographic equipment can be difficult to sell. Art, with is widely read daily posts, will allow you to sell your equipment fairly easily for a reasonable price and commission. Please, seriously consider the price that he suggests as <em>it can be hard to face the reality of the actual value of well loved equipment! Art is well aware of the current market for second-hand photographic equipment.

New Listings

Canon EOS-1DX Mark II Professional Digital Camera body (with extras!)

Pierre Williot is offering a Canon EOS-1DX Mark II in mint condition with less than 75,000 actuations (rated to 400,000) for $4199.00. The sale includes an extra Canon battery, a 256gb cFast card, the cFast card reader, the front cap, the strap, the cables, the battery charger, and insured ground shipping via major courier to US addresses.

Please get in touch with Pierre via e-mail.

The 1DX Mark II is Canon’s rugged, blazingly fast professional digital camera body. It features a great AF system and high quality image files with great dynamic range. I owned and used two of these for several years. As a new 1DX II currently sells for $5,699.00 you can save $1703 on a practically new body with less than 2,000 shutter actuations. artie

Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-20E III

Jamie Baker is offering a Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-20E III in near-mint condition for $299.00. The sale includes the front and rear lens caps, the cloth carry pouch, the original product box, and insured ground shipping via major courier to US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Jamie via e-mail or by phone (502)403-9845 (Eastern Time Zone).

As regular readers know, I have made some sharp, very nice images with the Nikon 2X. This, the newest Nikon 2X, does great with the 300 f/2.8 or with any of the f/4 super-telephotos. See the sweet 1200mm Hooded Merganser image here. Prior versions were alleged to be crap … Learn more about the TC-20E in the Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-20Es Suck! Or do they? blog post here. artie

Price Reduction

Nikon D750 DSLR Camera

Price Reduced $200 on July 30, 2018.

Top Used Gear seller Gary Meyer is offering a Nikon D750 DSLR Camera in like-new condition (less than 100 shutter actuations!) for the low price of $1175.00 (was $1,375.00). The sale includes the body cap and everything else that came in the box including one battery, the charger, the cables and manuals, and insured ground shipping via major courier to US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Gary via e-mail or by phone or text at 1-612-221-0150 (Central time).

The D750 is the predecessor to my beloved D850 with a lot lower price tag: $1,696.95 as compared to $3,296.95. Both bodies are full frame just as I like them. Grab Gary’s practically new D750 today and save a cool #521.95. artie

Championing a multimedia approach to photography, Nikon’s D750 DSLR is an FX-format camera well-suited to both still imaging and video recording. Featuring a 24.3MP CMOS sensor, along with the EXPEED 4 image processor, this camera is capable of producing high-resolution imagery with smooth color gradations, low noise, and sensitivity to an expandable ISO 51200, at a continuous shooting rate of up to 6.5 fps. In regard to video recording, Full HD 1080p/60 is supported, along with the ability to record uncompressed video to an optional external recorder. Working from high and low angles is possible due to the tilting 3.2″ 1,229k-dot LCD monitor or, for remote shooting, the D750 also features built-in Wi-Fi connectivity. Designed for the contemporary image-maker, this DSLR is poised to benefit still photographers and videographers alike with the versatility and performance to match any working situation.

Benefitting the imaging capabilities of the D750, an equally apt 51-point AF system, with 15 cross-type points, is available and can be configured to utilize five AF points as a single focusing point in the Group Area AF setting for heightened initial subject recognition. The 3D Color Matrix Metering III system, along with the 91,000-pixel RGB sensor, also benefits the focusing abilities as well as provides accurate exposure metering to suit a vast array of subjects and lighting conditions. Furthermore, benefitting creative applications, the D750 supports in-camera creation of time-lapse movies with automated exposure smoothing, and a range of Picture Control profiles can be applied to refine the color and tonal handling of imagery. B&H

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. Patrick Sparkman saved $350 on a recent purchase!

Hard to Find Nikon Stuff Available Now

Steve Elkins has several Nikon D850s in stock right now. In addition, he just received a Nikkor AF-S 180-400mm f/4E TC1.4 FL ED VR Lens! E-mail Steve about a special deal on the big Nikon zoom lens that — like its Canon counterpart, the EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM with Internal Extender 1.4x lens — is especially great for trips to Africa, the Southern Ocean, or the Galapagos.

Booking.Com

Several folks on the UK IPT used the Booking.Com link below for there Edinburgh hotels, got great rates, and saved 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.

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.

Image #1: the ILE pier on a stormy morning i-Phone 8+ image

The Situation

Though it was a dark, rainy afternoon I asked Amy if she wanted to head down to the pier and try some photography between the raindrops. So we did. As we learned in the recent Duck Soup From a Storm: Part I. Duck Eating Bicycle Tire? blog post here, you will not make any photos at all if you opt to sit in your living room or in the hotel when you are traveling …

This image was created on July 23 at Indian Lake Estates with the hand held Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR lens (at 500mm) and my back-up Nikon D850. ISO 1600. Matrix metering +1 stop: 1/1000 sec. at f/6.3 in S mode( Shutter priority in Canon). NATURAL AUTO WB at 6:09pm late on a cloudy, drizzly afternoon. Single AF point one below and two to the left of the center AF point (AI Servo in Canon)/Shutter button AF as originally framed was active at the moment of exposure. The selected AF point was on the face of the grackle right below and on the same plane as the eye. Focus peaking AF Fine-tune: +4. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here. Image #2: Boat-tailed Grackle, immature with immature Anhinga on railing

Thinking Creatively

Good photos are often a result of putting your lens in a less-than-typical spot. When trying to photograph birds on the railing of the pier the usual strategy is to get close enough and high enough so that the T of the pier does not appear at the top of the frame. Instead, noting that the two birds were somewhat lined up, I decided to put the back of my left hand on the railing of the pier and see how things looked. In retrospect, I think that the idea and the resulting juxtaposition worked out very nicely. This image would not have succeeded on a sunny morning even with the sun right behind me; if you look beyond the tail of the Anhinga you will see a big yellow sign. With the soft barely existent light the sign was nicely muted. Sun on that sign would be an image wrecker.

Careful Choice of Perspective

Once I had the concept in mind, why was it vitally important that I choose my perspective precisely?

Help Support the Blog

Please help support my 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

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. Tanks a stack.

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 :).

Stuff

I’ve cut back a bit on my long walks to give my knee a chance to calm down. On Thursday, I finally got some solid work done on my A Bird Photographer’s Story Memphis keynote program.

Long Island Small Group Instruction

I will be returning to my old haunts on Long Island from 15-27 August, prime time for bird photography. The schedules below may be expanded based on demand.

Skimmer Sessions

Join me at Nickerson Beach to photograph Black Skimmers and lots more. Gull predation of young skimmers is likely. With full frame bodies, a minimum of a 500mm lens with TCs is recommended. 400mm OK with crop factor bodies.

Skimmer Mornings: AUG 16 & 17, 2018. 5:30 – 9:00am plus a working brunch: $375/session. Limit 4.

Skimmer Afternoons (usually best for flight): AUG 16 & 17, 2018. 5:00pm till sunset: $250/session. Limit 4.

Please inquire e-mail for multiple session discounts.

Shorebird Sessions

Join me at the East Pond at Jamaica Bay WR on the ideal tides to photograph southbound migrant juvenile shorebirds. With full frame bodies, a minimum of a 500mm lens with TCs is recommended. 400mm OK with crop factor bodies.

Important note: The Shorebird Mornings are dependent on suitable water levels at the East Pond. If the pond is flooded, the sessions will be conducted at Nickerson Beach.

Shorebird Mornings: AUG 24 & 25, 2018. 6:00 – 9:30am plus a working brunch: $375/session. Limit 4.

Please inquire via e-mail for multiple session discounts.

To register, please call Jim or Jen with your credit card in hand: 863-692-0906. I hope that you can join me.

PHOTOEXPO 2018

If you missed the PHOTOEXPO 2018 announcement and live anywhere within driving or flying distance of Memphis, TN, click here for the info. I have rides to Beale Street for both nights. If you are attending, please stop by the BAA table for a handshake and a hug.

BIRDS AS ART

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

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. You can always see the current listings by clicking on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.

Recent Sales

NANPA President Don Carter sold his Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM lens in excellent condition for the BAA record-low-by-far price of $525 the first day it was listed. Yours truly sold his like-new Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS lens for $699 in late June.
Ray Maynard sold his Canon 300mm f/2.8 L IS lens (the original version) in near-mint condition for the BIRDS AS ART record-low price of $2349.000 and a Canon 2X III teleconverter in near-mint condition for $285.00 both in mid-July.
Bill Ketterer sold his Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM lens in excellent condition for the lowest ever BAA price of $3399.00 in early June.
Jim Keener sold his Canon EOS-1DX Mark II in near-mint condition for $3,999.00 the first day it was listed.
Ray Maynard sold his Canon 1.4X III teleconverter in near-mint condition for the low price of $299.00 in late June, 2018.
Randall Ennis sold his Canon EOS-1D Mark IV in excellent condition for $849.00 in late June.
Joel Williams sold his Sony Vario-Tessar T FE 16-35 f/4 ZA OSS lens in like-new condition for $629 (was $749) in late June, 2018.
Joel Williams also sold his Fujifilm XF 50-140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR lens in like-new condition for $749 (was $949) in April 2018.
Pierre Williot sold his Canon EOS 7D Mark II in like-new condition for a very fair $848.00 in late June, 2018.
Top BAA used gear seller Jim Keener sold his Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L IS III USM Lens in like-new condition for the BAA record low price of $1349.00 the first day it was listed in late June.
Jim Keener sold a Canon EOS 5D Mark III body in excellent condition for the BAA record-low price of $999.00 (was $1149.00) in mid-June.
Jim Keener sold a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens in like-new condition for the BAA record low price of $1099.00 in early June.

Not-So-New Listing

Canon EF Canon 100-400 L IS II USM Lens

I am offering a used Canon 100-400 L IS II in very good plus (almost excellent) condition and in perfect working order — I had to send it to Canon twice to restore smooth zooming — for $1399.00. The sale includes the original product box, the front and rear lens caps, the carrying case and strap, the manual, and insured ground shipping via UPS to US addresses. Your new lens will not ship until your check clears.

Please get in touch with artie via e-mail or on his cell phone at 863-221-2372 (Eastern time). Please leave a message if no answer.

Y’all know how much I loved and now miss this amazingly versatile lens. artie

Price Drops

Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS USM Lens

Price Reduced $200 on July 27, 2018.

Pierre Williot is offering a Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS USM lens (the original 600 IS) in very good to excellent condition in perfect working order with just a few blemishes for the BAA record-low-by-$1000 price of $$3999.00 (was $4199.00). The sale includes a LensCoat, the lens trunk, a low foot, the Canon 52mm Drop-In Circular Polarizer Filter (PL-C 52), the leather front lens cover, the rear cap, and insured ground shipping via major courier to US addresses.

Please get in touch with Pierre via e-mail.

The 600 f/4 lenses are ideal for those who do birds and wildlife. This lens is the original (heavier) version of the Canon 600 IS. The lighter 600mm f/4L IS sells new at B&H for $11,499.00. Pierre’s lens is a great buy for a young, eager, relatively strong nature photographer who would like to save $7,300.00. The original 600 IS served as my workhorse super-telephoto lens for more than a decade. artie

Canon EOS 5DS R mega mega-pixel dSLR

Price Reduced $200 on July 8, 2018 and another $200 on July 27.

Pierre Williot is offering a Canon EOS 5DS R in like-new condition for a BAA record-low by far $1999.00 (was $2399.00). A screen protector was applied to the rear LCD as it came out of the box. The sale includes the front cap, the camera strap, a Vello Battery Grip, the battery charger, USB cable,the Instruction Manual, and insured ground shipping via major courier to US addresses only is included. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Pierre via e-mail or by text message to 1-716-481-7158 (Eastern Time Zone).

Without an anti-aliasing filter, the 5DS R will–for those with good sharpness techniques–produce large high-quality image files that feature hard to believe detail. You have seen the amazing 100% crops showing fine-feather detail in many older blog posts. And it is not bad for flight photography either! artie

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. Patrick Sparkman saved $350 on a recent purchase!

Hard to Find Nikon Stuff Available Now

Steve Elkins has several Nikon D850s in stock right now. In addition, he just received a Nikkor AF-S 180-400mm f/4E TC1.4 FL ED VR Lens! E-mail Steve about a special deal on the big Nikon zoom lens that — like its Canon counterpart, the EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM with Internal Extender 1.4x lens — is especially great for trips to Africa, the Southern Ocean, or the Galapagos.

Booking.Com

Several folks on the UK IPT used the Booking.Com link below for there Edinburgh hotels, got great rates, and saved 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.

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 July 25 at Indian Lake Estates with the hand held Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR lens (at 155mm) and my back-up Nikon D850. ISO 6400. Matrix metering at zero: 1/160 sec. at f/8. NATURAL AUTO WB at 7:50pm. D-25/Continuous (AI Servo in Canon)/Shutter button AF as originally framed was active at the moment of exposure. The selected AF point was on the leaf that intersected with the top of the piling. Focus peaking AF Fine-tune: +5. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here. Image #1: Plant growing on pier piling with sky reflections

Tenacity. Simplicity.

I first noticed this plant about two weeks ago on one of my many health walks. I like walking on and near the pier as there are lots of birds around. I thought that it was neat that the plant had taken root on a piling that was left over from the old pier that was destroyed by a hurricane several years ago. I photographed the scene on several occasions experimenting with both horizontal and vertical motifs but the whitish sky reflections ruined all of the images. While walking right at sunset on Wednesday past (there was some heavy clouds on the western horizon) I noticed that the water was mostly black with just a smattering of sky reflections. So I made a few images. Image #1, with the red base of the stem and the single red leaf showing well was my favorite.

This image was created on July 25 at Indian Lake Estates with the hand held Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR lens (at 155mm) and my back-up Nikon D850. ISO 6400. Matrix metering at zero: 1/160 sec. at f/8. NATURAL AUTO WB at 7:50pm just after sunset (I believe). D-25/Continuous (AI Servo in Canon)/Shutter button AF as originally framed was active at the moment of exposure. The selected AF point was on the leaf that intersected with the top of the piling. Focus peaking AF Fine-tune: +5. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here. Image #2: Plant growing on pier piling with sky reflections removed and the water darkened

Plant ID?

If you can identify the plant, please do leave a comment.

Image #2

The NEF (RAW) file for Image #1 was converted in ACR. I cleaned-up a bit of bird poop and a dead insect on the piling and then ran Neat Image Noise Reduction on the whole image. After I saved the master file, I decided to create a second version. For Image #2 I cleaned up all but one of the sky reflections in the water using the Patch Tool, the Spot Healing Brush, Content Aware Fill, and finally the Clone Stamp Tool. Then I darkened the water with a Curves adjustment on a Layer first being sure to pin the Curve for the mid-tones and the highlights and pulling the dark tones down. I left the single reflection so that folks would know for sure that the background was still water and not black velvet. 🙂

The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II). You can order your copy from the BAA Online Store here, by sending a Paypal for $40 here, or by calling Jim or Jennifer weekdays at 863-692-0906 with your credit card in hand.

The BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II)

Your guessed it, everything mentioned above and tons more is covered in detail in the BIRDS AS ART Current Workflow e-Guide (Digital Basics II), an instructional PDF that is sent via e-mail. Learn more and check out the free excerpt in the blog post here. While the new e-Guide reflects my Macbook Pro/Photo Mechanic/DPP 4/Photoshop workflow, folks using a PC and/or BreezeBrowser will also benefit greatly by studying the material on DB II. Do note that you will find the RGB Curves Adjustment Color Balancing tutorial only in the new e-guide. Note: folks working on a PC and/or those who do not want to miss anything Photoshop may wish to purchase the original Digital Basics along with DB II while saving $15 by clicking here to buy the DB Bundle.

The two most recent and many of the older MP4 Photoshop Tutorial videos releases go hand and hand with the information in DB II):

• The Wingtip Repairs MP4 Video here.
• The MP4 Crow Cleanup Video here.

Folks who learn well by following along rather than by reading can check out the complete collection of MP 4 Photoshop Tutorial Videos by clicking here.

Though I have become more proficient converting my Nikon RAW (NEF) files in Adobe Camera Raw, I continue to optimize my Canon image in DPP 4. You can learn how and why I converted (and still convert) nearly all of my Canon digital RAW files in DPP 4 in the DPP 4 RAW Conversion Guide here. And, yes, I still have many Canon images to work on. 🙂 The RAW conversions for all three of today’s featured images was straightforward once I entered my camera/ISO specific recipes (as detailed in the DPP 4 RAW Conversion Guide). You can learn advanced Quick Masking and advanced Layer Masking techniques in APTATS I & II. You can save $15 by purchasing the pair. Folks can learn sophisticated sharpening and (NeatImage) Noise Reduction techniques in the The Professional Post Processing Guide by Arash Hazeghi and yours truly.

Neat Image Noise Reduction

Next I duplicated the Background layer and ran a quick and dirty Neat Image noise reduction on the whole image. I still use the original version not V8.

D850 High ISO Noise

As with my 5D Mark IV bodies, the high ISO noise with the D805s is not bad at all and quite manageable as you can see by taking a close look at the animated GIF above. You can learn sophisticated sharpening and (NeatImage) Noise Reduction techniques in the The Professional Post Processing Guide by Arash Hazeghi and yours truly.

Your Favorite?

Which of today’s two featured images do you like best, Image # 1 or Image #2? Be sure to let us know why.

Help Support the Blog

Please help support my 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

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. Tanks a stack.

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 :).