FEATURES
- THE BOSQUE 2009 IPT REPORT
- THE BOSQUE 2010 “The Complete Bosque Experience” IPT ANNOUNCEMENT
- THE BOSQUE THANKSGIVING REPORT
- CONGRATS TO NATURE PHOTOGRAPHER MAGAZINE
- BAY SHORE, LONG ISLAND, NY APPEARANCE/DECEMBER 8
- MIDWAY
- SAN DIEGO IPT
- BIRDS AS ART FINE ART CANVAS PRINTS
- WINGED JOURNEY CALENDAR
- IPT UPDATES
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| Sandhill Crane downstroke flight over blue water, Bosque del Apache NWR, San Antonio, NM Image Copyright 2009: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART |
| Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with the EOS-1D Mark III. ISO 500. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop off the grasses: 1/1600 at f/5.6 set manually.
The cranes were definitely the stars of this year’s IPT. We worked hard on wing position; the full downstroke (seen here) and the full upstroke (see image next) are my two favorites. |
THE BOSQUE 2009 IPT REPORT
Despite less than ideal conditions, the 2009 Bosque IPT was a huge success. I was joined in Socorro on the evening of November 20 by a great group of eleven photographers plus my three co-leaders, Robert O’Toole, Jim Heupel, and Scott Bourne (who was with us for the first five days). For a detailed report on photographic conditions at Bosque, see the NOV 29th blog post by scrolling down here: www.BIRDSASART-Blog.com. Five of the eleven folks were IPT veterans: Roger and Mary Dillon (a truly happy e-Harmony.com couple!), Ron Hasty, a Bear Boat IPT veteran, George Brunt, a two time Bear Boat participant and star of the close encounter image), and Mike Cornwell (a six time recidivist!). Tor Lund could possibly have been included in that group as he was a hanger on on the Zegrahm’s Falklands, South Georgia, Antarctica trip that I made in 2008. First timers included Chuck Deprycker and non -photographer wife Alice (I could not keep from calling her Nancy and finally settled on “Nalice” as a compromise), RVer Chet (The Jet) Williams who to his credit did not miss a beat despite staying away from the group at the Bosque Birdwatchers RV Park), Andrea Sharon who generously purchased the $500 gift certificate that I donated to NANPA for the High School scholarship program, Wray Douglas who made the trek all the way from the UK, and Kevin Watson an ex-patriot Brit who will be joining me this summer on the two week Galapagos Photo-Cruise.
We had lots of great Sandhill Crane flight photography in the mornings and were blessed with north rather than northwest winds every morning. With the wind from the northwest the birds take flight angling away from you; as we say on BPN, BAA = bird angling away. With the winds from the north, or better yet, from the northeast (we had some of that), the cranes take flight angling towards you. And we had some great silhouette chances with the cranes just before and after sunset. Other than the cranes, the opportunities were sparse but relying on my 15 years of Bosque experience we managed to keep most of the sessions interesting even when we were crane-less.
On a personal note, the 7-DAY IPT worked out fabulously well. We had some very nice sunrises although the geese took flight most days well after the peak of pre-dawn color. Though we tired the group out pretty good the pace was much more relaxed than on the old 3-DAY IPTs. The more relaxed pace gave us lots of time for Photoshop sessions and most of the folks in this fairly typical group needed those sessions badly. It always amazes me how folks with good equipment and some pretty good images actually manage to make them worse in Photoshop rather than better. Seeing Kevin Watson’s quality JPEGs was an eye-opener for me; he uses Paint Shop Pro to optimize his images. On two particular occasions the group gave up too early in the evening; several folks would drive off and as soon as they were out of sight the action picked up fabulously. One evening a final few hangers-on (most of the group had already left) and I were also guilty of leaving too early. We were trying a new spot and I kept saying, “If those geese take off into the wind they will be right in the color above that ridge.” Lacking the courage of my convictions folks nodded when I suggested that we head for dinner. We were packing up when the geese flew in perfect formation through the brightest color above the ridge just as I had predicted. You gotta love it!
See below for information on next year’s IPT.
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| Sandhill Crane , upstroke blur at dusk, Bosque del Apache NWR, San Antonio, NM Image Copyright 2009: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART |
| Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with the EOS-7D. ISO 500. Evaluative metering +2 2/3 stops: 1/30 sec. at f/16.
I borrowed a 7D and loved it for a variety of applications; creating silhouetted images with it was a big plus. See my initial impressions of the 7D in the NOV 24th blog post by scrolling down here: www.BIRDSASART-Blog.com. |
THE BOSQUE 2010 “The Complete Bosque Experience” IPT ANNOUNCEMENT
I am proud to announce the 2010 Bosque IPT. Once again, I will be doing only a single Bosque IPT in 2010. Next year will be 16 in a row at Bosque for the Thanksgiving holiday since losing my beloved wife, best friend, and biggest supporter Elaine Belsky Morris to breast cancer in 1994. Now here is some big news: there is an excellent chance that I will not be at Bosque for a single day during November, 2011; I hope to be on the tentatively scheduled month-long trip to the Falklands, South Georgia, and Antarctica with Joe Van Os. If you want to learn Bosque from the best, you are advised not to tarry.
BOSQUE del APACHE 2010 IPT: “The Complete Bosque Experience.” NOV 20-26, 2010
Slide program on the evening of Friday, NOV 19. 7-FULL DAYS: $3199. (Non-refundable deposit: $500; see details below.) Limit: 10. Co-leaders: Robert O’Toole and Jim Heupel. Live, eat, and breathe photography with one of (if not the) world’s premier photographic educators at his very favorite locations on the planet. Plus two great co-leaders and tons of Photoshop instruction.
A non-refundable deposit of $500 is required to hold a spot on this IPT. Deposits may be paid by check, PayPal, or credit card. Payment in full (by check or money order only) is due four months before the start of each trip and is non-refundable unless the IPT sells out. You will be required to sign a statement of understanding to this effect. Travel insurance is of course highly recommended. Travel Insurance Services offers a variety of plans and options. Included with the Elite Option or available as an upgrade to the Basic & Plus Options, you can also purchase Cancel for Any Reason Coverage, which expands the list of reasons for your canceling to an infinite list, from a sudden work or family obligation to a simple change of mind. My family and I use and depend on the great policies offered by TIS whenever we travel. You can learn more here: Travel Insurance Services. Do note that many plans require that you purchase your travel insurance within 14 days of our cashing your deposit check of running your credit card. We regret that we must implement this new policy but we have recently been plagued by last minute cancellations that make it impossible for others to participate and deprive us of essential income.
Important note: please print, fill out, and sign the registration and release forms and include them with your deposit check (made out to “Arthur Morris.” ) If you use a credit card to register, please fill out, sign, and mail the two forms asap. Your registration will not be complete until we receive your paper work. You can find the forms here: https://www.birdsasart.com/baacom/Registration and Release Forms.pdf.
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| American Wigeon flapping, Albuquerque, NM Image Copyright 2009: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART |
| Canon 400mm f/4 IS DO lens handheld with the EOS-1D Mark III. ISO 400. Evaluative metering -1/3 stop: 1/2000 sec. at f/7.1.
With the wind from the north, the birds were flapping away from us. We luck out when it switched briefly to the south. When photographing a flapping duck I hold the hammer down and utilize the close to 10 frames per second capability of the Mark III. You can learn the secret of getting wigeons to flap either by joining next year’s Bosque IPT or by getting a copy of our Bosque Site Guide: https://store.birdsasart.com/shop/category.aspx?catid=19. When things are slow on an IPT having a variety of back-up plans (developed over the past 15 years) can add some spice to the mix. |
THE BOSQUE THANKSGIVING REPORT
Sixteen visitors joined the IPT group (a total of 32 folks in all) for a great Thanksgiving feast at the Stage Door Grill (http://stagedoorgrill.net/) on the plaza in Socorro. Everyone but me enjoyed huge plates of turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce (my absolute favorite), gravy, and mashed potatoes. This was followed by a big piece of either apple or pecan pie. I had some sliced turkey breast with a side of delicious green beans. My reward: my 2 hours post prandial blood sugar was 104.
Our hosts Denise and Terry Eilers let me know that they will be open again next Thanksgiving Day so do plan on being there with us.
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| Snow Geese fly-in, Bosque del Apache NWR, San Antonio, NM Image Copyright 2009: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART |
| Canon 800mm f/5.6 L IS lens with the EOS-1D Mark III. ISO 200. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/15 sec. at f/7.1 in Tv Mode.
When creating intentional blurs, it is best to work in Tv Mode for complete control of the blur speed. This is one of the hundreds of great tips in APB II: https://store.birdsasart.com/shop/category.aspx?catid=32. This image was created from a new window that was cut by this year’s Open Windows Volunteer Project. As it can only accommodate about a dozen photographers, I will let folks know the exact location in the next update to the Bosque Site Guide: I hope to have it completed by Thursday, DEC 10. It will be e-mailed to the list soon thereafter. |
CONGRATS TO NATURE PHOTOGRAPHER MAGAZINE
Congratulations to Helen Longest-Saccone and Marty Saccone on the current issue of Nature Photographer magazine that celebrates 20 years of publication. Nature Photographer has strictly been Helen’s dream. I was there (though not involved) when it was born and have witnessed the wonderful growth in every area. I have been a loyal advertiser for more years than I can remember, and have done some writing for the magazine as well. The current issue, a double one (Fall/Winter 2009/10) is likely the very best ever (and not just because my article “Arthur Morris’ Favorite Lens…” with seven images is featured; it begins on page 74). There are tons of great images and lots of articles that I need to read. Todd Federico’s “Grand Canyon in the snow” image (pages 96-97) alone is worth the $8.62 newsstand price if you are lucky enough to find one. Bob and Jorga Feldman’s article (10 tips for Better Bird Photography/page 130) runs with four great images three of which were surely taken on a James Shadle (http://www.wildflorida.net/photogjames.aspx) boat trip to Alafia Banks. (That fact is never mentioned in the article so I thought that I would mention it here 🙂 ). Bob and Jorga are IPT veterans so it is great to see them getting their work published. I am anxious to get this to Mail Chimp and in your hands today so there is no time to list all of the great images and articles.
Best would be for each of you to subscribe to Nature Photographer; you can subscribe on-line at www.naturephotographermag.com or by calling 207-733-4201.
Helen’s accomplishments over the years in growing the magazine into the respected publication that it is today have been monumental. Congrats and kudos again to both her and Marty.
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| Ed KranePool, Bosque del Apache NWR, San Antonio, NM Image Copyright 2009: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART |
| Canon 24-105mm IS L lens (handheld at 24mm) with the EOS-1D Mark III. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2 stops: 1/60 sec. at f/6.3.
When I saw the clouds and the soft light and the Chupaderas in the background, I visualized a two frame stitched pano so I chose the only tool that would enable me to create the image that I had in my mind. The techniques for creating stitched panos are covered in Digital Basics: https://store.birdsasart.com/shop/category.aspx? |
BAY SHORE, LONG ISLAND, NY APPEARANCE/DECEMBER 8
I will be presenting “Lenses for Nature Photography BIRDS AS ART-Style for the Nature and Wildlife Photographers of Long Island group in Bay Shore on December 8, 2009 at Bay Shore High School. After a short break I will present an optional Photoshop session for those who wish to stay on. For directions click here: http://www.nwpli.com/photo/calendar/#directions. This program is free and open to the public.
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MIDWAY IPT
MIDWAY ATOLL BAA IPT: March 1-8, 2010 (from Oahu, HI) 7-FULL DAYS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
$6395 ALL INCLUSIVE FROM OAHU. Co-leaders: Arthur Morris & Joe Van Os. Limit: 12/Openings: 5 or fewer (I am waiting to here from Van Os Photo Safaris).
Fly to Honolulu on February 28, 2010. Show up at the Charter Aircraft Hangar about mid-day on March 1. Arrive Midway after dark on the 1st. Depart Midway after dark on the 8th. That makes seven full days of photography: 2, 3, 4. 5. 6. 7,& 8. Your hotel on the night of the 8th is included. Fly home on the 9th. In order to cover the huge expense of the round-trip charter aircraft to and from Midway Island, this trip needs a minimum of eleven participants to run. In the unlikely event that this minimum is not met, your deposit will be refunded in full.
While many trips are advertised as once in a lifetime, this one may very well be that once in a lifetime opportunity as there is constant talk that each season may be the very last. March is a perfect time as we will see albatross courtship behaviors and chicks.
Quoting Joe: “Imagine hundreds of thousands of courting Laysan and Black-footed Albatrosses from horizon to horizon, comical fuzzy chicks in such numbers you can trip over them, the Red-tailed tropicbirds’ incredible aerial courtship maneuvers, and Fairy Terns balancing their one egg on an eye-level tree limb and you can get a sense of this place. But wait, there’s more! Nesting Red-footed Boobies, Great Frigatebirds in full courtship display with inflated red gular pouches, bow-riding spinner dolphins, green sea turtles, endangered Hawaiian monk seals and Laysan Ducks!”
Midway is a world renowned wildlife photography destination that ranks right up there with Antarctica, East Africa, and the Galapagos. And like the Galapagos, most of the wildlife is inordinately tame. For additional click here: http://www.photosafaris.com/photography-trips-2010/midway-photo-tour/. If you are a happy camper and wish to register, click here: http://www.photosafaris.com/main/enrollment-information/. And then here: http://www.photosafaris.com/main/registration-form/RegistrationForm-PhotoSafaris.pdf. Complete the forms and send them along with your deposit check for $800 directly to Joseph Van Os Photo Safaris.
The second trip should be sold out in a week or two at most.
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| Sandhill Crane pair, take-off blur, Bosque del Apache NWR, San Antonio, NM Image Copyright 2009: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART |
| Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with the EOS-7D. ISO 200. Evaluative metering +12/3 stops: 1/30 sec. at f/10 in Tv Mode.
The trick here was to have the bird in the front take off first…. (That to avoid the two birds merging.) Note that I went to a low ISO to keep the background relatively smooth and to reduce any problems with dust spotting (rare in my brief experience with the 7D) while working at a slow shutter speed. |
SAN DIEGO IPT
San Diego IPT JAN 13-17, 2010 5 Full Days: $2395 (Limit 8/Openings: 3). Slide program on the evening of TUES JAN 12. Payment in full is due now. We can accept your $500 deposit via credit card and will await the check for your balance. You may pay your deposit with either a personal check or with a credit card and a phone call (863-692-09060. To complete a valid registration, please fill out and complete the Registration and the Release & Assumption of Risk forms that can be found here: https://www.birdsasart.com/baacom/Registration and Release Forms.pdf If you call with a credit card to register, please be sure to print, sign, and return the Registration and the Release & Assumption of Risk forms within ten days.
The gate at the Cave Store Cliffs has been unlocked for many, many months and my understanding is that the fence has now been removed as well. (Though I am not quite positive on the cause and effect here I do know that Scott Bourne had a show-cause order filed with regards to public access at this location.)
We will get to photograph killer breeding plumage Brown Pelicans with the red bill pouches at close range and in flight. Santee Lakes will yield close-up Wood Ducks and lots more; White Pelicans are likely there. LaJolla Shores Beach will yield Marbled Godwits in beautiful buff reflections and this spot and Coronado will give us chances on a variety of gorgeous gulls and several shorebird species as well. I selected dates that feature perfect tides for both our morning and afternoon coastal locations. And we will have extensive time for image review and Photoshop techniques.
100 Reasons to Register for the San Diego IPT You can view a gallery with my 100 favorite San Diego images here: www.birdsasart.com/sandiego800. Click on the first image to see and then click on next to view the images as a slide show. Scroll down to see the EXIF data for each image.
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| Sandhill Cranes & Snow Geese in snow storm, Bosque del Apache NWR, San Antonio, NM Image Copyright 2009: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART |
| Canon 500mm f/4L IS lens with the EOS-1D Mark III. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/60 sec. at f/6.3 in Tv Mode.
It snowed fiercely early on Sunday morning past and I struggled to find some birds in the predawn. I added one stop of light to my exposure to push the histogram to the right. Above is the optimized image. Below is the image at it looked on the camera’s LCD. Many folks would delete an image like this, especially if they were not aware of the amazing potential of digital image files. |
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| After an ACR conversion simple Levels, Curves, and Hue-Saturation adjustments (as detailed in our Digital Basics File: https://store.birdsasart.com/shop/category.aspx?catid=32) transformed the image as I knew that it would. These same capture and processing techniques work well with fog, snow, and other white sky conditions. (Important note: +1 stop on the scene gave the same suggested exposure as +3 stops off the white sky. Do you know why?) To see an image of me covered with snow and another image created that morning, see the DEC 2nd blog post by scrolling down here: www.BIRDSASART-Blog.com. |
BIRDS AS ART FINE ART CANVAS PRINTS
BIRDS AS ART proudly announces the limited sale of a classic Arthur Morris image, “Great Blue Herons Courtship.”
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This intimate and timeless image was created at the Venice Rookery in South Venice, Florida. It is the cover of the original and the reprinted “The Art of Bird Photography” and has thus become the signature image of Artie’s career. It was honored with the Grand Prize in Wildlife in the first-ever Nature’s Best Photography Contest.
The thick gallery wrap (1 ½ inches) canvas is hand-made in the US under the supervision of the artist and is available only through BIRDS AS ART.
This is the third in the series of Arthur Morris’ digitally signed, numbered, limited edition gallery-wrapped canvas prints. The canvas is stretched over custom-made wood supports. The canvas has no frame and appears to float on the wall. There’s no need for a frame for stability since the structure is inside the art. These fine canvas limited edition prints are covered with a rear black dust cover. The hanging wire is neatly attached and a courtesy package with two clear bump-ons, a nickel plated hanger and nail are included. Most folks viewing the canvas prints for the first time ask, “Is that a painting?”
This edition will be limited to 100 pieces of any size. Once the final print is sold the edition will be permanently closed making each Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART print a valuable collectible. Each 16 x 24 inch print is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity.
The first 25 prints sold will be priced at $349 plus $20 shipping and handling to all US addresses. Once 25 prints are sold, the price will rise to $474. The last five prints will sell for $599. (Please e-mail for prices on other sizes and for framing options.)
Prints ordered before December 20, 2009 may apply a $50 discount. The prints are in stock; all orders will ship immediately.
Shipping and handling to Canada will require an additional $35 handling fee. (Canadian orders may be subject to Customs delays and duties and require payment via personal check or money order in US funds.)
Each image will be professionally packed to avoid damage during transit. All fees are due and payable in advance in US funds. (We cannot be responsible for delays at customs.)
Payment may be by check or money order mailed to Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART PO Box 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855, by PayPal to birdsasart@att.net, or by credit card. Please call 863-692-0906 for credit card orders.
We offer a 100% money back guarantee. If for any reason you are not completely satisfied we will gladly accept a return for exchange or refund provided that the item is returned within seven days of receipt and is in saleable condition. We refund only the purchase price plus the shipping and handling. Return shipping is the responsibility of the customer. This guarantee does not include prints that you damage or that are damaged in shipping. If your print is damaged in shipping, please let us know and we will arrange to have a replacement sent. Please allow 14 days for your check to clear.
We are 100% positive that “Great Blue Herons Courtship” will become a collector’s item; thank you for your support of Artie’s work.
Purchase any five limited edition canvas prints and receive a sixth free.
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| Mallard and Wood Duck feeding frenzy, Albuquerque, NM Image Copyright 2009: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART |
| Canon 70 to 200mm f/4L IS lens (handheld at 70mm) with the EOS-1D Mark III. ISO 320. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/15 sec. at f/4 in Tv Mode.
This image was created at another of my back-up spots. Knowing the feeding schedule I was able to alert the remaining group members (several had departed early) to the coming opportunity. Again, the complete details are in the Bosque Site Guide. |
WINGED JOURNEY CALENDAR
While speaking at the Midwest Birding Symposium in September I ran into lots of old friends and met some nice new folks as well including young photographer named Bryan Holiday who kindly shared a copy of his annual calendar with me. I later received this e-mail from him:
While birding a few years ago during spring migration, I ran into a lady named Sally. We stood on the famous boardwalk at Magee Marsh on the shore of Lake Erie and watched hundreds of warblers move through the trees just above our heads. It was an incredible day there and we didn’t move from that spot for 2 hours. We just watched the birds and engaged in friendly conversation. Our talking revealed her history as a freelance writer and my interest in bird photography. With our shared passion for the outdoors and artistic interests, we decided we should someday collaborate on a project combining our talents. That idea came to fruition this summer and we are very proud of and excited to announce our calendar of birds for 2010. Winged Journey: A 16 Month Celebration Of Birds is the title of our work and features Sally’s poetry and my bird photography. We have chosen birds from across North America to represent this year and each month contains an image with complimenting verse. In lieu of the traditional legal and religious holidays we have included events that celebrate our connection with the natural world.
Simple things that often go unnoticed, such as full moons, equinoxes and solstices, as well as days honoring wildlife, oceans, and forests are just a few examples of the highlights throughout the month. The calendar is 28 pages and printed on a quality heavyweight matte-finish paper made of 40% recycled material. The design and feel of this calendar is simple, yet elegant. It measures 11×17 when open. We put in a lot of effort to make sure the calendar is not only of the highest quality, but also environmentally friendly. We are also very excited to be supporting the Black Swamp Bird Observatory in Ohio (where Sally and I met) with a portion of our proceeds from the calendar. We look forward to giving them a big check to support the research and educational programs at the Observatory. To learn more about them, please visit www.bsbobird.org. This calendar will make the perfect gift for the nature lover in your family or an excellent holiday gift for anyone you know. To order, please visit our website at www.wingedjourneycalendar.com or feel free to call or email me. They are 14.95 each plus shipping. Be sure to get one for yourself too. Our calendar has a different twist, so if you already have one, you need this one too!
Thanks for supporting us and Black Swamp! For the birds, Bryan (and Sally)
To see the calendar cover, click here and then scroll down: https://www.birdsasart.com/baacom/bn303.htm.
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| American Wigeon, close-up of head of drake, Albuquerque, NM Image Copyright 2009: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART |
| Canon 400mm f/4 IS DO lens handheld with the 1.4X II TC and the EOS-1D Mark III. ISO 400. Evaluative metering -1/3 stop: 1/2000 sec. at f/7.1.
With the wind from the north, the birds were flapping away from us. |
IPT UPDATES
SW FLA PRESIDENT’S WEEK IPT: FEB 10-15, 2010
Slide program on the evening of FEB 9. Slide program on the evening of FEB 11. 6-FULL DAYS: $2799. (Non-refundable deposit: $500.) Limit: 10/SOLD OUT. Co-leaders: Tim Grey and Alfred and Fabiola Forns.
Imagine having Photoshop guru Tim Grey at your side to answer your Photoshop questions for 6 full days! Escape winter’s icy grip and join me in Florida in the land of ridiculously tame birds. This IPT will visit Little Estero Lagoon which has been fantastic for the past three years (and been getting better each year), the Venice Rookery, several killer Burrowing Owl nests on Cape Coral, and several spots on Sanibel including Blind Pass, the Sanibel Fishing Pier, and the East Gulf beaches (for Snowy Plover). If we have a foggy drizzly morning we may visit Corkscrew Swamp and Sanctuary. We have arranged for morning low tides at Little Estero and a setting full moon for our Saturday visit to the Venice Rookery
A non-refundable deposit of $500 is required to hold a spot for each of the above IPTs. Deposits may be paid by check, PayPal, or credit card. Payment in full (by check or money order) is due four months before the start of each trip and is non-refundable unless the IPT sells out. You will be required to sign a statement of understanding to this effect. Travel insurance is of course highly recommended. Travel Insurance Services offers a variety of plans and options. Included with the Elite Option or available as an upgrade to the Basic & Plus Options, you can also purchase Cancel for Any Reason Coverage, which expands the list of reasons for your canceling to an infinite list, from a sudden work or family obligation to a simple change of mind. My family and I use and depend on the great policies offered by TIS whenever we travel. You can learn more here: Travel Insurance Services. We regret that we must implement this new policy but we have recently been plagued by last minute cancellations that make it impossible for others to participate and deprive us of essential income.