BIRDS AS ART BULLETIN #265
July 1, 2008
Visit www.birdsasart.com
Inspirational; educational. Honest critiques done gently: www.BirdPhotographers.Net
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
A NEW WAY OF THINKING & SO MANY OPTIONS
EXPOSURE LESSON VIA E-MAIL
TRIPOD MISINFORMATION
GANNETS GALORE/3 NEW AUGUST TRIPS UPDATE
JOHN CHARDINE, BPN STAFF ORNITHOLOGIST
ABP II KUDOS
POSSE UPDATES
IPT UPDATES
PORTLAND MAINE: “The Art of Nature Photography; It Ain’t Just Birds” Weekend How-to Seminar
Contact us by phone at 863-692-0906 (Eastern Time Zone) or by e-mail at birdsasart@att.net or @verizon.net. The att e-mail address is best from overseas.
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Northern Gannet sky pointing, Bonaventure Island, Quebec
Image Copyright 2008: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Canon 400mm f/4 IS DO lens with the 1.4X II TC and the EOS-1D Mark III. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2 stops off the sky set manually: 1/500 sec. at f/8. Fill flash at zero with Better Beamer. Mongoose M3.5 on the Gitzo 3530 LS tripod with the Mongoose Integrated Flash Arm.
This was another of the many birds that hung out on the roof of the sheltered deck in the afternoons. I tried to push the shutter button when the bird’s bill was perfectly square to the imaging sensor but missed by a fraction. (The gannets rotate their head slowly while performing this courtship display.)
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
I leave tonight, Tuesday, July 1, for the Galapagos Islands. I will be meeting the group of 16 in Quito on Thursday. I will be back in the office on July 11. Please hold off on sending your photography-related questions until my return. Thanks! Jim and Jennifer will be here to help with your mail orders, most equipment questions, and your IPT and Portland Seminar registrations. Be safe, breathe deep, have fun, and make some great images until I get back.
A NEW WAY OF THINKING & SO MANY OPTIONS
When I saw this image:
on the back of the camera, I immediately created this image:
so that I could combine the two and create this image:
I could have created the cleaner looking image from the original capture but by thinking digitally and creating the defocused image of the water on the spot, I made my life a lot easier.
Lastly, I thought that the original capture might look pretty cool with the gannets in the foreground blurred. I used a Quick Mask and a 48 pixel Gaussian Blur to create this image:
Northern Gannet landing at
colony, Bonaventure Island,
Image Copyright 2008: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Canon 70-200 f/4 L IS lens with the 1.4X II TC (handheld at 215mm) with the EOS 1-D MIII. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 stop off the grey water set manually: 1/1000 sec. at f/7.1. Flash off.
Our complete digital workflow, the basics of Quick Masking, and Patch Tool details are among the hundreds of topics covered in our Digital Basics PDF file: http://www.birdsasart.com/digitalbasics.htm. On an almost daily basis I see more and more good photographers ruining their quality images in Photoshop simply because they have no clue as to properly optimize an image with basic Shadow/Highlight, Levels, Hue/Saturation, Curves, and Selective Color adjustments.
EXPOSURE LESSON VIA E-MAIL
An e-mail exchange with subscriber John Hannan:
Hi John,
re:
JH: One comment and one question. Comment: the image of the sea and the sky was fantastic.
AM: Glad that you liked.
JH: Question, you used an exposure of +1 2/3 stops off the sky for most of your cloudy day gannet images. Why did you use the sky rather than the bird for your metering?
AM: #1: What part of the bird should I have metered on? And how? I use the sky as my base exposure because it gives me a consistent reading on dreary or cloudy days and I know that with my MIII adding 1 2/3 or 2 stops of light will yield an exposure with data in the fifth histogram box. That is what you always want, data in the fifth histogram box, the last one on the right.
JH: Was this to give the bird a more soft looking appearance than if you metered off the bird?
AM: No.
JH: Or is this to bring out the birds color which otherwise might blend into the light background?
AM: No.
JH: I normally meter off the bird and seldom get the image I want.
There are lots of reasons why that happens… But it does not matter at all what you meter off or how you meter: you just need to get data in the fifth histogram box! This is just as we teach in ABP II (916 pages on CD only): http://www.birdsasart.com/ABPII.htm
JH: So this seems to be something I need to change.
AM: I would recommend that as my approach is much simpler.
JH: But I need to under stand why you do that.
AM: Now you know. In addition, you say you are metering the bird; how are you doing that?
Later and love, artie
Northern Gannet, braking to land, Bonaventure Island, Quebec
Image Copyright 2008: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Canon 70-200 f/4 L IS lens with the 1.4X II TC (handheld at 165 mm) with the EOS 1-D MIII. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 2/3 stops of the sky: 1/2000 sec. at f/7.1 set manually. Flash off.
I created hundreds of similar images and had a hard time deleting so many good ones but with digital, it pays to keep on the very best.
TRIPOD MISINFORMATION
Below is a recent e-mail exchange between myself and subscriber Robert Turner. See the moral below.
Hi Robert,
re:
RT: My question is about the Gitzo 3530 LS (no column) CF tripod. All on-line sites state that it replaces the 1325. The problem is the maximum height of the 3530 LS is listed as 50.4 inches versus 58.0 inches for the 1325.
AM: That information is incorrect. One and one half minutes ago, in my garage, I measured the difference in total length of a 1325 and a 3530. The difference was a shade less than 5/8 of one inch. With the legs fully spread, the difference in height was (as expected) even smaller at less than 3/8 of one inch.
RT: Therefore it is not a real replacement.
AM: Is too.
RT: The 3530 is too short for 5-11 persons and the next size is the 77 " 4-section model.
AM: Says who??? I am 5' 11 inches. (Used to be 6 foot.) I use the 3530 with the bottom leg sections in about 4inches for most photography (though I do extend them a bit more for some flight situations).
RT: There is a huge gap between the two models. Any suggestions for another quality model 58" height?
AM: Yes, the 3530 LS. I went back to the garage with my able-bodied assistant Jim Litzenberg for a second style of measurement: The height of the 1325 open is indeed 58 inches. The height of the 3530 fully open is 57 3/4 inches. It is best not to believe everything that you read on the internet. We have several 3530 LS tripods in stock and look forward to filling your order.
Later and love, artie
Moral: The big camera stores (and all of the little ones too) may have huge stock and experienced salespersons. And they carry Canon and Nikon cameras which we do not. They are not, however, nature photographers. I have been doing this coming up on 25 years now and I do not BS folks. We know what we are talking about and sell only the stuff that I use and the stuff that works. If we do not carry the exact Gitzo CF tripod that would like to purchase, please get in touch with us and we will have it drop-shipped (after telling you whether or not you are purchasing the correct tripod for your gear. And, as always, we sell everything for a nickel less than B&H except when we are not permitted to do so.
Northern Gannet, adult in
flight, Bonaventure Island,
Image Copyright 2008: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Canon 70-200 f/4 L IS lens (handheld at 100mm) with the EOS 1-D MIII. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 2/3 stops: 1/2500 sec. at f/4. On-camera Manual flash at 1:1. stop with Better Beamer.
This was another image created from the Zodiac on a choppy morning. With such a high shutter speed (and High Speed Synch) I knew that I needed all the flash I could get, thus, Manual flash at 1:1. (Learn to use Manual flash in the Flash Simplified section of ABP II: http://www.birdsasart.com/ABPII.htm)
GANNETS GALORE/3 NEW AUGUST TRIPS UPDATE
As predicted in BAA Bulletin 264, the three Gannets Galore trips were almost filled in less than 24 hours.
Here are the details:
Gannets Galore:
Gannets Galore:
Gannets Galore:
If you missed the original notice and the great images, click here: http://www.birdsasart.com/bn264.htm
Register with a spouse or a friend (double occupancy) and apply a $200 discount to each registration.
Do consider joining Chris for the photographic experience of a lifetime. If you are serious about joining the last tour, please do not hesitate. You can find the complete details (including travel info and unsolicited testimonials) here: http://webfarm.foliolink.com/Asset.asp?AssetID=13968&AKey=HKP7BK55.
You must contact Chris to register. He will be on the road for a while now so try him on his cell: 1- 514-945-6195. Be sure to leave a message as Chris will be in and out of coverage while scouting for an amazing Newfoundland Photo Trip for the summer of 2009. Follow up your phone message with an e-mail to Chris at chris@chrisdoddsphoto.com and please copy us at birdsasart@verizon.net. Registrations will be accepted on a first come/first served basis. Be assured that you will be in good hands with Chris.
Bonaventure Photographers, Bonaventure Island, Quebec
Image Copyright and courtesy of John Chardine
The look on my face is one of dazed happiness. My hiking boots were giving me blisters so I simply wore my NEOS on top of my sandals and stayed dry, safe, and comfortable. All in all my five days at the gannetry were the most productive five days of my photographic career. (Left to right: Steve Metildi, yours truly, John Zimmerman, & Joe Naudzunas.)
JOHN CHARDINE, BPN STAFF ORNITHOLOGIST
We are proud to welcome John Chardine of Sackville, New Brunswick, Canada as BPN’s Staff Ornithologist and as the moderator of the brand new “Avian: Identification, Behavior, and Nomenclature” Forum. If you have a question about a bird, ask our Staff Ornithologist. If you have an interesting or unusual bird behavior image, share it! John is Research Scientist specializing in marine birds. He is employed by the Canadian Wildlife Service and is an accomplished nature photographer as well.
To visit the new forum, click here: Avian: Identification, Behavior and Nomenclature
Northern Gannet, braking blur, side view, Bonaventure Island, Quebec
Image Copyright 2008: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Canon 400mm f/4 IS DO lens handheld with the EOS-1D Mark III. ISO 50. Evaluative metering +2 stops off the sky set manually: 1/60 sec. at f/10. Fill flash at -1 stop with Better Beamer.
The side view and wing positions here are pleasing to my eye as the blurred primary feathers on both wings are visible. With most of the intentionally blurred images of birds in flight I darken the pupil using a Quick Mask.
ABP II KUDOS
By e-mail from Edy Tasovac:
Hi Arthur,
Thank you for the wonderful CD-ROM book The Art of Bird Photography II. Many hours have been spent learning the tricks of the trade from the book that you've produced, any many more put into practical experience out in the field. The CD is a source of inspiration and a wonderful extension to the first book. Thank you again. And thanks for sharing your photographic expertise so freely. Your books & bulletins are a must read for all budding wildlife photographer. Cheers mate, Edy
You can learn more about ABP II here: http://www.birdsasart.com/ABPII.htm
Gannetry, circle blur,
Bonaventure Island,
Image Copyright 2008: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Canon 70-200 f/4 L IS lens (on tripod at 70mm) with the EOS 1-D MIII. ISO 50. Evaluative metering +1 stop set manually: 1/15 sec. at f/32.
I think that I first learned about circle blurs from posse member Robert Amoruso at Bosque last year. They are much more effective when created on a tripod than when hand-holding. As I did not have my set of nine-stop neutral density filters, I needed to go all the way down to ISO 50. This is one of the very few techniques that I use that is not covered in ABP II so here are the basics: set a low ISO and a slow shutter speed while making sure via a histogram check that your exposure is correct. Then loosen the tripod collar and try to rotate the lens in the collar as you press the shutter button. It takes some practice, but hey, it’s digital so take lots of images and keep the best one or two. Circular blurs can work either with a repetitive pattern or with a single subject. Have some fun: get out and try some circular blurs.
POSSE UPDATES
Robert O’Toole at Bosque/Photography & APTATS/Photoshop Workshops
Robert O'Toole will lead two Photography and two APTATS Photoshop Workshops this year at Bosque. With 5 years of experience leading and co-leading workshops at Bosque, Robert can make sure that you maximize your opportunities in the field and then learn to produce high quality image files in Photoshop where he is an acknowledged guru.
Robert O’Toole BAA-Approved Photography Workshops: Nov 19-21, 2008 & Dec 3-5, 2008. 3-DAY: $999 (Limit 6). Photography topics will include flight photography techniques, lighting, creative imaging, equipment set up, and in the field long lens techniques. The workshop includes one daily covering Photoshop techniques and image review session. .
Robert O’Toole BAA-Approved APTATS/Photoshop Workshops. Nov 26 or Nov 28, 2008: 1-DAY: $349. (Limit 8). Photoshop workshop dates include a full day covering APTATS techniques from 10am - 5pm. Participants will be encouraged to work with images provided during the workshop. Workshop materials will be supplied but a laptop with Photoshop is required. The small class size is designed to give you the best learning environment possible.
E-mail Robert for more information at Robert@RobertOToolePhotography.com or call 310.619.8017.
You can learn more about Robert at www.RobertOtoolePhotography.com
Snow Goose, in-flight blur, Bosque Del Apache
Image Copyright 2008: Robert O’Toole Photography
Canon EOS-1D Mark II N and the EF600mm f/4L IS USM with Canon 2x II Extender. ISO 100. Evaluative metering +2/3 stops/manual mode: 1/30 @ f/18. Mongoose M3.5 on the Gitzo 3530 LSV tripod.
Sandhill Crane family returning to the crane pools to roost, Bosque Del Apache
Image Copyright 2008: Robert O’Toole Photography
Canon EOS-1D Mark II N and the EF600mm f/4L IS USM with Canon 2x II Extender. ISO 400. Evaluative metering. No compensation in manual mode: 1/500 @ f/9. Mongoose M3.5 on the Gitzo 3530 LSV tripod.
Flight School Goes to Bosque with Jim Neiger
With thousands of migratory birds in flight daily at Bosque Del Apache, what better site for Flight School Photography workshops? Last year’s workshops were a huge success, so once again, Flight School Photography returns to Bosque. We are anticipating improved conditions and even more outstanding photographic opportunities than last year. There will be two workshops each conducted by expert bird photographer Jim Neiger. Jim has spent the past several years perfecting his unique techniques for photographing birds in flight using large telephoto lenses, hand held. The focus of these workshops will be learning and practicing Jim’s hand held, long lens techniques for photographing birds in flight and in action.
The workshops will be held in November, before Thanksgiving, which provides important advantages. First, the spectacular fall colors at Bosque are not to be missed and going early will provide that opportunity. The fall foliage offers incredibly beautiful backgrounds for your photos, and adds even more majesty to the already spectacular sunrises and sunsets. Second, going early means there will be less of a crowd, offering more opportunities for “front-row seats” and leisurely days in the field. Each workshop will include 2 hours of classroom instruction on the first afternoon, a welcome dinner, and a morning and an afternoon photography session each day.
Flight School Goes to Bosque BAA-Approved Workshops: NOV 14-17 and NOV 18-21, 2008. 3-DAY: $1000. (Limit 8.)
Contact Jim by cell phone at 1-407-247-5200 or by e-mail at jimn@cfl.rr.com. Visit his web site at: www.flightschoolphotography.com
Image Copyright 2008: Jim Neiger
Northern Harrier banking over fall foliage – Bosque Del Apache NWR, NM – Nov 8, 2007
Image Copyright 2008: Jim Neiger
Gliding Snow Geese on pink sunrise sky – Bosque Del Apache NWR, NM – Nov 17, 2007
Summer fun in Florida with James Shadle (aka FROGGIE)
When folks ask me about photographing in Florida during the summer months I run out of suggestions after mentioning Fort DeSoto (http://www.birdsasart.com/siteguides.htm#the%20Fort%20DeSoto/Sarasota%20Site-Guide). When I headed out to Tampa Bay this Friday afternoon with James Shadle, I really had my eyes opened. I got to photograph Caspian Terns in flight, juvenile Caspian Terns, Royal Terns and Laughing Gulls in flight and feeding young, recently fledged Little Blue Herons, Reddish Egrets, White Ibises, and Brown Pelicans. And I got my fill of fledged baby Roseate Spoonbills. There was so much to photograph that at times you simply could not decide where to point your lens. You can see a selection of my images below.
There are about three weeks left in the baby bird season on Tampa Bay. If you would like to join Jim for a full or half-day, you can contact him as follows: by cell phone at 813-363-2854 or via e-mail at James@wildflorida.net.
Reminder: most of the photography on a boat trip with Froggie is done while standing in the water with your tripod. (Some folks have shown up with their Sunday-best Air Jordans…) Lastly, if you have any Nikon-related questions or are curious as to James’ exposure system, please e-mail him at james@wildflorida.net.
Roseate Spoonbill, flying young landing, Hooptie Deux trip, Tampa Bay, FL
Image Copyright 2008: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Canon 600mm f/4 L IS lens with the 1.4X II TC and the EOS-1D Mark III. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1 2/3 stops off the sky set manually: 1/640 sec. at f/5.6. Wimberley head with Gitzo 3530 LS tripod.
The just fledged spoonbills have brown tips to the primaries that they keep for almost a year. I added canvas on the right here to improve the composition. I removed bands from both legs using Robert O’Toole’s Quick Mask techniques. (See below for APTATS info.)
Caspian Tern screaming, Hooptie Deux trip, Tampa Bay, FL
Image Copyright 2008: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Canon 70-200mm f/4 L IS lens (handheld at 127mm) with the EOS-40D. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/3200 sec. at f/5.6. Manual flash at 1:1 with Better Beamer.
I clipped the wing on the original below. Though I am fully capable of doing such repairs (<smile>), this image was optimized by Robert O’Toole who does about 40% of my Photoshop work for me. You can learn how to repair clipped wingtips easily yourself with Robert’s amazing APTATS tutorial CD: http://www.birdsasart.com/aptats.htm. The more I use the 40D the more that I am impressed with its AI Servo AF.
IPT UPDATES
Bosque IPT
#1:
Bosque IPT #2: NOV 29-DEC 2, 2008. Slide program on the evening of NOV 28. 4-DAY: $1799 Limit: 10/Openings: 3. Co-leader: Robert O’Toole.
Co-leaders: Robert O’Toole and Alfred & Fabiola Forns.
SW FLA
PRESIDENT'S DAY IPT:
Katmai Bear Boat #2: September 4-10, 2008: $6499. Please e-mail for details.
Caspian Tern screaming pano, Hooptie Deux trip, Tampa Bay, FL
Image Copyright 2008: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Canon 70-200mm f/4 L IS lens (handheld at 116mm) with the EOS-40D. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 stop off the sky: 1/2000 sec. at f/8 in Manual mode. Manual flash at 1:1 with Better Beamer.
With the light changing constantly I struggled to keep up with the changing light. Eventually, I went to Av mode and Evaluative metering +1/3 stop as a compromise to ensure that I did not burn the whites.
PORTLAND,
“The
Art of Nature Photography; It Ain’t Just Birds” Weekend How-To Seminar
in
Eastland Park
Hotel,
This seminar is for all nature photographers who want to learn how to make better photographs. On Saturday I will describe the methods and techniques that I have used and developed since 1983. My comments on lenses and digital camera bodies, AF, light, and on composition and image design will be highly informative and educational. And my tips on getting close to free and wild subjects and creating pleasing blurs will help you become a better photographer. Everyone with a telephoto lens who wishes to dramatically improve the quality of their images will benefit from attending.
Since going all-digital in November 2002, I have—with the help of many wonderful friends—become a Photoshop expert. My approach to optimizing images is to create master files of excellent quality in the shortest possible time. I will share our workflow and numerous Digital and Photoshop tips on Sunday. As more and more folks are using Digital Capture, I am finding on our IPTs that many good to excellent photographers have no clue as to how to use Photoshop to make their images look better. In fact, many of them make their best images look worse! I can and will teach you to do just that at this seminar.
Do consider taking advantage
of the opportunity to spend two days learning from one of the premier nature
photography educators on the planet by joining me for this great weekend. The
October 11-12 dates were carefully chosen to
coincide roughly with the average peak of fall color in southern
The seminar will be held at
the Eastland Park Hotel. Folks staying at least two nights in the hotel will
receive a free Lens Pen Combo Kit at the seminar. As fall color time is peak
season in southern
The cost of the weekend seminar will be $169. The cost of either single day will be $99. Members of qualifying camera clubs are invited to apply a $10 discount. (If you are a member of a camera club or other photography organization please e-mail us before registering to learn how your group can become a qualifying club). Register with a friend or a spouse and take $10 off each registration. Register in groups of four or more and take $20 off of each registration. Register in a group of ten or more and take $30 off each registration. It is highly recommend that folks purchase the buffet luncheon option ($15/day includes tip and tax). Those purchasing the lunch option will receive their lunch coupon when they check in each morning.) The cost of the weekend seminar plus the two lunches is $199.
There are three ways to register:
1- Send a check for the full
amount made out to "Arthur Morris" to
2- Call us with a credit card at 863-692-0906.
3- Send us a Paypal (using either any link on our site or your Paypal account) to us at birdsasart@att.net.)
In all cases, we will need your e-mail address, your mailing address, and your daytime and evening phone numbers.
Here is our Cancellation
Policy: If for any reason you need to withdraw, please notify us ASAP. Once
we receive your e-mail, your phone call, or written notice of your
cancellation the following fees apply: cancel before
.....
Caspian Tern, begging chick, Hooptie Deux trip, Tampa Bay, FL
Canon 600mm f/4 L IS lens with the 2X II TC and the EOS-1D Mark III. ISO 320. Evaluative metering +2/3 stops: 1/640 sec. at f/10. Wimberley head with Gitzo 3530 LS tripod.
I got down on one knee in the water to effectively move the background farther from the subject to ensure that it would be lovely, soft, and o-o-f.
White Ibis, fledged young, Hooptie Deux trip, Tampa Bay, FL
Canon 600mm f/4 L IS lens with the 1.4X II TC and the EOS-1D Mark III. ISO 500. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/500 sec. at f/5.6. Wimberley head with Gitzo 3530 LS tripod. Fill flash with Better Beamer. Flash on Wimberley F-9 flash bracket.
Alafia banks if crawling with a huge crop of fledged White Ibises.
Best
and love and great picture-
artie
Note: Arthur Morris has been a
Canon contract photographer since 1996 and
continues in that role today. Hunt's Photo of Boston, MA is a BAA sponsor as is
Delkin Devices. Back issues of all BAA Bulletins can be found in the Bulletin
Archives which