BIRDS AS ART BULLETIN #270

August 31, 2008

Visit www.birdsasart.com

Inspirational, Educational, & Fun.  Honest critiques done gently:  www.BirdPhotographers.Net (It Ain’t Just Birds!)

GANNETS GALORE AUGUST TRIP REPORT & PORTFOLIO

GANNETS GALORE 2009 TRIP ANNOUNCEMENTS

ON THE ROAD AGAIN…

BEST OF FLORIDA WORKSHOPS

SO WHADDA YA THINK?

IPT & BPN KUDOS

BPN UPDATES  

PORTLAND MAINE: “The Art of Nature Photography; It Ain’t Just Birds” Weekend How-to Seminar 

IPT UPDATES 

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.

We gladly accept credit card orders by phone 8am till 7pm Eastern Time (8 am till 3pm Fridays).

You can use the PayPal links on the web site to order anything.  Just type in the item(s) and the amount.  If using your own PayPal account, please send to either of the e-mail addresses above.

Note:  maximize this e-mail for best formatting.

Photographic theme:  my favorite images from my recent August trip to Bonaventure Island.

Important Request: if responding to this e-mail, please take the time to delete all images and all irrelevant text.

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.

We gladly accept credit card orders by phone 8am till 7pm Eastern Time (8 am till 3pm Fridays).

You can use the PayPal links on the web site to order anything.  Just type in the item(s) and the amount.  If using your own PayPal account, please send to either of the e-mail addresses above.

 Note:  maximize this e-mail for best formatting.

 Photographic theme:  my favorite images from my recent August trip to Bonaventure Island.

 Important Request: if responding to this e-mail, please take the time to delete all images and all irrelevant text.   

Northern Gannet, squawking at rival, Bonaventure Island, Quebec

Image Copyright 2008:  Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

Canon 400mm f/4 IS DO lens with the 2X II TC  and the EOS-1D Mark III. ISO 400. Evaluative metering at zero: 1/640 sec. at f/10.  Fill flash at zero with Better Beamer.   Mongoose M3.5 on the Gitzo 3530 LS tripod with the Mongoose Integrated Flash Arm.     

There is a spot at Bonaventure that I named “Gannet Crossing.”   Non-nesters and one-year old birds gather there to practice various courtship behaviors and to joust with their neighbors.  On sunny afternoons the place shines; there are blue water backgrounds, red earth backgrounds, and green grass backgrounds.  You can choose your background color  by carefully choosing your perspective.  When working in full sun I usually use lots of flash as I did here.  If you make it up to the island with Chris, you will find out why I named the spot as I did. (Image optimization time: 4 minutes.)

Northern Gannet against stormy sky, Bonaventure Island, Quebec

Image Copyright 2008:  Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

Canon 24-105mm IS lens handheld at 105mm with the EOS-1D MIII.  ISO 400. Evaluative metering + 2/3 stop: 1/1250 sec. at f/7.1 set manually.      

“You need a long lens to make good photographs of birds,” is a refrain that I hear often but I am not buying it.  Sure, long sharp lenses are great tools providing that you know how to use them, but it is much better to have skill and vision than a big telephoto lens.  When I saw the storm clouds on a partly sunny and very windy afternoon I grabbed my 24-105 and went for a walk looking to create some cloud-scapes that would include relatively small-in-the frame gannets. In order to keep the birds well off center, I utilized 45-Point AFPS.  When using the full array of sensors, be sure to acquire AF with the sensor in the center of the array (it will not be visible in AI Servo AF) and then you will be able to hold focus as you recompose with the bird out of the middle of the frame.  (Image optimization time: 3 minutes.)

Northern Gannet displaying, 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 400.  Evaluative metering at zero: 1/1000 sec. at f/9.      

This is another image made at “Gannet Crossing” on a sunny late afternoon with another of the many available background types: red earth, green grass, and blue water. When creating images  of displaying birds I strive to release the shutter when both eyes are visible…  (Image optimization time: 4 minutes.)

Great Black-backed Gull, immature scavenging Northern Gannet chick, Bonaventure Island, Quebec

Image Copyright 2008:  Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

Canon 400mm f/4 IS DO lens handheld with the EOS-40D.  ISO 640.  Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/400 sec. at f/7.1.      

Thanks again to Bill Lloyd for suggesting that we work close to the cliffs to take advantage of the killer reflections and to Danny for positioning the Zodiac perfectly with the bird right down the sun angle.   I took a zillion images but this one, with gull holding the dead chick’s wing stub, is my favorite by far.  I cleaned up some crud in the water (mostly behind the gull) with the Patch Tool and with Quick Masks.  (Image optimization time: 10 minutes.)

GANNETS GALORE AUGUST TRIP REPORT & PORTFOLIO 

On August 14, I flew from Orlando to Chicago (5 hour layover) to Montreal to Quebec City to Gaspe (the last two flights on the same plane).  My flights were convoluted because I had decided to return to Bonaventure only weeks before.  Monsieur Chris Dodds kindly picked me up at the airport and drove the 45 minutes back to our hotel in Perce, Quebec.  My first day was a between-the-tours day (no 5 am Zodiac cruise), so we took the 8:45am boat across and made the 1.8 mile trek up the hill.  I was disappointed to see that the nests atop the shelter had failed but this actually turned out to be a good thing as we learned that if chicks had hatched at those nests that the shelter would have been closed…  There were hundreds of chicks around.  Many of them, especially in the afternoons when it was hot, simply looked dead.  Very dead.  But the next morning they would be good to go.   There was one chick right near the shelter that looked deader than dead.  And filthy.  We saw an adult at that nest that morning but thereafter it looked as if the big dirty chick had been abandoned.  For three days it just lay there, totally covered in dirt and barely breathing.  Then on the fourth and fifth days there was an adult at the nest and the chick looked very much alive (but still dirty).  It sat up, begged, and got fed.   There were some dead chicks of various sizes as would be expected, but the vast majority of chicks were thriving.  Such is life at a rookery.  That, and the lovely smell.  And the constant racket of noise.  

On the morning of the 16^th the entire group met at 5am for our first Zodiac cruise.  It was a clear morning but the wind was from the west.   We were in the middle of a group of diving gannets but they were coming in low right over our heads diving away from the light.  I quickly assessed the impossibility of the situation; some of the birds were almost hitting us in the head.   I grabbed the 70-200, mounted the flash, and began creating images of the backlit birds that hung just above our heads waiting to dive.   I shared my thoughts and techniques with the group but as is common, nobody listened <smile>.  After the cruise we headed up to the colony and were greeted with a mix of sun and clouds with the extended periods of cloudy weather that I greatly prefer for black and white birds.  As I recall, our second Zodiac morning was weathered out, but on the third morning we struck gold, literally and figuratively.  Bill Lloyd, a multiple IPT veteran who had come all the way from California, suggested that we work in closer to the cliffs to take advantage of the golden buff reflections of the cliffs.  This turned out to be a brilliant suggestion as there were two other huge plusses:  as the wind was again from the west, getting in tight to the cliffs got us into the calm lee of the tall cliffs, and once there, the wind direction changed constantly.  For minutes at a time, we had perfect conditions with the gannets diving from our left or our right or even straight at us.   

I really enjoyed chatting with Paul Smith and hearing his stories of working in the deep mines of northern Ontario.  And Paul turned out to be quite a fine photographer.  Jackie Leader, a real sweetie and the wife of BPN accounting and legal adviser Paul Leader, was also with us.  (Jackie had so, so much fun that she has stated that she intends to sign up for the first two trips next June!) Ken Cook and Ted Krug (who had been with Todd and me in Tanzania a few years back) rounded out the cast.  My four final days were a mix of sun and clouds, pretty much perfect for gannet photography.   

On my last afternoon in Gaspe I had the pleasure of meeting young photographer Matthew Barr, a sophomore at Yale University.  Mathew was a very nice young man and as enthusiastic and passionate about nature photography as anyone I have ever met.  Matthew joined Chris on the three Zodiac trips on the third Gannets Galore August trip.

Northern Gannet, large chick looking up, Bonaventure Island, Quebec

Image Copyright 2008:  Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART 

Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS lens handheld at 200mm with the EOS-1D MIII. Flash on camera fill at -1 stop. ISO 200. Evaluative metering +1 stop set manually: 1/250 sec. at f/5.6.

Some of the principles that I tried to get across while on a recent Gannets Galore trip with Chris Dodds had to do with dealing with the bright sun and blue skies that we had on day 2. When the light is bright, think tight. Even better, find a pleasing subject in the shade. Here, I did both! This Northern Gannet chick was on its nest in the shade of one of the shelters While doing a Photoshop session with the small group, I chose to convert this image in ACR rather than Breezebrowser as I usually do (as several of the participants used ACR).  I was playing around with the clarity slider and discovered that I could add to the sharp-on-soft look by decreasing the clarity. You gotta love digital; play around and come up with something new. (Image optimization time: 5 minutes.)

Northern Gannet, sub-adult in flight from below, Bonaventure Island, Quebec

Image Copyright 2008:  Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

Canon 70-200mm f/4 L IS lens handheld at 189mm with the EOS-40D. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/500 sec. at f/7.1.  Flash on-camera fill at -1 stop.       

This image was made from the Zodiac on a sunny morning when the wind was “wrong” but nobody wanted to listen to the leader...   To learn to see creatively be sure to look in all directions and open your eyes and your mind…  And your ears!  (Image optimization time: 3 minutes.) 

 Gannetry, the view from the Zodiac, Bonaventure Island, Quebec

Image Copyright 2008:  Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

Canon 70-200mm f/4 L IS lens handheld at 121mm with the EOS-40D. ISO 400. Evaluative metering at zero: 1/1000 sec. at f/8.

This two-frame stitched pano was created to give folks an idea of the size of the gannetry.  The wooden structure is a viewing tower that is closed to the public. The main viewing and photography area (to our right, off-stage) is not visible in this image.  Though this is the largest contiguous section of the gannetry, there are lots more nests than you see here.  Note that some pairs are nesting well down on the cliffs.  Those that nest on the flat areas atop the cliffs enjoy higher productivity.  (Image optimization time: 10 minutes.) 

GANNETS GALORE 2009 TRIP ANNOUNCEMENTS

Chris Dodds proudly announces the 2009 Gannets Galore trip schedule:

Gannets Galore/June 7-9, 2009.   Leader: Chris Dodds CAD$2395.00. Limit: 6/Openings: 6

Gannets Galore/June 11-13, 2009.  Leader: Chris Dodds CAD$2395.00. Limit: 6/Openings: 6

Gannets Galore/June 15-17, 2009.  Leader: Chris Dodds CAD$2395.00. Limit: 6/Openings: 2

Gannets Galore/June 19-21, 2009.  Leader: Chris Dodds. CAD$2395.00. Limit: 6/Openings: 6

Gannets Galore/August 17-19, 2009.  Leader: Chris Dodds CAD$2395.00. Limit: 6/Openings: 6

All rooms single occupancy.

For those wishing to book back to back trips, Chris has generously offered a $200 discount on the cost of the second trip.  Register with a spouse or a friend (double occupancy) and apply a $200 discount to each registration.   Do consider joining Chris (or Chris and me on the last June trip) for the photographic experience of a lifetime.  We fully expect all of the trips to fill in short order so if you are serious about joining us, please do not hesitate.  You can find the complete details (including travel info and unsolicited testimonials) here:  http://chrisdoddsphoto.com.

You must contact Chris to register.   To register try Chris at home at 1-450-827-1007 or on his cell: 1- 514-945-6195.  Be sure to leave a message if there is no answer and follow that up with an e-mail to Chris at chris@chrisdoddsphoto.com.  Registrations will be accepted on a first come/first served basis. 

The trips above offer an amazing value.  They include three four-hour Zodiac photo-cruises in the early morning hours (weather permitting), breakfast and snacks with more than enough left over to make a healthy lunch, seven more hours of great photography at the colony, four nights lodging (at $145+/night), three return ferry trips ($25 per trip), and the park entrance fees ($3.50 per day).  All in Canadian dollars.

Now here is the amazing news: traveling all that way?  Come a day early or stay an extra day—or both—and enjoy a day or two more on the island on your own.  That will give you four or five days of great photography for roughly the cost of three.  You will need to cover your extra hotel night or nights, your ferry rides, and your park fees for these days.  

Can you stand any more great news?  Chris is bi-lingual and over the course of his 149 walks up and down the hill, he has crafted a wonderful relationship with the park staff.  Oftentimes his groups are invited to photograph from areas not generally accessible to the visiting public.  There are other perks that come with traveling with Chris that we are unable to mention here.  Lastly Chris is an excellent photographer and a skilled teacher. 

The Bonaventure Island gannetry is now the largest in the world, recently surpassing Bass Rock in Scotland from which the species part of the Latin name (Morus bassanus) is derived. The genus name is obviously connected to my distant Scottish roots… There are generally more than 120,000 gannets at the colony.  Flight photography is guaranteed non-stop. The birds will be cleaner and very active building nests and copulating in early June, while the later-on-in-June trips will offer similar opportunities plus a chance to photograph hatchlings.   And the last June trip has me as co-leader; some may consider that a plus…  Thousands of cute, fluffy, white chicks will be there during the August trip. On all of the trips there will be gannet nests close enough to touch.  You will learn many new techniques including flash flight in sunny or cloudy conditions, creating flash blurs, flash-as-main light techniques, and creating intentional blurs.  And you will be doing flight photography until you can no longer raise your right arm.  The weather-permitting Zodiac trips feature diving gannets, gannets in the water at close range, and a variety of other subjects including Great Black-backed and Herring Gulls, Black-legged Kittiwake, Common Murre, Razorbill, and Grey Seal among others.  Aside from the gannets, nothing is ever guaranteed on these trips and the numbers of murres and Razorbills this year was far below normal.  None-the-less, the gannet opportunities alone will make the Zodiac trips more than memorable, and you can never tell what might float by next year.    

On my first trip this past June, I was simply blown away by Bonaventure:  http://www.birdsasart.com/bn264.htm.  And as the images in this Bulletin reveal, I had a pretty swell time on my August trip. Did I mention that Chris is a genuinely nice guy and a selfless trip leader?   Merci Monsieur Dodds pour mes deux grands 2008 Bonaventure voyages.   

     Northern Gannet, 9 week old chick, Bonaventure Island, QC (Canada)  Image Copyright Christopher Dodds, All Rights Reserved
 

Canon 1DsMKII, 500F4IS, 1.4XII & 2XII, Wimberley V2 head (locked down) and Gitzo 3530 LS tripod
ISO 400 F16 @ 1/100s (full frame)

This image was captured while demonstrating how to achieve sharp images with stacked teleconverters. I was on Bonaventure when this baby hatched in June, so it was fun to see how healthy it was. On very hot days many of the babies look quite dead - it's worth sticking around until late afternoon when they all get up and stretch.

Artie’s comment: making images this sharp with stacked teleconverters requires super-human sharpness techniques, eh. 

Northern Gannet Diving Bonaventure Island, QC, Image Copyright Christopher Dodds, All Rights Reserved.

Canon 1DMKII, handheld 70-200 F2.8 and 1.4XII @ 250mm, Zodiac, mackerel.  ISO 320 F8 1/1600s (full frame).

This image was captured during a recent workshop that I co-lead with Monsieur Morris. It was one of those times when everything came together just right. And to think I thought I had the worst seat on the boat!

Artie’s comments:  the birds were diving so close to us for the tossed fish that framing and tracking them was virtually impossible, eh. I have no clue as to how Chris was able to create a photo  this good.  I do believe that this image has BBC potential…

ON THE ROAD AGAIN…

I fly to Anchorage, AK on the morning of 2 August and then to Kodiak on 4 August to spend six days on the bear boat with 9 clients photographing coastal brown bears catching salmon.  Then I take a red-eye flight to Dallas and continue on to Albuquerque and then down to Socorro where I meet the Volunteer Group.  Jim Heupel, who just got back from a Todd Gustafson Kenya Safari, had to cancel as his dear wife Jackie broke her ankle on the fourth day and had surgery in Nairobi.  Jackie, however, is a sweetie; they met up with the group and finished the safari.  Best wishes to Jackie for a speedy recovery.  I am sending love, strength, and energy her way.  In any case, Bill Lloyd has graciously agreed to replace Jim at Bosque. 

Jim and Jennifer will be in the office every week day to help with mail orders and IPT and Portland Seminar registrations.  I will be back in the office on 18 September so please hold your photo-related questions till then.

Northern Gannets, chaos at the colony, Bonaventure Island, Quebec

Image Copyright 2008:  Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

Canon 70-200mm f/4 L IS lens handheld at  78mm with the EOS-1D MIII. ISO 400.  Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/500 sec. at f/9.        

This was my last 2008 Bonaventure keeper.  For some reasons, hundreds of birds were swirling around and around.  The key to the success of the image is the relatively large bird in the upper right quadrant.  I focused manually on a close bird, recomposed, and then made a series of images.  Note that there were a few birds nesting on the cliff (lower left corner). Several merged birds were removed with either the Patch Tool of the Clone Stamp.  (Image optimization time: 6 minutes.)

BEST OF FLORIDA WORKSHOPS

Jim Neiger of “Flight School Photography” and James Shadle of “In the Field Workshops” are proud to present the “Best of Florida” workshop series – the best time of year, the best weather, the best species, the best colors, the best group size and the best instruction of it’s kind. For the first time, a single workshop experience will combine two of Florida’s most desirable locations. The workshops will include the best of central and west central Florida’s nature photography experiences. And to make sure your experience is second to none, the “Best of Florida” workshops will be led by instructors’ with unparalleled knowledge of the locations and the subjects found there.

The six or eight day workshops will feature the unsurpassed avian opportunities of both central and west central Florida in peak season. Three or four days of learning and photography in central Florida with Jim Neiger and three or four days of learning and photography in west central Florida with James Shadle. This unique arrangement allows you to be exposed to widest range of subjects and habitats imaginable. The subjects and habitats are not the only thing that has a wide range. You will also be exposed to very qualified, yet different instructional styles.

Come experience Florida at its very best! The main focus of these distinctive workshops will be solely on you. Class size is drastically reduced for maximum comfort and the individual attention provided will be without equal. Your needs will take center stage during this unique experience.

Best of Florida Workshop-1:  March 12, 2009 thru March 17, 2009: $1900
Best of Florida Workshop-2:  March 20, 2009 thru March 27, 2009: $2500
Best of Florida Workshop-3:  April 2, 2009 thru April 9, 2009: $2500

For more information go to: Best of Florida Workshops 

Artie’s comments: you have spent tons of money on equipment and you either live in Florida or are traveling to the Sunshine State to take advantage of our tame and beautiful birds.  Roseate Spoonbill in breeding plumage and Snail Kite are two of our hardest-to-photograph species and are on everyone’s favorite subjects list.  It is, therefore, foolish to come to Florida without making either a trip or two with both Jim N. and James, or better yet, signing up for one of their spectacular Best of Florida Workshops.  Both Jim N and James schedule custom individual and small group trips.  Please contact them for info.  Jim N will be in Australia until October 27 but will have some internet access.

 Roseate Spoonbill, Tampa Bay, Fl. aboard the "Hooptie Deux"

Image Copyright 2008:  James Shadle/Wild Florida Photography

Adult Reddish Egret feeding immature, Tampa Bay, Fl. aboard the "Hooptie Deux"

Image Copyright 2008:  James Shadle/Wild Florida Photography

Roseate Spoonbill, Tampa Bay, Fl. aboard the "Hooptie Deux"

Image Copyright 2008:  James Shadle/Wild Florida Photography

 Snail Kite, female, Lake Toho, Kissimmee, FL.  Image Copyright 2008:  Jim Neiger/Flight School Photography 

Least Bittern in flight, Lake Toho, Kissimmee, FL.   Image Copyright 2008:  Jim Neiger/Flight School Photography 

Snail Kite, male with snail, Lake Toho, Kissimmee, FL.  Image Copyright 2008:  Jim Neiger/Flight School Photography

SO WHADDA YA THINK?

So whadda ya think of the quality of my JPEGs in this Bulletin?   Pretty darned good, I imagine.  On IPTs and on BPN, I am constantly amazed to see good photographers ruining their great images with poor image optimization skills.   

The Art of Bird Photography II includes the entire BAA Digital Workflow as it existed in late 2006.  It contains the basics of Photoshop image optimization plus everything that I learned about bird photography between 1998 and 2006.  At 916 pages with more than 900 images, it is a wealth of information.  You can get a copy of ABP II for $40 plus $3 shipping in the US/$8 to overseas addresses.  For more info click here: http://www.birdsasart.com/ABPII.htm

Our Digital Basics PDF includes the same information that appears in ABP II but has since been updated five times.  Recent updates have included all new info on Keyboard Shortcuts, Improved Editing in Breezebrowser, the basics of Quick Masking, a Shadow/Highlight Update, using Photomerge in CS 3, and “Getting Rid of that Branch!” among many others.  The Digital Basics PDF is sent via e-mail and is available for just $20.  Paypal is best but a phone call with credit card in hand will work too:  863-692-0906.  (Labor Day weekend is fine <smile>)

For those interested in learning advanced Quick Mask techniques including clipped wing and wingtip repairs and eye improvement techniques, Robert O’Toole’s masterful APTATS 1 (Advanced Photoshop Tips and Techniques Simplified) replete with detailed screen captures and carefully written tutorials will have you using Quick Masks on every image that you process just like I do.  For APTATS 1 info click here: http://www.birdsasart.com/aptats.htm.

Note: at the request of a Bulletin subscriber I have added approximate image optimization times to my images.  These times do not include the minute or two that I spend on converting the RAW files.

Northern Gannet landing, 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 400.  Evaluative metering +1 stop off the water: 1/1000 sec. at f/7.1.  No flash.       

This image required lots of Quick Mask work as you can see by looking at the original below. In addition to eliminating the bird on the left side of the frame, I moved the smaller bird in the background to a more pleasing-to-the-eye location.  (Image optimization time: 12 minutes.) Do note that the original image showed a gannet landing with a strip of cliff along the bottom of the frame and a small bird in the background.  The optimized image shows a gannet landing with a strip of cliff along the bottom of the frame and a small bird in the background. Thus, as far as I am concerned, the natural history of the image remains unchanged. 

Our basic workflow includes detailed information on making the Shadow/Highlight, Levels, Hue-Saturation, Selective Color, and Curves Adjustments that are performed on most images.  The basic BAA workflow is contained in both ABP II and Digital Basics. 

IPT & BPN KUDOS

Via e-mail from Katie Rupp:

Artie, This is just a short note to thank you for looking at and commenting on my recent posts. I'm working hard to improve both my photography skills and birding knowledge since neither of these interests were a part of my pre-retirement life. The Southwest Florida Instructional Photo-Tour and BirdPhotograperhs.Net have been great learning experiences.  Thank you for both and for your positive comments and advice.  Warm regards,  Katie

Northern Gannet, large chick away from nest, Bonaventure Island, Quebec

Image Copyright 2008:  Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

Canon 70-200mm f/4 L IS lens handheld at 192mm with the EOS-1D MIII. ISO 400.  Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/1000 sec. at f/4.  On-camera flash as fill at -2 stops.        

Each morning when we arrived there were one or two chicks well away from their nests.  This was the first time that Chris had seen this and he was unsure of the possible reasons.  One was killed by other adults. (Image optimization time: 5 minutes.)

Photographers and Northern Gannet chick, Bonaventure Island, Quebec

Image Copyright 2008:  Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

Here are Mike Gotthelf and Chris Dodds photographing one of the wayward gannet chicks.  (It is the same bird in my image immediately above.)  Getting as low as possible moves the background farther from the subject and yields soft, out-of-focus backgrounds.  I got so low on this bird that I was able to get a sky background!  To see this image in “Cute but Doomed?” click here: http://birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=18329.  (Image optimization time: 2 minutes.) 

BPN UPDATES  

Inspirational, Educational, & Fun.  Honest critiques done gently:  www.BirdPhotographers.Net (It Ain’t Just Birds!)

With nearly 5,000 folks participating, many on a daily basis, BPN is thriving. There are so many great images of new species from all over the world posted each day in Avian Free and Wild that it is hard to keep up with them.  

Here is a stunning one from last night, Simon Bennett’s Speckled Warbler from Australia:  http://birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=18717 and another from two days ago, Vincent Grafhorst’s “Singing in the Morning”  (Botswana):  http://birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=18683

There are some great new posts in the Educational Resources Forum.  Do check out “Important Sharpening Information!” here http://birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=18534

and “Sharpness Problems When Hand-holding here: http://birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=18369.

There have been some stunning images from our side of the pond as well in Avian Free & Wild. 

Check out Daniel Cadieux’s wonderful “Showing Some Blue” here:  http://birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=18605.  Daniel will be a guest co-leader on the Southwest Florida President’s Day IPT this spring. 

Dan O’Leary’s lovely Juvi Wood Stork Flap” comes with some great color balance tips:  http://birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=18652.

And Linda Robbin’s “Sword-billed Hummingbird at Flower” is a real stunner: http://birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=18539.  We should have copies of Linda’s CD Guide to High Speed Hummingbird flash available in about two weeks or less.  It turned out to be a lot more involved project than either of us imagined.  The amount of work that Linda has put into the guide boggles my mind.  I join you in wishing Linda a complete and speedy recovery from her recent illness.

Lastly, many of my very favorite gannet images from the August trip are posted in Avian Free and Wild; because so many Bulletin subscribers are active on BPN I did not want to have too much duplication.  You should be able to find them easily by clicking here:  http://birdphotographers.net/forums/search.php?searchid=148145.

Northern Gannet above colony and evergreens, 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 100. Evaluative metering +1 2/3 stops off the sky: 1/30 sec. at f/18 in Manual Mode.    

I created this intentional blur from the top level of the tower. By working at 1/30 second, I had hoped to achieve a fairly sharp eye (which I did) and to produce a pleasingly blurred background.  Did that too!

PORTLAND, MAINE: “The Art of Nature Photography; It Ain’t Just Birds” Weekend How-To Seminar

“The Art of Nature Photography; It Ain’t Just Birds” Weekend How-To Seminar in Portland, Maine