BIRDS AS ART BULLETIN #271
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BEAR BOAT #2 TRIP REPORT
BEAR BOAT KUDOS
BEAR BOAT 2009 TRIPS ANNOUNCED
SCOTT BOURNE AND TWIP
THE ART OF BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY UPDATE, PRE-ORDER INFO, & THE ABP/ABP II DISCOUNT
PORTLAND
POSSE NEWS/ROBERT AMORUSO
ART WOLFE AT CNPA
IPT UPDATES
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Photographic theme: my favorite images from my recent Katmai Bear Boat trip.
Important Request: if responding to this e-mail, please take the time to delete all images and all irrelevant text.
Coastal Brown Bear with pink (humpback) salmon, Katmai National Park, AK
Image Copyright 2008: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Canon 500mm f/4L IS lens with the EOS-Mark III. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1 2/3 stops off the river: 1/320 sec. at f/4 set manually.
As this was my fifth trip to photograph coastal Brown Bear, the challenge for me was to create some new and different images. When this bear caught a fish, walked directly towards me, and stopped 23 feet four inches away to consume its prey, I had my chance to create a unique image. At 650mm effective focal length I was so close that at first I was confused as to what to do. I was working in horizontal format so when I noticed the eye of the pink salmon peeking through the bear's claws. I selected the lower-most sensor and made a few images before switching to VERT format. To learn about how and why I metered as I did, and to read my comments on in-camera meters and digital exposure, check out the BPN thread here: http://birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?p=142371#post142371
Coastal Brown Bear with pink (humpback) salmon, Katmai National Park, AK
Image Copyright 2008: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Once the situation changed I went to vertical. This is the next frame in the series. As I said, unique. Equipment and exposure as above.
BEAR BOAT #2 TRIP REPORT
On September 2 I flew from Orlando to Anchorage AK. On the evening of September 3, I met the group and we made our way to the Glacier Brew house for dinner and an introductory slide program. On the early morning of the 4th, we flew to Kodiak, AK on a big jet, and then continued on to meet the two bear boats at Kinak Bay by float plane. The group turned out to be one of the best and most interesting ever; we spent much of our time howling with laughter. “This Week in Photography” host Scott Bourne (twipphoto.com) led the way with his great knowledge of everything photographic, his incredible sense of humor, and his old-time radio voice. (See more on Scott Bourne and TWIP below.) Dr. Marc R. Katz of Richmond, VA amazed all as he described and showed us images of the minimally invasive robotic heart surgeries that he performs. These surgeries do not require the opening of the chest with an 8-12 inch incision. Those who opt for this type of surgery for a variety of heart conditions enjoy huge benefits as compared to those who undergo traditional open heart surgery. If your or a loved one would like more information or need to contact Marc (who is as nice a guy as you are likely to find), click here: http://www.roboticheartsurgery.info/cardiac_robotic_surgery.html
IPT veterans Monte Brown, Danny Deen, Bart and Heather Pembroke, and retired NW Airlines pilot Ralph Bendjebar joined the group for their first bear boat trip—Ralph had been with me to Silver Salmon Creek a few years back. First timer Carl Zanoni of Connecticut who will be attending the Portland, Maine Seminar in three weeks turned out to be as kind-hearted and soft-spoken gentleman as you could ever hope to run into. Captain Marian Schneider of Grande Tours (click here for great White Pelican and wading bird sunset cruises late fall thru spring: http://www.grandetours.com/index.htm) and Kay Kaylor of Vero Beach, FL rounded out a great cast. Captain Marian and Kay, both died in the wool Southerners, believed that “might could” was proper English usage as in “I might could create a nice image” or “I might could enjoy some more halibut.” I begged to differ. With our guide using two boats as our home base we had much more room than in the past. With the boats tied together most of the time it was easy to get from boat to boat to socialize.
Because there was a huge berry crop this year there were fewer bears fishing than in a typical year and they were all fat and in fine feather—oops, I mean fur. Fewer bears actually made photography easier. With 19 or 38 bears fishing a creek, you never know which one would grab a fish; last year I found myself wandering around too much and missing most of the action. This year with just one or two bears fishing in front of us it was much easier to be on the right bear, the one catching a fish. We got right to work on the afternoon of the 4th and had a great full day on the 5th. The cloudy-bright conditions were perfect for bear photography so I urged the group to stay out all day. We called the boat for “take-out” and the new chef Alexei and first mate Rick were there with a picnic lunch in less than an hour. Then we hiked up the creek and had some more great action. As usual, I wandered off and missed some great images of a very lovely very brown Brown Bear (the coastal race of grizzly) standing up and facing the group. You gotta love it!
After the rainy day we had some drizzle and lots of cloudy bright weather for the remainder of the trip. We caught five eating sized halibut of about 20 pounds; I was high hook with three (<smile>) all on a diamond jig tipped with sand shark belly skin. We saved the fish guts and chummed up big flocks of Glacuous-winged Gulls, Black-legged Kittiwakes, and dark morph Northern Fulmars. We photographed cormorants and endangered Stellar’s Sea Lions on rocky islets, saw some puffins, and on a still evening, were surrounded by so many Killer Whales that their fins made it seem as if we were in the middle of a regatta. And bears catching salmon and more bears catching salmon.
On the morning of the 10th we were picked up by the float planes, made out way back first to Kodiak and then to Anchorage via commercial jet to either to rest for a day or to catch a red-eye back to the states. I flew to DFW and continued on to Albuquerque to meet the Bosque Volunteer Group. It was an amazing, wonderful, exhausting, back-breaking, and productive trip; I shall share the story, the details, and the photos with you in the next Bulletin.
Coastal Brown Bear sitting & looking forlorn, Katmai National Park, AK
Image Copyright 2008: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Canon 500mm f/4L IS lens with the EOS-Mark III. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/250 sec. at f/4 set manually.
I promised myself to get down on the ground at every opportunity no matter how wet, muddy, or rocky it was. So I did and was well rewarded. We were so limited on weight on the float planes that I left my ground pod home so I simply shortened the legs of the 3530LS tripod and splayed them completely. (With the Mongoose M3.5.) I love the look of the out-of-focus marsh in the foreground; using the wide open aperture helped keep them soft.
Coastal Brown Bear dripping wet after missing salmon, Katmai National Park, AK
Image Copyright 2008: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Canon 500mm f/4L IS lens with the 2X II TC and the EOS-Mark III. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/400 sec. at f/9 set manually.
The 1D-MIII yields an effective focal length of 1300mm with the 500 IS and the 2X TC. 26X magnification is quite enough for these accepting animals. You can learn the advanced sharpness techniques that I use every day in ABP II.
Coastal Brown Bear shaking off water, Katmai National Park, AK
Image Copyright 2008: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Canon 500mm f/4L IS lens with the 1.4X II TC and the EOS-Mark III. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/400 sec. at f/5.6 set manually.
I was at close range and in perfect position when this bear sat up in the river and shook off the rain. In the original image the bear's eye was rolled back in its head revealing the whites of its eye. I grabbed a more attractive eye from the following frame and dropped it in with a Quick Mask. You can learn advanced Quick Masking techniques from Robert O'Toole's APTATS CD.
BEAR BOAT KUDOS
Via e-mail from Dr. Marc Katz:
Artie, One more thanks for the trip. I had a great time. Awesome scenery, magnificent wildlife and wonderful people. My photography improved immensely, but considering the low starting point, it still has a very long way to go. At least now I sort of have a clue. Just as during my medical training, it is wonderful to be tutored by a master. Hope to see you again soon. Marc
Via e-mail from Monte Brown:
Artie, Thanks again for the fantastic trip, the combination of bears, birds, scenics and fishing is unbeatable. Chuck and his crew are fabulous; they made all of us feel totally at ease and welcome from the time we first boarded until we departed. I began taking your advice about practicing and equipment familiarity to heart. During past IPTs I did not take adequate advantage of your knowledge; that was my loss. If space is available, would like to sign up for the President's Day IPT. Also would like to know the name of the supplements you take for sleeping, they were great for the flight back. Hope the clean up at Bosque went smoothly. You Are the Best, Monte
Coastal Brown Bear sleeping, Katmai National Park, AK
Image Copyright 2008: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Canon 500mm f/4L IS lens with the 1.4X II TC and the EOS-Mark III. ISO 500. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop set manually: 1/60 sec. at f/5.6.
On the ground again, I went to One-shot AF, focused on the bear’s top claw (as seen above), and recomposed.
Arthur Morris (that’s me!) photographing the sleeping Brown Bear (see image above) at ground level, Katmai National Park, AK
Image Copyright 2008: Dr. Marc R. Katz.
Nikon 70-200mm VR lens (handheld at 70mm) with the Nikon D300. ISO 360. Multi-segmented metering: 1/125 sec. at f/4.
I like the compositional balance in Marc’s image with me on the lower left and the bear well to the right. Thanks Marc! (Note the splayed tripod and my tracks in the sand.)
BEAR BOAT 2009 TRIPS ANNOUNCED
Bear Boat #1: June 4-10 (It is advised that you be in Anchorage on the afternoon of June 2nd to be assured of not missing the boat!). This trip will feature an afternoon (and possibly more) of otter photography (weather permitting), Bald Eagles and likely chicks in the nest, and lots and lots of coastal Brown Bears clamming and eating luscious green grass.
Bear Boat #2: Sept 4-10 (It is advised that you be in Anchorage on the afternoon of the September 2nd to be assured of not missing the boat!). This one is the bears catching salmon trip. In addition, Glaucous-winged and Mew Gulls eating roe are a certainty, and dark phase Northern Fulmars and Black-legged Kittiwakes (including the gorgeous immatures), Harbor Seals, and Stellar’s Sea Lions are likely. Did I mention bears catching salmon? And more bears catching salmon?
The rates for the 2009 trips have increased due to increased fuel costs.
Bear Boat #1 (cheaper by $250 as we use the float plane only once): $6749.
Bear Boat #2: $6999.
The registration fee includes round-trip airfare from Anchorage to Kodiak via commercial jet, either one or two float plane flights as applicable, one hotel night (double occupancy—single supplement available) in Anchorage, all meals on the boat, guide services, in-the-field guidance and instruction (unlimited), over-my (or your) shoulder image sharing and Photoshop sessions on the boat, and lots and lots of bears <smile>. Guaranteed bears every day.
A $2,000 deposit is required to hold your spot. It will be non-refundable unless your spot is filled. The 2nd payment of $3,000 will be due six months before the start date of the trip, and the balance will be due 3 weeks before the trip.
The trips will be limited to 6 participants if the operator will be using one boat as he did this year, 10 participants if he will be using two boats. If two boats will be used a single cabin supplement will be available. Do note that the cabins are not spacious. Assuming that the older boat will remain in service, the first couple to register for each trip gets the honeymoon suite. Do consider joining us on this thrilling, inspiring, and educationally productive trip. Jim Heupel, who was with me on the 2007 Bear Boat #2 trip, is committed to the 2009 Bear Boat #1 trip. In addition, three more of the slots are already spoken four.
Coastal Brown Bear with fresh-caught pink (humpback) salmon, Katmai National Park, AK
Image Copyright 2008: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Canon 500mm f/4L IS lens with the 2XII TC and the EOS-Mark III. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 stop off the river: 1/500 sec. at f/8 set manually.
I love the water droplets and the position of the fish in this image but I find the line of the river bank is a bit distracting. As there was a good deal of sun when I created this image (sun is bad for bear photography as it increases contrast) I did lots of work on the background including toning it down substantially (See the converted original below.)
It took me about 45 minutes of Patch Tooling, Quick Masking, and Clone Stamping work to eliminate the zillion specular highlights on the bear’s maw. For the background, I created a Quick Mask and then did a Gaussian blur and darkened it a bit. I used a reverse S Curves adjustment on the whole image to reduce contrast, that after making a Shadow Highlight adjustment to bring up the details in the darkest fur. Lastly, I darkened the pupil and lightened the iris just a bit using Quick Masks.
You can learn all of the techniques mentioned above in our Digital Basics File PDF (sent via e-mail) here: http://www.birdsasart.com/digitalbasics.htm
SCOTT BOURNE AND TWIP
Scott Bourne is back and he is
in the process of building a photographic empire, "This Week in Photography."
TWIP is multi-faceted; the three main components are the blog, a Flickr group,
and the radio-style podcast.
Scott has overcome some serious health problems to start shooting again. I can
assure you that he looked pretty good tooling around after the bears in Katmai.
Scott is a bear of a man with a great spirit, an incredible sense of humor, and
a lightening fast wit. When he would break into his radio broadcasts on the
boat or in the field (he does not use that voice on the TWIP radio shows) I was
amazed at how fast he could rattle off his impromptu lines without even a
hesitation and keep it running for minutes on end.
You can access the free blog here:
http://twipphoto.com/
You can access the free podcast (Episode 47/For the Birds) with the interview of
me that Scott recorded in the wheelhouse of the Coastal Explorer II by clicking
here:
http://twipphoto.com/page/2 and then clicking on the Pixelcorps TV
link.
You can subscribe to the podcast free at iTunes (Mac or PC) and get RSS
downloads at
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=272987532.
The TWIP Flickr groups are at:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/twip/ and
http://www.flickr.com/groups/633864@N25/
Scott created a really cool Bear Boat video that you can see here: http://www.vimeo.com/1748370
Scott will be co-leading the SW FLA IPT with Robert O’Toole and me.
Coastal Brown Bear swimming, Katmai National Park, AK
Image Copyright 2008: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Canon 500mm f/4L IS lens (handheld) with the EOS-Mark III. ISO 500. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/640 sec. at f/4.
On windy evenings the boats are moored separately for safety. Again on the lookout for something unique, I asked Rick to make a detour and approach this bear with caution as we made our way to the other boat in the Zodiac. Working from either the skiff or from the boat I found it easier to up the ISO and handhold rather than work off of a tripod as it was easier to get into position. Most AF systems will focus easily and accurately on the wake of a swimming bird or animal; doing so allows you to position the subject well forward in the frame. I utilized a pano crop to tighten the image up a bit.
THE ART OF BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY UPDATE, PRE-ORDER INFO, & THE ABP/ABP II DISCOUNT
When I got home on Wednesday evening, I started signing the early delivery option copies of The Art of Bird Photography. Jen and Jim worked very hard for a day and a half and all 80 copies are now on their way via US Mail book rate (to the US addresses.) Thanks to all of those who pre-ordered. I was thrilled with the quality and the look of the redesigned cover. Curious folks might look for the digital retouching done to the cover photo by comparing it with the chapter opener of the same image on page 148.
We will be receiving 5,000 more copies (250 cases) of the book on October 20, 2008. And the very good news it that we are now accepting pre-orders. The cost of the book is $40 plus $5 shipping to US addresses, $10 to Canada, and $18 to all overseas addresses. Paypal, check, or credit card by phone (863-692-0906) are all fine.
Now here is the very best news, order a copy of the reprinted “The Art of Bird Photography” and a copy of “The Art of Bird Photography II” together and a $10 discount will be applied. In addition, you will pay shipping only on ABP.
For those who do not know much about the original “The Art of Bird Photography,” it was first published in hard cover in 1998 and quickly became the classic how-to book on the subject. That printing was followed by two soft cover printings. With 30,000 copies sold in less than a decade it was a big surprise when Amphoto dropped the title. The very great strength of the book is the chapter on Exposure which offers complete coverage of exposure theory and its practical application. I have received countless e-mails and letters over the years reading something like this: “I have been photographing for more than a decade, have attended many seminars, and read every book out there but not until I read and studied the chapter on exposure in ABP did I really understand both the basics and the complexities. Now I can not only come up with the right exposure in almost every situation but I understand what I am doing and why. Thank you, thank you, thank you!” In addition, all of the basics are covered in detail in ABP: composition and image design, how to choose lenses, camera bodies, & film, how to see and utilize natural light, how to make sharp images, how to get close to free and wild birds, how to use flash as both main light and as fill, and how to edit and market your work. There is no digital content in the original “The Art of Bird Photography.” Important note: with the exception of two sections: “Exposure Simplified” and “Flash Simplified,” the content of “The Art of Bird Photography II (916 pages on CD only: http://www.birdsasart.com/ABPII.htm) is all-new.
PORTLAND,
“The
Art of Nature Photography; It Ain’t Just Birds” Weekend How-To Seminar
in
Eastland Park
Hotel,
Seventy-four folks have registered for the seminar so far and we are hoping to double that number in the month before the seminar. While a good percentage of folks are coming from the surrounding states and Canadian provinces, we have folks coming from Florida, Maryland, Ohio, Minnesota, and—believe it or not Mr. Ripley—a mother and daughter coming from Hawaii. Mavis Aiu, who is originally from the area, wants her daughter to experience fall color. Oh, and we do have one photographer from Portland, Maine who registered!
We have secured a ton of door prizes from most of the folks we do business with including Delkin, Wimberley, LensCoats, 4th Generation Design, and many more. It will be a truly great weekend filled with learning and fun. I would be thrilled to meet you there.
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
Coastal Brown Bear family at Kinak Creek, Katmai National Park, AK
Image Copyright 2008: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Canon 16-35mm zoom lens (handheld at 17mm and borrowed from Bart Pembroke) with the EOS-Mark III. ISO 400. Exposure determined by histogram check: 1/60 sec. at f/18.
This is a two frame pano created in Photoshop via File/Automate/Photomerge. The techniques that I use to create these images without a tripod will be covered in detail at the Portland Seminar. (Thanks to David Kennedy for teaching me the basics.)
Harbor Seal on kelp-covered rock, Katmai National Park, AK
Image Copyright 2008: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Canon 500mm f/4L IS lens (handheld) with the EOS-Mark III. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/2000 sec. at f/4.
Each morning that we headed into Kinak we stopped off for some Harbor Seal photography. Here, I confidently placed the central sensor (while in AI Servo AF) on the side of the seal knowing that it was on the same plane as the creature's eyes. And remember, as the two images above show, it ain't just birds! See you in Portland.
POSSE NEWS/ROBERT AMORUSO
There are several openings on Robert’s Wichita Mountains NWR workshop; a morning and an afternoon photography session on the grounds of the Oklahoma City National Memorial has been added.
Wildscape Images’ Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge Photographic Instructional Workshop
Oklahoma is home to a haven of prairie grassland, forested areas dominated by oak and red cedar, peaks approaching 2500’ (one with auto road to top), twenty large lakes, rock outcroppings, herds of bison and elk, white-tailed deer and wild turkey plus a prairie dog colony – this is the Wichita Mountains National Wildlife near Lawton, OK. Join award-winning bird and nature photographer Robert Amoruso on a three-day workshop that coincides with the area’s peak fall foliage. Extensive roads within the refuge allow us access to a bison herd over 500 strong with possibilities for elk. A prime draw is the prairie dog town where scores of them are easily accessible for great photographic opportunities. The workshop will be divided between landscape and wildlife photography.
Our landscape photography will concentrate on basic compositional techniques for arranging elements in the scene including DOF, using foreground elements to add interest, and enhancing depth in your images. We will also cover panoramic image making and high dynamic range imaging (HDRI). Basic exposure concepts will be covered including how to deal with a scene’s dynamic range when it exceeds that of the camera. Our wildlife photography will cover lighting angle to the animal, effective compositions, getting low and when it matters, and working around large species. A highlight of our workshop will be fall foliage at its peak and incorporating it into our image making.
There will also be two photographic sessions at the Oklahoma City National Memorial in Oklahoma City from 4 PM to sunset November 5th and on the morning of November 6th at beginning at 6AM. After sunset and prior to sunrise we will create images of the illuminated Gates of Time and Field of Empty Chairs. At sunrise and sunset we will craft HDR images of the Gates of Time. The Gates of Time were designed to reflect the rising and setting sun. We will create the HDR image exposures here and later at the refuge workshop I will demonstrate how to use Photomatix to assemble them. Panoramic images from the Survivor Tree platform and close-ups of the “tokens of love and hope” placed on The Fence will also be covered.
The workshop includes an introductory session the evening before, one and one-half hours of classroom instruction on each afternoon, and morning and afternoon photography sessions each day. Robert will be reviewing your images during the workshop to ensure you are getting the results you want.
WICHITA MOUNTAINS PIW with BAA-Approved Workshop leader Robert Amoruso: NOV 7-9, 2008 with OKC National Memorial add-on the afternoon of NOV 5, 2008 and morning of NOV 6, 2008. 4-DAY: $999. (Limit 10). All participants will receive a CD with presentations given during the workshop.
Contact Robert by cell phone at 407-808-7417 or by e-mail at wildscapeimages@comcast.net. Detailed informational brochure with image examples and expanded coverage available for download at www.wildscapeimages.com/extra/2008-PIW-WMNWR.pdf or email for information. Visit Robert’s web site at www.wildscapeimages.com.
Bison, Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge, OK
Image Copyright 2008: Robert J Amoruso/Wildscape Images
Canon EOS-1D Mark IIn, Canon 100-400mm @ 170mm
1/1000 sec, f/5.6, Manual, Evaluative, ISO 400
I waited here as the bison passed in front of the tree and rock in the BG using them to balance the composition. Large mammals frequently have dark eyes; selecting the eye, using a curves adjustment and sharpening it will enhance it. Image created with a 100-400mm lens at 170mm.
9:03 Gate, Oklahoma City National Memorial
Image Copyright 2008: Robert J Amoruso/Wildscape Images
Canon EOS-1D Mark III, Canon 24-105mm @ 32mm
Seven exposures ranging from 1/500 sec, f/22, AEB comp: -3 to 1/8 sec, f/22 to 1/8 sec, f/22, AEB comp: +3, Av, Evaluative, ISO 800
Two versions of an HDR image were created using Photomatix Pro. The left version is more realistic looking rendition and the right image is a “hyper-realistic” look that can be obtained. The 9:03 gate, shown here, faces east catching the morning light and the 9:01 gate faces west catching the afternoon light. Our refuge workshop will cover High Dynamic Range (HDR) image creation and processing.
Experience Central Florida Photographic Instructional Workshops with Robert Amoruso
Join award-winning nature and avian photographer Robert Amoruso for a stimulating and diverse Photographic Instructional Workshop visiting some of the best avian photography locations in Central Florida. Experience Central Florida Workshops are designed to visit a variety of locations within close commuting distance – the concept being to expose participants to something new and different each day, each morning and each afternoon. We’ll get your creative juices flowing and keep the itinerary fresh as we see and photograph a multitude of subjects.
Robert has been a Central Florida resident since 1999 and knows first-hand the best the area has to offer. He knows where to go and when, and how to photograph it. He offers three types of experiences, described below.
· Three-day Group Photographic Instructional Workshop (PIW)
o February 6-8, 2009. Introductory meeting the evening of February 5th.
o Groups up to and including 8 persons can be accommodated.
o A centralized hotel location allows approximately 1 hour or less commutes to all photography locations.
o $899 per person.
· Weekend Private Personalized Photographic Instructional Workshop (PPIW).
o These private workshops are available throughout the fall/winter of 2008 and winter/spring of 2009.
o Scheduled on a first-come first-served basis on Saturdays, Sundays or both days.
o We will work out the shooting locations and classroom time together.
o $375 per day per person. One-half days and small group rates available.
o Private workshops can include use of a boat at an additional cost.
· Weekend Avian Boat Tours (ABT).
o Tours conducted on Central Florida lakes and waterways.
o We will work out the shooting locations together.
o Scheduled on a first-come first-served basis on Saturdays, Sundays or both days.
o $450 per day per person. One-half day and small group rates available.
Regardless of your needs, the Experience Central Florida Workshops can meet them. Those needing personalized one-on-one instruction will want to choose the private workshops. If you prefer a group learning experience, the 3-day Photographic Instructional Workshop is the ticket. Want to get out on the water? The Avian Boat Tours can make it happen. All participants will receive a CD with presentations given during the workshop. Though avian subjects are our prime quarry on the workshops, any wildlife and scenic nature or landscape imagery will also be explored.
Contact Robert by cell phone at 407-808-7417 or by e-mail at wildscapeimages@comcast.net. Detailed informational brochure with image examples and expanded coverage available for download at www.wildscapeimages.com/extra/2009-ECF-PIW.pdf or email for information. Visit Robert’s web site at www.wildscapeimages.com.
White Pelican, Sebastian Inlet, FL. ©2008, Robert J. Amoruso
Canon 1D Mark III, 100-400mm @ 400mm
1/1600 sec, f/8, Manual, Evaluative, ISO 400
This White Pelican image was
create on the 2008 Workshop.
Canaveral National Seashore, ©2008, Robert J. Amoruso
Canon 1D Mark III, Canon
24-105mm @ 24mm
5 sec, f/22, Mode: Av, Metering: Evaluative, Comp: +3, ISO 50
Sunrise at Canaveral National Seashore is a possibility if we have early morning clouds. I compose with a large foreground shore at low tides as it captures the sunrise colors and the patterns from the water rushing in. I left this a bit darker than the actual sunrise to enhance the drama.
ART WOLFE AT CNPA
If I did not have my conflicting plane tickets home from the Portland Seminar, I would not miss this one. Art is a great speaker and his imagery needs no introduction from me. He works as hard at his craft as anyone ever and is immensely talented—a hard combination to beat.
Click here to register: http://www.cnpa.org/other_events.html
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: 1. Co-leader: Robert O’Toole.
Co-leaders: Robert O’Toole and Alfred & Fabiola Forns.
SW FLA
PRESIDENT'S DAY IPT:
COMING SOON: THE POST-NANPA 2 ½ DAY BOSQUE IPT. Please e-mail for advance details. And congratulations for reading this far down!
Captain Marian Schneider and Coastal Brown Bear, Katmai National Park, AK
Image Copyright 2008: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS lens handheld at 147mm with the EOS-Mark III. ISO 640. Evaluative metering +1 stop set manually: 1/800 sec. at f/5.6.
This is a composite of two images created less than three seconds apart. While using One-Shot AF I created the first image after focusing on Marian and then recomposing and the second image by focusing on the bear and then recomposing. I then used Robert O’Toole’s advanced Quick Masking techniques to place the sharp bear in the river. You can learn more about APTATS here: http://www.birdsasart.com/aptats.htm
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
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