BIRDS AS ART BULLETIN #459

• Flash As Main Light
• Gatorland Short Notice Saturday Full-Day In-the-Field Workshop: May 3, 2014
• Used Canon Gear for Sale
• The Holland 2014 Tulips & A Touch of Holland IPT Trip Report
• UK Puffins and Gannets IPT July 2-9, 2014
• The Blog is the Bomb!
• St. Augustine Alligator Farm Short-Notice IPT
• Short Notice Fort DeSoto IPT/In-the-Field Workshops: May 9, 10, & 11, 2014
• Selling Your Used Photo Gear Through BIRDS AS ART

This screaming at its momma Great Egret chick image was created at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm at 7:38am on May 15, 2007 with prior versions of the now current Gitzo 3532 LS carbon fiber tripod, the Mongoose M3.6 head, the older Canon 500mm f/4L IS lens now replaced by the Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM lens, the Canon Extender EF 2X III, and the Canon EOS-1D S Mark II now replaced by the Canon EOS-1D X. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop as framed: 1/250 sec. at f/25 in Manual mode. Color temperature: AWB. Manual flash as main light at 1:2 Better Beamer with an older Canon Speelight now replaced by the Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT with the Canon CP-E4 Compact Battery Pack for faster re-charging times. Mongoose Integrated Flash Arm with the Canon OC-E3 Off Camera Shoe Cord 3. Probably central sensor/One Shot shutter button AF and re-compose. Before I switched to rear focus full time.

Flash As Main Light

The image above was made on a cloudy morning with white sky conditions. You do not need to know much about exposure to realize that if the flash had not gone off (ISO 400/1/250 sec./f/25) the image would have been black. That’s why they call it Flash as Main Light.

The Image Story

I was teaching flash as main light techniques to a small group half way up the ramp that leads up the the Gomek shrine at the Alligator Farm. We were photographing a single Great Egret chick in an eye level nest when without warning, momma, returning from a fishing trip, landed in the tree above the nest. Well, junior began squawking and begging. Knowing that I was at f/25 I refocused manually and fired in an attempt to capture that wide open mouth. I did, and the image was sharp, but I cut off the tip of the bill and the top of the bird’s head. The nextframe still had the bill open and I had re-framed so as to include the still raised feathers. But the birds mouth was not nearly as wide open as in the image above.

As this was before I knew how to do Quick Masking and before File/Automate/Photomerge, I tried using the Clone Stamp Tool after expanding canvas. Well, miracle of miracles–I swear, I hit it perfectly on the first attempt…. Honest; matched the bill tip and all the head feathers perfectly.

I labeled it as a composite as that was all it really was and after much discussion, the folks at Ranger Rick eventually used the image full page. They did and still do pay very handsomely.

No Clue on Flash?

If you are clueless when it comes to flash you are advised to study the “Flash Simplified” section in The Art of Bird Photography II. ABP II: 916 pages on CD only with 900+ great images each with one of our legendary BAA educational captions. Just like the ones you see here on the blog. Topics covered include flash gear and set-up, Better Beamer basics, telephoto fill flash, flash as main light, and the use of Manual flash. The use of High Speed Synch for flash flight photography is detailed in various image captions.

I had several ABP IIs for sale on the bench at the Gator Breeding Marsh these last two weekends. Though virtually every single photographer there would have benefited greatly by getting a copy and studying this amazing resource, I sold not a one….

Image Questions

#1: If the sky was actually white at the moment of exposure why was it rendered a dark blue?

#2: If I had stayed in the same spot and changed the manual flash setting to 1:1 what would the result have been?

Join me at Gatorland next Saturday for a ton of learning. If you want to learn to use your flash and to make great photos in cluttered rookeries, you will not want to miss this one. Click on the composite image to enjoy a larger version. Click on the composite to enjoy the larger size.

Gatorland Short Notice Saturday Full-Day In-the-Field Workshop

Saturday May 3, 2014. 7:15am till 10:15am & 4:00pm till dusk. Lunch, image review, and Photoshop session included. Limit 6. A very small group is again likely: $399.

Late Registration Discount

One Signed Up: Join the Party!

Call me this weekend at 863-692-0906 or call Jim or Jennifer during the week for info on the late registration discount for the May 3 I-T-F Workshop.

The cost of your Gatorland Photographer’s Pass is not included.

Small and large chicks in the nest. Breeding plumage Cattle and Snowy Egrets. And tons more. You will learn to spot the good situations, to choose the best perspective, to see and understand the light, to get the right exposure every time after making a single test exposure, and to design pleasing images by mastering your camera’s AF system. A big part of the above is that you will learn how and why you must work in Manual mode 90% of the time at Gatorland.

At lunch we will review my images, take a look at five of your best images from the morning session (for those who opt to bring their laptops), and process a few of my images in Photoshop after converting them in DPP. That followed by Instructor Nap Time. Last Saturday all 3 folks had a great time and learned a ton. The long-range weather forecast for next Saturday is looking good with just a chance for afternoon thunderstorms.

Payment in full via credit card is due upon registering. Please call Jim or Jennifer at 863-692-0906 to register.

Used Canon Gear for Sale

BAA friend and co-leader Denise Ippolito if offering two pieces of Canon gear for sale as follows:

Used Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM Lens for Sale

Denise is offering a Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM lens in excellent condition for $1475. As the lens is in perfect working condition and has no dings or dents the sale is final. There are a few blemishes on the tripod collar. A piece of tape has been added to the lens hood so that it stays on firmly. The sale includes the lens, the lens hood, and insured shipping by UPS Ground to US addresses only. Personal checks only; your new lens will be shipped after your check clears.

I can vouch for the fact that Denise’s copy is sharp at all focal lengths and apertures.

You can reach Denise via e-mail or try her on her cell at 732-470-3601.

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens

Denise is also offering a Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM lens in excellent condition for $425. As the lens is in perfect working condition and has no dings or dents the sale is final. The sale includes the lens, the lens hood, and insured shipping by UPS Ground to US addresses only. Personal checks only; your new lens will be shipped after your check clears.

This has been Denise’s favorite lens for as long as she has been photographing flowers. She has finally succumbed to purchasing the newer IS version.

You can reach Denise via e-mail or try her on her cell at 732-470-3601.

Used Canon 400mm f/4L IS DO Lens for Sale

Friend and BAA webmaster Peter Kes is offering is offering a Canon 400mm f/4 IS DO lens in excellent condition for $4699. The sale includes the lens trunk, the leather lens hood, a Forest Green LensCoat, and insured shipping by UPS Ground to US addresses only. Personal checks only; your new lens will be shipped after your check clears. I owned and used a 400 DO for years; at 4.28 pounds it is a great lens for folks wishing to gain extra reach without having to carry around excessively heavy gear…. I used it often with both TCs and made sharp images. It currently retails new for $6,469 at B&H.

This sale will be made through BAA. Please call Jim at 863-221-2372 (weekdays) or shoot me an if you have any questions.

This Parrot Tulip image was created on a cloudy April 24 in the WIllem-Alexander Pavilion at Keukenhof Gardens with the Gitzo GT1542T Tripod, the Mongoose M3.6 head, the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM lens, and the Canon EOS 5D Mark III. ISO 800. Evaluative metering -1/3 stop as framed: 1/250 sec. at f/2.8 in Manual Mode. Color temperature: AWB. Three sensors up from the central sensor/AI Servo/Rear Focus AF on the tip of the anther as framed was active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Be sure to click on the image to see a larger version.

The Holland 2014 Tulips & A Touch of Holland IPT Trip Report

Denise Ippolito and I met our wonderful group on the afternoon of April 17th and made our first of many visits to the justly famed Keukenhof Gardens in Lisse, Holland, The Netherlands. We all enjoyed a hectic paced 7 1/2 days of flower and street photography. We spent several hours doing the windmills at Kinderdijk, a full day touring Amsterdam, and a great few hours in Delft where I was silly enough to climb the church tower. See “The View From the Top; Was It Worth It?” blog post here for the full story on what I did to my knee….

Aside from those touches of Holland it was flowers, flowers, and more flowers. Though the tulips in the Willem-Alexander Pavilion were past their peak the older fully opened tulips provided great opportunities to photograph the flower centers as you can see with the image above. If you like the image above, you will surely enjoy an even stronger one in the “Damaged Goods” blog post here. The flower fields were at the peak of bloom. We spent a good deal of time photographing tulip and hyacinth fields in various locations. See the images and learn how I used my 300 f/2.8L IS II to great advantage while photographing the spectacular tulip files in the Beyond Breathtaking blog post here. Whether we were working on creating traditional sharp images or a variety of pleasing blurs everyone was eager to hone their skills and to learn to make great images.

Two couples attended: multiple IPT veteran Mike Gotthelf and wife Barbara from MA and two of Denise’s clients, John and Barbara Sepples from CT. Both Carol Carson and Lynne Lynn Wiezycki were both very competent and creative flower photographers when they arrived. Both asked lots of questions and learned a ton. Jim Weertz whom I met only recently on a Gatorland In-the-field Saturday is from Bradenton, FL. Newcomer Terry Jackson who had seen Denise speak in Toronto, Canada was quite creative; during out image review session his circle blur blew everyone away. I am not sure if I have ever run into a group as skilled overall as this one. Both the group dynamics and the weather were pretty much perfect.

The Lightweight Gitzo GT1542T 4-section Traveler Tripod

I have owned this tripod for about a year now. For the most part, I use it mostly to hold the LensAlign Mark II when micro-adjusting my lenses. On a whim, I packed it in one of my two checked bags for the Holland trip along with my workhorse Gitzo 3532 tripod. I have been rehabbing my right shoulder for more than a decade…. Yesterday I decided to go super-light with the tiny tripod and the Mongoose. Lord was I pleased. I used the 300 II with the 2X III TC and using good sharpness techniques on my part I was able to make sharp images at shutter speeds below 1/100 sec. And my shoulder felt great after the 5 hour photo session.

Because the Gitzo GT1542T will be top heavy with pretty much any camera and lens mounted on it, it is imperative that you never ever leave your tripod unattended, even for an instant. If you do lots of flowers and/or work with an intermediate telephoto lens and you like lightweight stuff, the Gitzo GT1542T tripod might just be perfect for you. Click here to read my probably too honest evaluation. As for me, I am sold on it for flower photography.

I wound up using this tripod for every image that I made on the trip. The light weight was a godsend. At times I was wishing for a bit more height, especially in the Beatrix Pavilion where the blooming orchids were all on display tables; on my next flower trip I will be bringing the center post!

Canon Tripod Mount Ring D for IS 100mm f/2.8L Macro Lens

Because the 100 macro does not come with a tripod collar, those of you who own the lens are likely wondering “How does he get the 100 macro onto a Mongoose?” The answer is simple. I purchased the right tripod collar as a Canon accessory. In general it is not a good policy to mount the camera onto a ball head with the lens hanging from the front of it and stressing the lens mount. I prefer using the Mongoose for my flower photography for a variety of reasons so once I learned of the Canon Tripod Mount Ring D for IS 100mm f/2.8L Macro Lens I made it a point to get my hands on one asap and to bring it to Holland. And I did.

I tried the much cheaper ($49.95 as compared to $172.00) Vello Tripod Collar D (Black) for Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM Macro Lens but it pretty much turned out to be junk. It was very difficult to loosen and open it and very difficult to get it on the lens and tighten it. So I went with the Canon version. In general, you get what you pay for.

I hope that you can join us on this great trip. The vertical puffin image was created by David Tipling. The rest–almost all from the UK, are mine :). Click on the composite to enjoy the larger size.

UK Puffins and Gannets IPT July 2-9, 2014. 5 full days of puffins and two half-days of gannet boat photography: $4,999 USD. Limit 10 + the 2 leaders.

Desperately needed: 1 female roommate and 1 male roommate.

Fly to Edinburgh (say “ED-in-BUR-row”), Scotland on a red eye flight on July 1st arriving on the early morning of July 2 or certainly before 10am. UK folks who plan on driving please contact me via e-mail immediately.

There are direct flights to Edinburgh from both Philadelphia and Toronto. If you learn of any others please advise via e-mail so that I may share with all the interested folks. Fly home mid-morning on July 9. UK locals and our many European friends are of course welcome.

With the needed 5 deposits in hand, this trip is a go; you can buy your flights now :).

What’s included:

5 full DAYS on the best UK puffin boat; trips to 2 different islands–all dependent on decent weather, i.e, no major storms. Seabirds including scads of Atlantic Puffin both in flight and perched, Razorbill, Great Cormorant, Shag, and others likely. The trip is times to maximize the opportunities for photographing the puffins bringing fish back to the nests. All boat fares and landing fees are included. The boat leaves at 9:30am. We have two hours on the first island. We are then picked up and head to the 2nd island for a 2+ hour session. The weather is typically cloudy bright.

One late-afternoon (2 July) and one early morning (probably 8 July) trip on a gannet photography boat where the birds are fed and dive very close to the boat. Both are dependent on good weather but we do have some flexibility. Boat fares and the cost of the fish are covered. Each will consist of a one hour outbound ride, two hours of diving Northern Gannet photography (with 6 boxes of fish) and the one hour return trip.

The tentative, weather-dependent itinerary:

July 2: airport pick-up no later than 10am UK time. Lunch on your dime. Drive to hotel. Afternoon gannet boat trip/time TBD.
July 3, 4, 5, 6, & 7: Full Day Puffin Boat trips as noted above.
July 8: early morning Gannet Boat trip. Afternoon: Small group Image review and Photoshop sessions. Pack for the trip home.
July 9: early morning departure for Edinburgh Airport (EDI).

The itinerary is subject to change to ensure the best possible photographic opportunities.

A super-telephoto lens is not required on this trip. The 300mm f/2.8s are ideal. I will be bringing one along with my 200-400mm with Internal Extender, my 70-200 f/2.8L IS II, and a shorter zoom lenses. Plus three 1.4X and two 2X TCs, a Gitzo 3532 LS Carbon Fiber tripod, and my Mongoose M3.6. I may go tripod-less on the puffin trips at times…. Or not…. All photography on the gannet boat will be hand held. It is likely that the 70-200s will be ideal for the gannets.

7 nights lodging in an older but excellent hotel just a few minutes from the puffin boat dock with about a 70 minute ride to the gannet boat. Double occupancy will be the rule though we might be able to offer a single supplement at an exorbitant price. See the hotel info here.

All breakfasts and dinner (at the hotel) from dinner on July 2 through dinner on July 8. And breakfast on our get-away day unless we need to leave earlier than they serve to make our flights home…

Airport pick-up until 10am on July 2–this should not be a problem as there are lots of red-eye flights from the US to Edinburgh.

All ground transportation. Airport return on the early morning of July 9. We may be getting up very early on July 9th.

Two great leaders; Denise Ippolito and yours truly will provide personalized and small group in-the-field instruction. As usual, the closer you stay to us and the more questions that you ask the more you will learn. We will of course point out the best situations. You will learn to see these great situations for yourself, to get the right exposure every time after making a single test exposure, to work in Manual mode, and to design pleasing images by mastering your camera’s AF system. You will learn the basics of photographing birds in flight and how the relationship between light direction and wind direction impacts the photography of both birds in flight and perched puffins. And tons more.

We will be conducting informal, small group image review and Photoshop sessions after dinner. All are invited to bring their laptops. Image critiques of your five best images will be done after the trip upon request.

Early morning castle photography right near the hotel is an option for the early risers. In the event of inclement weather or stormy seas there is the possibility of bird photography along the coast. Early evening bird photography along the coast is also optional.

Not included: all lunches–for the most part we will need to pack lunches for the puffin trips, or you may opt to skip lunch. Your round trip airfare from home to Scotland. Booze, wine, and any other beverages other than coffee and tea at breakfast.

A non-refundable deposit of $2,000 USD is required to hold your spot so please check on flights and your schedule before committing. The balance will be due on 15 May so you may wish to pay the whole thing at once. Overseas folks may e-mail for wire transfer info. Our $15 wire transfer fee will be added to your balance.

Trip insurance is highly recommended as your deposit (less a $200 cancellation fee) will not be refunded unless the trip fills completely. I, and my family, use Travel Insurance Services.

After letting us know via e-mail that you will be coming, please send your deposit check made out to “Arthur Morris” to us as follows:

Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
PO Box 7245 (US mail) or 4041 Granada Drive (if by courier).
Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855

My friend David Tipling, with multiple BBC honored images and the author of dozens of photo illustrated books, helped with the planning and arrangements for this trip.

If you have any questions, please contact me via e-mail.

The Blog is the Bomb!

For the past six plus months I have been putting in 20 to 25 or more hours per week into the blog to ensure that it remains informative, timely, and beautiful. Most of the educational features that formerly appeared in BAA Bulletins now grace the BAA Blog. If you are not subscribed, you are missing a ton of great stuff daily. I am currently working on a streak of 149 days in a row with a new educational blog post. You can subscribe to the blog posts by clicking here. If you have a problem subscribing, please contact us via e-mail.

If you doubt me or have been missing out, click here and scroll down…. Here are some links to recent posts of interest:

In Responding to the Blur Haters I share my thoughts on the appreciation of pleasingly blurred images. BAA friend and regular blog reader Mary Stamper chimed in with an excellent comment that pretty much hit the nail on the head.

In Using Flash: First Impressions Can Be Deceiving…, we learn that when comparing similar images made with and without flash the only meaningful comparison is one that compares the optimized images.

You can check out 2 creative approaches to photographing windmills in the “Round and Round” blog post here; think multiple exposure!

You can appreciate 3 of my favorite Cattle Egret images from the St. Augustine Alligator Farm here.

All of the images created at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm and copyright Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART. Click on the composite to enjoy the larger size. From top left clockwise to center: Snowy Egret pair in breeding plumage, breeding plumage Cattle Egret with fill flash, large Great Egret chicks in the nest, killer breeding plumage Snowy Egret displaying, flash-as-main light Great Egret chick happy to see mom, Little Blue Heron chicks, Cattle Egret breeding plumage head portrait, flash flight Wood Stork with nesting material, Great Egret landing at the nest, large Snowy Egret chicks.

St. Augustine Alligator Farm Short-Notice IPT. 3-FULL DAYS. Early entry/Late stay. May 5-7, 2014. Meet and greet at 8pm on Sunday May 4: $1299. Two Great Leaders: Arthur Morris and Denise Ippolito

This trip is a go.

Breeding herons, egrets, and Wood Storks. Eggs and chicks in the nest. Some fledged young possible. Breeding behaviors including displaying and copulations. Flight and flash flight. Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Cattle Egret, Tricolored Heron, Wood Stork. Early May rocks at the Farm as the weather is usually gorgeous and there should be lots of both small and large chicks in the nest. And you avoid the possibly oppressive heat of June and July. If you want to learn how to use your flash while making lots of great images, this is the trip for you.

Includes in-the-field instruction, early entry, late stay, $5/person late-stay gratuity, informal, small group Photoshop and image review sessions. Three lunches.

Not included: your lodging, your St. Augustine Alligator Farm photographer’s pass ($79.95 for the year); we will be more than glad to pre-order your pass for you. Please let us know when you register.

What you will learn:

How to see the good situations.
How to best avoid the clutter of a rookery by choosing the very best perspective.
How to properly evaluate the histogram and come up with the right exposure every time after making a single test exposure
How to see and understand the light.
How to to design pleasing images by mastering your camera’s AF system.
Why you must work in Manual mode 95% of the time when photographing at a rookery and how to do it.
How to evaluate and process your images.
Via intensive instruction how to use fill flash flash as main light, and Manual flash.
Flash flight techniques including the necessary use of high speed sync.
And tons more.

Please call Jim or Jen at 863-692-0906 to hold your spot with your non-refundable $299 credit card deposit and then put your check in the mail along with your signed registration form; you can find the form here.

Suitable airports: Jacksonville (JAX), Daytona Beach (DAB), Orlando MCO).

We look forward to seeing you in the nation’s oldest city for three days of fun and learning.

Fort DeSoto in spring is rich with tame birds. With many in breeding plumage it is a photographer’s paradise. I hope that you can join me there in mid-May.

Short Notice Fort DeSoto IPT/In-the-Field Workshops: May 9, 10, & 11, 2014

IPT–3 FULL DAYs: $1099
In-the-Field Workshops: $399/day

Fort DeSoto in spring is so good that I needed to create two cards in order to give folks an idea of what is possible. Even then I have barely scratched the surface. If you are coming from out of town you will surely want to do all 3 days, the entire IPT. Local folks may wish to join me for one or more full days.

There will Lots of tame birds including breeding plumage Laughing Gull and Royal and Sandwich Terns courting and copulating. American Oystercatcher plus lots of sandpipers and plovers, some in breeding plumage. Red Knot in breeding plumage likely. Lots of wading birds including Great and Snowy Egrets, both color morphs of Reddish Egret, Great Blue, Tricolored and Little Blue Heron, and Yellow-crowned Night-Heron. Roseate Spoonbill and WOod Stork between possible and likely…. Lots of flight photography with the gulls and terns and with Brown Pelican.

You will learn how to approach free and wild birds without disturbing them, to understand and predict bird behavior, to identify many species of shorebirds, to spot the good situations, to choose the best perspective, to see and understand the light, to get the right exposure every time after making a single test exposure, and to design pleasing images by mastering your camera’s AF system. And you will learn learn how and why to work in Manual mode (even if you are scared of it).

At lunch we will review my images–folks learn a ton watching me edit–why keep this one and delete that one. If you opt to bring your laptop, we will take a look at five of your best images from the morning session. We will process a few of my images in Photoshop after converting them in DPP. That followed by Instructor Nap Time.

This is the IPT hotel: Comfort Inn St. Petersburg, FL. 2260 54th Ave N., St. Petersburg, FL 33714. tel: 1-727-362-0075. The best airport is Tampa (TPA).

Payment in full via credit card is due upon registering. Please call Jim or Jennifer at 863-692-0906 to register.

Fort DeSoto in spring is rich with tame birds. With many in breeding plumage it is a photographer’s paradise. I hope that you can join me there in mid-May.

Fort DeSoto Site Guide

Can’t make it in mid-May? Get yourself a copy of the Fort DeSoto Site Guide. Learn the best spots, where to be when in what season in what weather. Learn the best wind directions for the various locations. BAA Site Guides are the next best thing to being on an IPT. You can see all of them here.

Shorebirds/Beautiful Beachcombers

If the shorebirds in the ID quiz gave you pause, get yourself a copy of my Shorebirds/Beautiful Beachcombers. Includes ID tips, shorebird biology, migration, and tons more. All in my simple-to-read easy-to-read style.

Selling Your Used Photo Gear Through BIRDS AS ART

Selling your used (or like-new) photo gear through the BAA Blog or via a BAA Online Bulletin is a great idea. We charge only a 5% commission. One of the more popular used gear for sale sites charges a minimum of 20% plus assorted fees! Yikes. The minimum item price here is $500 (or less for a $25 fee). If you are interested please e-mail with the words Items for Sale Info Request cut and pasted into the Subject line :). Stuff that is priced fairly–I offer free pricing advise, usually sells in no time flat as did Dennis Cassidy’s 500 II recently on the blog. Larry Master’s 400 DO and his 800 f/5.6 sold within a week. From Larry via e-mail: Thanks for helping me sell the lenses so quickly!

Support the BAA Blog. Support the BAA Bulletins: Shop B&H here!

We want and need to keep providing you with the latest free information, photography and Photoshop lessons, and all manner of related information. Show your appreciation by making your purchases immediately after clicking on any of our B&H or Amazon Affiliate links in this blog post. Remember, B&H ain’t just photography!

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Typos

In all blog posts and Bulletins, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos, wrong words, misspellings, omissions, or grammatical errors. Just be right. 🙂