BIRDS AS ART BULLETIN 156

DECEMBER 22, 2004

visit: www.birdsasart.com

NEW SEMINAR ANNOUNCEMENTS

HOLIDAY GREETINGS

HOLIDAY GIFT!

Snow Geese on snow, Bosque Del Apache, NWR, San Antonio, New Mexico

Canon 600mm f/4 L IS lens with 2X II TC and EOS 1D Mark II on Gitzo CF 1325 tripod with Wimberley head. One Shot AF with Central Sensor by necessity; focused on the front bird's eye and recomposed. ISO 800. Evaluative Metering +2 stops: 1/200 sec. at f/16.

On my last morning (I flew home that afternoon), I received an early holiday gift in the form of three inches of soft, wet snow. It was the first snow that I had experienced in ten years of NOV/DEC visits. I was like a kid in a candy store. For this image, I chose f/16 in an effort to render both birds sharp. (I always focus on the eye of the closest bird in a group. Always.)

Photo Theme: It Ain't Just Birds!

Baitfish, Skyway fishing Pier, St. Petersburg, FL

Canon 100-400mm IS L Zoom Lens handheld at 400mm with EOS 1D Mark II. Servo AF with AFPS (45 Point) AF. ISO 400. Evaluative metering -1 stop: 1/800 sec. at f/8.

For me, the single fish just left of center that appears to be totally out of the water makes this image special.

NEW SEMINAR ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Art of Bird Photography; It Ain't Just Birds!

Weekend Seminars

Sponsored by Canon USA

In conjunction with Photo Road Shows

Atlanta, Georgia, July 30-31, 2005

Dallas, Texas, September 24-25, 2005

Internationally renowned bird photographer Arthur Morris (hey, that's me!) is offering--in conjunction with Photo Road Show--two (two-day) weekend seminars, The Art of Nature Photography: It Aint Just Birds. More than 18,000 of my technically perfect, artistically designed images have appeared in virtually all natural history, photography, and birding publications, as well as in many general interest publications, prestigious calendars, advertisements, and on posters and web sites the world over. A Canon contract photographer since 1995, I did a worldwide television commercial for the EOS 1N and appeared in seven episodes of the Canon Photo Safari television program. I am a contributing photographer with VIREO, Windrush Photos, Visuals Unlimited, Windigo Images, and The Corbis Stock Market, and have written four books; the latest, The Art of Bird Photography is considered the classic how-to work on bird photography. In addition, I am a contributing editor for Nature Photographer and a columnist for Popular Photography.

But more important than the fact that I am well known and oft-published is the fact that I am one of the premier photo-educators around. I lead more than a dozen BIRDS AS ART/Instructional Photo-Tours each year, and all sell out well in advance. Part of the reason for the great popularity of the IPTs is the in-classroom instruction that is part of each tour. Having taught elementary school for 23 years, I am a skilled instructor with a straightforward, easy-going style. My points are made clearly and concisely, and each is illustrated with one or more spectacular BIRDS AS ART images. My sense of humor will often leave the audience laughing out loud, and the pace of the seminar days is fast and varied, so you can rest assured that you will not be sleeping through your investment.

This seminar is for all nature photographers who want to learn how to make better images. I will describe the methods and techniques that I have developed and used since 1983. My comments on equipment (including digital), autofocus, light, composition and image design, and sharpness and my tips on getting close to wild subjects and photographing action and behavior will benefit everyone with a telephoto lens who wishes to dramatically improve the quality of their images. Since going all-digital in November 2002, I have--in short order--become a digital photography and Photoshop expert. My approach to optimizing images is to create a master file of excellent quality in the shortest possible time. I will share our workflow and numerous Photoshop tips during the Sunday sessions.

Weekend package (2 days): $159. Either Saturday or Sunday: $109. To register send a check for the full amount made out to "Arthur Morris" to PO Box 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855. We are accepting Paypal payments for these events. (Click on any Paypal link at: www.birdsasart.com) Be sure to include your e-mail address, your mailing address, and your daytime and evening phone numbers. Here is the Cancellation Policy for these events. Photo Road Show is relying on your attendance, so if for ANY reason you need to withdraw, please notify Arthur Morris as soon as possible. Once we receive written notice of your cancellation, at which time the following fees apply: cancel 31+ days prior to the start of the workshop and your fee will be refunded less a $50.00 cancellation fee. Cancel less 30 days prior to the date of the workshop and there will be no refund.

Apple snail eggs, Lake Marian, FL

Canon EOS 1Ds digital camera with 180mm macro lens, 1.4X II TC, and 25mm extension tube.

ISO 250. Evaluative Metering +2/3 stop set manually: 1/40 sec. at f/13. Mirror lock (CF-12-1) w/2 second self-timer (set with "Drive" buttons)

MT 24 Macro Twin Light Flash as fill at -1 1/3 stops with 1:4 ratio.

The bubble gum pink colors and the luminescence of the eggs caught my eye. Jim Urbach turned me on to this egg mass on a log close to the bank. I sat in the mud for nearly 40 minutes and got stiff and sore. This, the very first image that I made, was my favorite... I just loved the color contrast with the rough browns of the log, the bright pinks of the eggs, and the patented <smile> BIRDS AS ART O-O-F green background. Using extension tubes and teleconverters with your macro lens greatly expands its range of magnification and versatility.

.....

Seminar Schedules:

SAT: Principles and Techniques for Successful Nature Photography

9:00 am: Welcome and Introduction

9:15 am: Putting Art in Your Nature Photography: Composition and Image Design

(Includes Autofocus Tips)

10:15 am: Break/Marketplace

10:30 am: Understanding and Using Natural Light

11:00 am: Tripods, Heads, Tripod Handling, Ground Pods, and Stalking Tips

11:30 am: Getting Close; 1,000 Ways to Skin the Cat

12:00 noon: Lunch/Break/Marketplace

1:30 pm: Choosing and using lenses

2:30 pm: Better Beamer and flash set-up Demonstration

2:45pm: Understanding flash as main light and flash as fill

3:00pm: Break/Marketplace

3:30 pm: Capturing action and behavior (with more Autofocus tips)

4:00 pm: Image sharpness, Depth-of Field, Shutter Speed and ISO Choices,

4:15pm: Door prizes/Break

5:00 pm: A Look at Some Recent Images

5:15 pm: Q&A/Closing

5:30 pm: The End

Snow Geese at farm fields, Bosque Del Apache NWR, NM

Canon 16-35mm lens at 16 mm with EOS 1D Mark II camera handheld.

ISO 250. Evaluative Metering -2/3 stop: 1/4000 sec. at f/6.3.

With big skies filled with clouds, think wide angle...

SUN: Digital Rocks! Digital Photography and Photoshop

9:00 am: Welcome and Introduction

9:15 am: Why Digital? (And Why Not?)

10:45 am: Break/Marketplace

11:15 am: Understanding, Evaluating, and Adjusting Histograms

11:45 am: Comments on Canon Digital Cameras

12:00 noon: Lunch/Break/Marketplace

1:30 pm: Creating Intentional Blurs, Zoom Blurs, and Flash Blurs.

2:00pm: Photoshop CS: the BIRDS AS ART Workflow (with selected images).

3:00 pm: Break/Marketplace

3:30 pm: Downloader Pro, Breezebrowser Pro (Image Handling, Editing, and Filing),

and Pictures to Exe (worlds greatest slide program software!)

4:00 pm: Working with Selections in Photoshop

4:30 pm: Door prizes/Break

5:00 pm: A Look at Some New Images

5:15 pm: Q&A /Closing

5:30 pm: The End

Scallop, Fort De Soto Park, Tierra Verde, FL

Canon 600mm f/4 L IS lens with 1.4XII TC,a 25mm extension tube, and the EOS 1D Mark II on Gitzo CF 1325 tripod with Wimberley head. One-Shot AF with Central Sensor. ISO 250. Evaluative Metering at zero: 1/125 sec. at f/18.

I found this live shell half buried, pulled it out of the sand, washed it off, and placed it on some wet sand. I used lots of depth of field as I was extremely close; depth of field increases as the distance from the camera to the subject increases... After I made several images I told the scallop a joke and it smiled! So did I...

HOLIDAY GREETINGS

Jennifer Morris (my older daughter, mother of my two grandchildren, and BIRDS AS ART Executive Director), Jim Litzenberg (my right-hand man), and I wish to extend our warmest season's greetings to each and every one of our 4,000+ BAA On-Line Bulletin subscribers. We hope that all of you and your families are safe and happy and that you feel as blessed as we do as the new year approaches. For 2005 we wish you the best of health, good luck, happiness, and great success. Last of all, as 2004 has been a record year for us here at BAA, we wish to thank the hundreds of you who have used our mail order services or joined us at one or more seminars, festivals, or on a BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour or Tours. The success of BIRDS AS ART has been astronomical and I have only hard work and you to thank for it! Thanks, and best and great picture-making!

Spider, Washington Oaks State Park, FL

Canon EOS 1D Mark II digital camera with 500mm f/4 L IS lens with 62mm of extension.

ISO 400. Evaluative Metering at 0: 1/400 sec. at f/4.

Fill flash at -3 stops with Better Beamer FX-2 (http://www.birdsasart.com/accs.html#BEAMER)

SPIDERS AS ART? One image. So many lessons. I had photographed these spiders the previous day at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm with the flash set at - 1 1/3 stops. All of the images suffered from too much flash... Given a second chance the next day (and more easily able to parallel the subject to the plane of the sensor), I set the flash to -3. The first image (seen here above) also looked over-flashed, so I took off the Better Beamer and slid the built-in diffuser in front of the 540's flash head. As it turned out, the next 30 images needed more flash (as in -3 full stops)... Aside from the flash lesson, I learned that it is not a good idea to try to judge the brightness of an image by looking at the LCD image on the back of the camera....

HOLIDAY GIFT!

I recently discovered that creating easy to navigate web pages with Breezebrowser Pro is a snap. We shall share these amazing details with you in a Bulletin tomorrow. After ten years of visiting Bosque at Thanksgiving time, I was again amazed at the incredible variety of light, subjects, weather, and photo opportunities available at this amazing National Wildlife Refuge, and now, thanks once again to the magic of Breezebrowser, I am able to share a collection of my favorite 2004 Bosque images:

http://www.birdsasart.com/htmlbosquebest/index.htm

Leopard at dusk, Samburu N Pk, Kenya

Canon EOS 1D Mark II digital camera with 500mm f/4 L IS lens and 2XII TC.

ISO 1250. Evaluative Metering +1/3 stop: 1/160 sec. at f/5.6.

Fill flash with Better Beamer at -3 stops...

We got the call on this animal just after dark and raced to the scene, only to find out that we were about the 14th van there on a narrow, rocky track... Worst of all, the leopard was laying on a big rock facing away from us. Suddenly it stood up (as seen here), turned around, walked towards us on the rocky shelf, and then posed while looking right at us. Careful Photoshop technique, especially with Hue/Saturation and my new darling Selective Color, did wonders for the original flat image.

Best and love and great picture-making to all,
Artie

Note: Arthur Morris has been a Canon contract photographer since 1994 and continues in that role today. Hunt's Photo of Boston, MA is a BIRDS AS ART sponsor, as is Delkin Devices. Do feel free to forward this Bulletin to one or more photographer-friends. Those wishing to subscribe click here: mailto:http://birdsasart.us1.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=94ad23bd96f48a1de2ca612b3&id=bdb4a511a0?subject=subscribe To unsubscribe, click here: mailto:birdsasart@verizon.net?subject=unsubscribe. Back issues of all BAA Bulletins and relevant BAA Notes are archived on the web site at: http://www.birdsasart.com/bn.html