I often say teasingly, "Every nest has one stick too many," and that is certainly true at Lake Martin. We had to work hard at finding the best angles to minimize distracting foreground and background elements. LAKE MARTIN II IPT REPORT
When the adult was out fishing, this spoonbill repeatedly attempted to steal sticks from the Great Egret nest. I manually chose the 3rd sensor from the right in the middle row of sensors and placed it on the spoonbill's face in order to come up with a pleasing composition and accurate focus. Below, courtesy of Breezebrowser's Show Focus Points feature, you can see the selected sensor. Note also the foggy look to the image. First, I converted the image with the Breezebrowser's "High Contrast" setting, then simply made the standard Levels and Curves Adjustments described in our Digital Basics File: http://www.birdsasart.com/digitalbasics.htm .....
Canon advises that all Mark II users creating their images in Raw + J-peg (high image quality) wait until the (red) access light stops blinking before pressing the display button. Not doing so may cause the loss of all of the images in the buffer. This problem will be corrected with the next Firmware update which is due any day now.
Note: I have neither experienced nor heard from anyone who has experienced this problem, most likely because very few folks utilize the Raw + J-peg large mode. (I never do.)
Furthermore, Canon advises that images created with both Mark II cameras, the EOS 10 & 20D cameras, the Digital Rebel XT, the EOS 350D Digital, and the EOS Kiss Digital N cameras and with Lexar 80X speed Compact Flash Cards can, in rare instances, lose large groups of images at any time. Lexar is expected to offer a free firmware update incorporating the correction of this problem by the end of May 2005 for Lexar Professional Series 80x CompactFlash card customers using the affected Canon cameras. I have heard from several distraught folks who have experienced these problems.
Note: The Delkin e-Film Pro Compact Flash cards that I use every day (and are carried by BAA Mail Order) are unaffected by the problems that are currently plaguing folks who use the latest/greatest Lexar 80X cards.
I whiffed the day before when this bird was sitting in perfect position with a Common Moorhen chick in its talons so I was glad to come away with this one as a consolation prize... I used the central sensor with AI Servo AF to make this action image.
AVIAN BEAUTY BOOK PROJECT
Scott Bourne and Olympic Mountain School Press invite all serious and professional bird photographers to submit images for consideration for publication in "Avian Beauty; North America's Best Bird Photography." As Project Advisor, I will be joining a prestigious group of folks helping Scott to put this project together. They include Greg Downing, Wayne Lynch, David Middleton, and Brian Small.
The primary goal of the book will be to increase public awareness of the great bird photography that exists today, especially on line. A portion of the profits will be donated to a variety of nationally recognized conservation groups. You have a chance to have a few of your best images published right alongside those of the continent's very best bird photographers.
OMSP is now accepting submissions. Please visit http://www.avianbeauty.com/ for complete project and submission details. BIRDS AS ART Mail Order will of course be offering signed copies of the book immediately upon publication (which is slated for November 2006). The anticipated retail price is $29.95 plus shipping.
The old 400mm f/5.6 is still a great flight photography lens and is also an ideal starter lens for neophyte bird photographers. Here, 45-Point AF with AI Servo AF worked perfectly...
NIKON 200-400 F/4 LENS
Several IPT folks have used this lens during the past few months and I must say that I have been impressed with the images that I have seen. Todd Gustafson used one on his Tanzania trip and just loved it. The lens is of course extremely versatile as all intermediate zoom lenses are on safari. It is too heavy for most folks to handhold, but produces sharp images with all of the Nikon teleconverters. Most impressive is the 6.2 feet close focus. That combined with the 1.5X multiplier effect with all Nikon digital bodies makes for a superb macro lens for medium sized subjects like flowers and dragonflies even without a TC or an extension tube.
As regular readers know, you can achieve maximum close focus by mounting the extension tubes on the lens with the TC behind it. By doing it this way you will lose autofocus but gain a foot or two of close focus (and thus benefit from greater magnification). I always make sure to listen for the focus confirmation beep when focusing manually. It was breezy when I made this one so I created many images. Most were soft due either to the subject having shifted position from the breeze or due to subject movement. The butterfly was in perfect condition and I was fortunate that when he was in the perfect position I produced the very sharpest image. If I had tried to approach this Buckeye with the 180 macro lens it would surely have flown off as it was quite skittish. And remember, it ain't just birds.
If you are ever in need of a good bag blind, Michigan nature photographer Robert Peltz offers two versions of his Kwik Camo blind. Both the original version and the lightweight summer model (I own both) do a great job of concealing you whenever and wherever you need to make yourself just about invisible. They are great for covering up while working at feeding stations or water drips, or when waiting things out on the edge of a small pond. You can find lots more info on these two blinds here: http://michigannature.com/gear.html.
This pair put on a show for us on several mornings. Again, 45-Point AF in AI Servo Mode was the ticket to success. And once again the old BIRDS AS ART advice, "-1/3 stop for white against middle" yielded a perfect exposure.
GITZO G-1320 TRIPOD (USED) FOR SALE
We are offering a used Gitzo G-1320 Tripod in like-new condition for $275.00 plus ground shipping. You can see this product and the price new here:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=170784&is=REG
One of the folks on the St. Augustine IPT who was enlightened as to the weight savings with the CF 1325 purchased the lighter tripod from us on the spot, and now wishes to sell her G-1320. Please call (863-692-0906) or e-mail (birdsasart@att.net) if you are strong, looking for a solid tripod, and are interested in saving some money... (The CF 1325 sells for $526.98 new: http://www.birdsasart.com/accs.html#GITZO%201325%20CF%20TRIPODS).
Fish Crow in flight, Lake Martin, LA
Panning with a slow shutter speeds causes the streaked background that implies motion. On every IPT I am constantly striving to teach folks to think out of the box, to be able to make soup from a stone when conditions are less than ideal. Seeing the original raw image (below) on the camera's LCD, most folks would simply hit the garbage can button, but I let the group know early on that with digital imaging, the information needed to create a pleasing photograph was there. By following the simple steps to optimize their images as described in our Digital Basics File, ( http://www.birdsasart.com/digitalbasics.htm), it was easy to create some wonderful images despite the heavy fog.
ATLANTA SEMINAR
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 accept credit cards by phone: 863-692-0906. In either case, we need 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 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. Venue: Renaissance Waverly Hotel
Please e-mail us to request the SAT/SUN schedules.
Whenever you see a nice pattern or a stand of colorful flowers and the light is low, think zoom blurs. Oh, and by the way, it ain't just birds...
August 2005 Fly/Drive Kenya Photo-Safari with co-leader Todd Gustafson. August 15-31, 2005--16 days on the ground: $8,200/person. Non-refundable $500 deposit required. See or request Bulletin 163 in the archives for complete details.
January 2006 Tanzania Photo-Safari with co-leader Todd Gustafson. January 16-30, 2006 (14 full and one half-day of photography): $7500/person. Non-refundable $1000 deposit required. See or request Bulletin 166 in the archives for complete details.
Homer, AK Bald Eagle IPTs w/co-leader Greg Downing: MAR 3-7, 2006 5-day: $1699 (limit 12). March 8-12, 2006. 5-day: $1699 (limit 12).
Sign up for both IPTs and apply a $200 discount: March 3-12, 2006: $3198. Beyond spectacular opportunities... We are currently accepting $500 deposits for the 2006 Homer IPTs, but these tours will be cancelled if the town, state, or Fish and Wildlife institute a ban on eagle feeding. Please e-mail for additional details.
Nome, Alaska IPT June 10-20, 2006 in conjunction with Greg Downing: (Both groups are sold out.) Please contact me if you are interested in having your name added to the waiting list. Long lenses are a necessity.
Antarctica/South Georgia/Falkland Islands Zegrahms Cruise with Arthur Morris and Greg Downing: January 4-24, 2007. Please e-mail birdsasart@verizon.net for details. Note: We have already filled well more than half of our allotted 30 slots for this trip...
For general IPT info, deposit and registration details, and cancellation policies, please visit: http://www.birdsasart.com/tours.html
If you would like your name placed on the waiting list for one or more trips, please e-mail, indicate the trip or trips that you are interested in, and be sure to include day, evening, and cell phone numbers. We often have late cancellations.
Whenever an adult returned from a fishing trip, mayhem ruled the roost. 45-Point AF/AI Servo AF made focusing a snap.
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: http://birdsasart.us1.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=94ad23bd96f48a1de2ca612b3&id=bdb4a511a0? Unsubscribe from our newsletter Back issues of all BAA Bulletins and relevant BAA Notes are archived on the web site at: http://www.birdsasart.com/bn.html