BIRDS AS ART BULLETIN 244

BIRDS AS ART BULLETIN 244

OCTOBER 11, 2007

Visit www.birdsasart.com

THANKSGIVING LUNCH

SPEAKING OF BOSQUE/GREAT NEWS…

JAMES SHADLE’S DESOTO WEEKEND WORKSHOPS/OCT 20-21, 2007

THE NIKON ANSWER MAN/JAMES SHADLE’S CAMERA SETTINGS

DIGITAL BASICS KUDOS

BEAR BOAT OPENINGS

IPT UPDATES

HUNT’S SPECIALS

Contact us by phone at 863-692-0906 (Eastern Time Zone) or by e-mail at birdsasart@att.net or birdsasart@verizon.net. The att e-mail address is best from overseas.

We gladly accept credit card orders by phone 8am till 9pm 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: two of my favorite images from Bosque 2006 and a slew of James Shadle’s great Fort DeSoto images.

Snow Geese in earth shadowed skies, Bosque Del Apache, NWR, New Mexico

Canon 100-400mm IS L zoom lens (handheld at 250mm) with EOS-1Ds Mark II. ISO 50.

Evaluative Metering +1 stop: 1/8 sec. at f/5.

I am getting excited about visiting Bosque for the 13^th straight year. To create this image, I chose ISO 50 to ensure that I would have the slow shutter speed that I wanted and a wide aperture as well. This may very well be my favorite 2006 Bosque image. After photographing for more than 23 years I learned this year that the blue sky near the horizon on clear evenings is actually the shadow of the earth itself…

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

THANKSGIVING LUNCH

On Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 22, 2007, I will once again be hosting a lunch for visiting photographers and birders. We can accommodate 50 folks; twenty-one slots have already been spoken for; this event, being announced here for the first time, should be a complete sell-out so do not hesitate to register.

For the third consecutive year, the lunch will be held at the Luna Mansion, an historic building in Las Lunas, New Mexico that is about an hour up the pike from Socorro on I-25. And oh, the food is superb. You can learn more about Luna Mansion here: http://thelunamansion.com/.

The cost of the complete lunch will be $35. This will include several courses including your main course, a dessert, a non-alcoholic beverage, and the tip. If you have wine or a cocktail with your meal you will need to pick up the tab for that.

All reservations must be paid for in advance by check only—no Paypal or credit cards. If you would like to join us please let us know by e-mail that you will be sending a check (made out to “Arthur Morris”) ASAP to us here: PO Box 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855.

If you will be joining us, please plan on being at the Luna Mansion no later than 11am sharp. I do hope that you can make it.

Sandhill Crane in flight/grey fog cloud, Bosque Del Apache, NWR, New Mexico

Canon 600mm f/4L IS lens with 2X II TC and EOS-1Ds Mark II. ISO 400.

Evaluative Metering +1/3^rd stop off of grey fog cloud: 1/1250 sec. at f/8.

With the crane pools being flooded again this year (see below), images like this will be much easier to create than they were in 2006. On IPTs we make a great effort to help folks learn to use Manual Mode for most flight photography so that the exposure for the bird will be correct as long as the lighting conditions do not change. If you are working in Av Mode (as I usually do), you would need to set different exposure compensations as the background changed from deep blue sky to bright white cloud to light blue sky to mountain to cornfield. It would pretty much be impossible to do that.

SPEAKING OF BOSQUE/GREAT NEWS…

I spoke to Daniel at the refuge this week and was glad to learn that the two crane pools (Harry’s Crane pool to the north and Ed Kranepool to the south) west of Highway 1 will be flooded once again this year. Both of these pools had been kept dry during the fall/winter of 2006 season in hopes of preserving the alkaline plant communities there.

Those who will be visiting Bosque this year but cannot make one of our three sold out Bosque IPTs should strongly consider purchasing our Bosque Site Guide. You purchase will include a short update that will be sent to all who own the Guide several days after the conclusion of the first IPT. A second update is always sent in early December when I get back. With a BAA Photographic Site Guide in hand you will feel like a ten year veteran on your very first visit. You will know where to be when on what winds and what weather. BAA Site Guides were designed to be the next best thing to being on an IPT; as is usual, I hold nothing back…

You can learn more about our Site Guides here: http://www.birdsasart.com/siteguides.htm.

Raccoon in Australian Pine, Fort DeSoto Park, south of St. Petersburg, FL

Nikon 600mm f/4 ED AFS lens and the Nikon D100. ISO 200. Matrix metering at -1/3 stop: 1/90 sec. at f/5.6.

Raccoons are common at DeSoto and I found this fellow in a tree near the North Beach foot bridge.

I used my HFVR (Hand, Face Vibration Reduction) system to get this image sharp with a 600mm lens and a shutter speed of only 1/90 of a second.

JAMES SHADLE’S DESOTO WEEKEND WORKSHOPS/OCT 20-21, 2007

On the weekend of October 20-21, James Shadle is offering a Saturday In-Classroom session and a Sunday Day-In-The-Field at my beloved Fort DeSoto. Thanks to the generosity of North Tampa Photography, Tamron, Lowepro and Bogen Imaging these sessions represent a great value as well as a chance to work with one of Florida’s top photographers and naturalists. And Froggie is an all around good guy as well.

Tuition for the Saturday classroom session (3-7pm) is $50. The cost of the Sunday field sessions are as follows: 1/2 day: $75, full day: $125. For more information e-mail James at James@wildflorida.net, try him on his cell phone at 813-363-2854, or visit http://www.wildflorida.net/posting/wfntflyer.jpg. To register, contact Keith Bunch via e-mail at KeithBunch@yahoo.com or by phone at 813-935-9339.

If you will be anywhere near St. Petersburg this is one event that you will not want to miss.

Ah, here is an added incentive: I spoke to my friend Ron Wooldridge from Parrish, FL yesterday. He said, and I quote, “North Beach at DeSoto is covered with birds right now. I'm going there tomorrow afternoon!”

Kite Board at the Skyway Bridge, Fort DeSoto, FL

Nikon 24-50 F3.3-4, and the D2X. ISO 200. Matrix metering at -1.3EV 1/1000 sec. at f/4.5.

At DeSoto, I start my day at the very end of "East Beach" and on this day the wind was influencing more than just the birds.

I took a series of these images and one ended up as a wrap around magazine cover.

THE NIKON ANSWER MAN/JAMES SHADLE’S CAMERA SETTINGS

James Shadle wears many hats and uses many aliases. Among them are Froggy, Froggie, Captain James, Master of the Hooptie, The Spoonbill Guy, James (Darth) Vader (from the Dark Side, i.e., Nikon…) and CSO (Chief Spoonbill Officer).

Most recently he agreed to become the BAA Nikon Answer Man. You can send Nikon-related questions to James at James@wildflorida.net.

James recently received the following request via e-mail from Walter Thomason:

Hi James, Arthur Morris always gives the settings he uses in his Canon cameras so other photographers can set theirs the same way if they wish. I have a Nikon D-200 an want you to give me the settings you use. I know some will have to be changed occasionally but most will stay the same. I will appreciate your help. Walt

James graciously responded as follows:

Hello Walter,

Here some of the settings I use on my D-200, they are basically the same ones that I use with my D2x.

Image Quality

Image Sharpening: 0

Tone Compensation: - or the lowest setting

Color Mode: Adobe RGB Mode III

Color Saturation: Normal to Enhanced

Hue: 0

I use RAW capture only.

The ISO setting depends on conditions, but for action images I am very comfortable shooting ISO 400

High ISO Noise Reduction: Normal

AF-C Priority

Custom Function A1 FPS Rate + AF

AF-S Priority

Custom Function A2 Focus

Lock-On: Normal (for the most part, I do change it occasionally as conditions warrant)

Central AF Point 90% of the time.

Dynamic AF

Metering

Matrix: 99% of the time

Spot Meter: the other 1% of the time

Custom Functions:

C2 Set to AE/AL lock

D2 On

E1 1/250 (Auto FP)

E2 1/30 (however I shoot rear flash sync almost always)

F4 Bracket Burst

F7 Lock

I hope this helps, James

Note: If you have any questions on the above settings, please e-mail James directly at James@wildflorida.net as I have no clue whatever… <smile>

Bottlenose Dolphin batting Black Grouper, Fort DeSoto Park, St. Petersburg, FL

Nikon 70-300 AFS VR lens and the Nikon D200. ISO 400. Matrix Metering Manual: 1/1250 sec. at f/8.

When the sun is high in the sky and I want to extend my shooting day, I go to the Gulf Pier. The pier is white and acts as a reflector, perfect for illuminating the under-side of birds flying directly overhead.

While there, keeping my head on a swivel, I noticed a Dolphin playing with its food. I photographed this at 2/3s of a stop less than a middle tone value to preserve the Dolphin's white belly detail.

DIGITAL BASICS KUDOS

I received this by e-mail from Jacqui Hendry:

Hi Artie, This is just a quick note to tell you how great your digital basics instructions are :-) I can already see a difference in my images all thanks to your easy to follow instructions :-) Thanks once again, Jacqui

You can learn more about Digital Basics here: http://www.birdsasart.com/digitalbasics.htm.

Terns at sunset, Fort DeSoto Park, south of St. Petersburg, FL

Nikon 24-50 F3.3-4, and the D2X. ISO 400. Matrix metering Manual 1/100 sec. at f/5.6.

My goal for this image was to create a mood. I used a shutter speed that I felt would give a feeling of movement to the terns and water while keeping the clouds relatively sharp.

BEAR BOAT OPENINGS

Due to two cancellations, space has opened up on these two trips as follows:

Bear Boat Trip #1: June 4-10, 2008. $5999. Led by Robert O’Toole plus professional bear guide. (Limit: 6 photographers, openings: 1.) You must be in Anchorage no later than the afternoon of June 3, but June 2 is recommended. Bears, bears, and more bears including cubs, bears clamming, bears in the meadows, baby Bald Eagles in the nest, Black-legged Kittiwake rookeries, and loads of Sea Otters.

Bear Boat Trip #2: Sept. 4-10, 2008. $6499. Led by Arthur Morris plus professional bear guide. (Limit: 6 photographers, openings: 2.) You must be in Anchorage no later than the afternoon of Sept. 3, but Sept. 2 is recommended. Bears catching chum salmon, more bears catching salmon, and still more bears including cubs (catching salmon). This trip was booked two years in advance to coincide perfectly with the peak of the chum salmon run in Kinak Bay. In addition we may get to photograph Moose, Glaucous-winged and Mew Gulls eating roe, and a Bald Eagle or two dining on salmon scraps. You will routinely (yet safely) be within yards of the bears.

Please e-mail for additional details.

Ring Billed Gull molting into breeding plumage, head portrait , Fort DeSoto, FL

Nikon 600mm f/4 ED AFS lens with the TC20E( 2X) , and the D100. ISO 200. Matrix metering at -1.3EV 1/500 sec. at f/11.

At DeSoto the birds can be insanely easy to approach, especially when using Artie's patented "low and slow" technique. Nevertheless I used a 2X converter to save myself a little bit of time. And speaking of time, you can tell by the catch light this image was made a little earlier in the afternoon than I normally shoot (couldn't pass up this opportunity). I used Cloudy as my white balance to warm the image up for that late afternoon look.

IPT UPDATES

Bosque #1: "The Fall Color IPT" NOV 13-15, 2007. Slide Program on the evening of NOV 12. 3-DAY: $999. (Limit 14; Sold Out). Co-leader: Robert O'Toole. Guest leader (DAY 3 only): Andy Rouse. This IPT should feature a better chance for a day or two of the rare south winds that drastically improve flight photography and will definitely feature the brightest fall-color cottonwoods.

Bosque #2: "The Pre-Thanksgiving IPT" NOV 18-20, 2007. Slide Program on the evening of NOV 17. 3-DAY: $999. (Limit 14; Sold Out). Co-leader: Robert O'Toole, Robert Amoruso, & Alfred Forns. Guest leader: Andy Rouse. This IPT will feature increasing numbers of geese and cranes with lots of great opportunities. In 2007, I will again be hosting a Thanksgiving Day luncheon at Las Lunas Mansion, a fine restaurant in an historic building. You will need to reserve a spot and pay in advance. Details TBA; strictly limited to 50 folks.

Bosque #3: "The Post-Thanksgiving IPT" NOV 24-26, 2007. Slide Program on the evening of NOV 23. 3-DAY: $999. (Limit 14: Sold Out). Co-leaders: Robert O'Toole, Robert Amoruso, and Alfred Forns. This IPT is scheduled on dates that I consider peak for Bosque. (There may be a Full Moon Add-on NOV 23; details TBA.) If you register for this one, hold off on buying your plane ticket if you might be interested in the add-on.) In 2007, I will again be hosting a Thanksgiving Day luncheon at Las Lunas Mansion, a fine restaurant in an historic building. You will need to reserve a spot and pay in advance. Details TBA; strictly limited to 50 folks.

SW FLA Post X-mas IPT: DEC 27-29, 2007. Slide program on the of evening Wednesday, DEC 26, 2006. 3-DAY: $1029. (Limit 12; Sold Out). Co-leaders: Alfred Forns, Robert O'Toole, & Robert Amoruso. Joining us as guest co-leader will be full time professional photographer John Moran, Florida's unofficial Photographer Laureate. You can learn about John’s amazing work here: www.johnmoranphoto.com. John will be doing his program, “Journal of Light: A Photographer's Search for the Soul of Florida" for the group on Wednesday, DEC 26 at 3:30 pm. John’s work is so different from mine and from everyone else’s that he has been a huge inspiration to me over the past two years. We will be visiting Sanibel Island, Venice Rookery, Cape Coral, and possibly Little Estero Lagoon (depending on the tides). Herons, egrets, gulls, terns, skimmers, shorebirds, both pelicans, Osprey, Burrowing Owl, and lots more. Roseate Spoonbill and Wood Stork possible.

San Diego IPT: Jan 20-23, 2008. Slide program on the Saturday early evening of JAN 19. 4-DAYS: $1399. (Limit 12; openings: 2.) LaJolla, LaJolla Shores Beach, Coronado, and Santee Lakes. Brown Pelicans in spectacular breeding plumage, Heerman’s & Western Gulls, Marbled Godwits & lots more shorebirds, Wood & Ring-necked Ducks & Lesser Scaup. Great flight photography. And lots more.

Reddish Egret, immature with supper, Fort DeSoto Park, south of St. Petersburg, FL

Nikon 600mm F4 ED AFS and the D2X. ISO 250. Matrix metering, Manual: 1/1000 sec. at f/5.6.

Repeatable, predictable behavior. That is what I had with this Reddish and it allowed me to make this image.

Watching the Egret forage, I was able to get a sense of how he would react when a fish was caught.

I was set up and ready; the bonus is the look on the poor fish's face.

HUNT’S SPECIALS

Tel 800-221-1830 Gary ext. 2332 Fax#800-336-3841

Email: DigitalGuyGary@wbhunt.com

BIRDS AS ART Specials (Expiration: October 31, 2007)

Canon Digital SLR Cameras

Currently in stock is the Canon Mark III priced at $4499.00. People interested in placing an order for this camera should contact Gary Farber as soon as possible.

Gary Farber is now taking pre-orders on the Canon 1DS Mark III which is scheduled to ship some time in November. Call or email Gary to place your name on the pre-order list.

Hunt’s is a full line dealer of Canon printers including large format printers.

Currently in stock is the Canon 40D with the 17-85 lens priced at $1599.00. A bag and an extra battery are included with this camera.

Contact Gary Farber regarding the price and availability on the Canon 40D Body alone.

Ask about the new low price on the Canon 5D Body alone and the Canon 5D with 24-105 lens which includes an extra battery and bag when ordering.

Canon Lenses

Hunt’s is an authorized Canon Dealer. Hunt’s stocks the full line of USA product. Hunt’s does not deal with the grey market. Inquire about the price and availability on the following:

24-105 F4L IS, 100-400 F4.5 5.6 IS USM, 70-200 F4 IS USM, 16-35 2.8 II USM, 500 F4 L ISM, 600 F4.0 L IS USM, 180 3.5 L Macro, 70-200 2.8 L IS USM, 400 4.0 DO IS USM, 300 2.8 L IS USM, 400 5.6 L USM, and the 300 4.0 L IS USM.

Nikon (Hunt’s is an authorized Nikon dealer)

Pre-orders are being taken on all the new Nikon products that will be shipping in late November. These include:

D300 camera, D3 camera, 14-24 lens, 24-70 lens, 400 2.8G ED VR lens, 500 F4 G ED VR lens, and the 600 F4 G ED VR lens.

Nikon Lenses

Currently in stock are a few of the Nikon 18-200 VR lenses. Ask about pricing and availability on the following lenses:

105VR, 200-400, 70-200VR, 200 4.0 D AF Macro, 70-300VR 4.5/5.6, and the 80-400 4.5/5.6 D VR.

Epson We are currently offering great prices on:

Epson 1400 Printer

Epson 1800 Printer

Epson 2400 Printer

Epson 3800 Printer

Epson P3000 Storage Device

Epson P5000 Storage Device

Epson 700 Scanner

Epson 750 Scanner

Contact Gary Farber for pricing.

Later this month Epson will have available their new line of printers which will include the 4880, 7880, and 9880. Please call or email Gary to be placed on the pre-order list.

HP Printers

Hunt’s stocks a full line of HP printers. Hunt’s will drop ship and offer “free” shipping when placing and order for:

Z2100 24” and 44” pedestal printer or the Z3100 24” and 44” pedestal printer

Inks

Epson 2200 inks $ 9.00

Epson 1800 inks $ 11.99

Epson 2400 inks $ 11.99

Epson 3800 inks $ 47.99

Canon Pixma Pro 9000 (8 pack) $ 79.99

Canon BCI-6 Multipack $ 49.99

Canon Pixma Pro 9500 (6 Pack) $119.99

Note: A flat $8.00 shipping charge is being offered when placing an order for these inks.

Through and until the end of October, specials are being offered on the following items:

- 5% off of selective Sigma lenses

- 10% off Hunt’s everyday low price on McClamp, McStick, all LowePro bags, and Kata bags.

- $20.00 off Hunt’s everyday low price on the Tokina 12-24 lens

- $25.00 off the mail order price on select Tamron lenses

Free shipping is being offered on the following products:

PhotoShop CS3 Upgrade $189.99

PhotoShop CS Full Version $619.99

Hoodman Loop $ 58.00

Hoodman Right Angle Finder $108.00

Adobe Light Room $269.99

Eye-One Display 2 $199.99

Color Vision Spyder 2 Suite $114.99

Nikon Capture NX Software $125.99

Pro Master Extension Tube Sets for Canon and Nikon $119.99

“All” Tenba Bags

Film Deals

Provia 100F 36 dated 3/07 Per roll $ 2.50

Provia 400F 36 dated 8/07 Per roll $ 4.99

Provia 400F 36 dated 8/07 60+rolls Per roll $ 3.99

Velvia 50 36 dated 3/07 Per roll $ 3.00

EBX 36 fresh dated (currently in stock) Per roll $ 4.19

Fuji Mailers (currently in stock) Each $ 4.29

Should Gary Farber be unavailable, we invite you to receive excellent service from a member of our professional sales staff. At our flagship store in Melrose, please ask for Kathryn Nazzaro, Ora Lea, Bob Roach, or Keith Patankar at Tel 800-221-1830 ext. 2360. You will receive the same great prices and service that Gary offers.

Best and love and great picture-making to all,

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 Archives which may be accessed from the home page at www.birdsasart.com