April 29th, 2013

BIRDS AS ART BULLETIN #438

  • Holland Tulip IPT Report
  • Tulip/Flower Lesson I
  • Tulip/Flower Lesson II
  • Affiliate Links
  • Canon EOS-5D Mark III User’s Guide
  • Your Favorite
  • Used Camera Gear
  • IPT Highlights
  • IPT Info

no images were found

This tulip image was created at the Willem-Alexander Pavilion at Keukenhof, Lisse, Holland with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens and the Canon EOS 5D Mark III Digital camera body. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/125 sec. at f/4 in Av mode.

Manual focus on the nearest petal. Click on the image to enjoy a larger size.

Image #1: Tulip Avignon

Holland Tulip IPT Report

Eight photographers joined Peter Kes, his wife Lesley, Denise Ippolito, and me for a week of great flower and street photography in and around Lisse and Amsterdam, Holland. Pat and Alan Lillich from Los Gatos, CA, were with me for about their zillonth IPT. Both dealt gamely with pretty bad colds towards the end of week one but are feeling fine on Texel. Tom and Roasalie Kreulen from Cape Coral, FL, another ever-delightful couple, have also seemingly been around the globe with me more than a few times. Newcomers Stephan and Jo-Ann Leimburg of Jacksonville, FL were on their first-ever IPT; they will be joining Denise and me in the Galapagos this coming July. Jo-ann is beginner who is learning fast. Once Steve is in the field, he never wants to quit photographing. Denise’s client-friend Pam Corckran and newcomer Lea (say Lee) Gallardo, from Amelia Island, FL rounded out the crew very nicely.

With a record-cold spring, the almost always reliable tulip fields around Lisse and those much farther to the north were 3-4 weeks behind average. With skillful help from Peter Kes we did find some fabulous fields of tulips and hyacinths around Lisse. The pavilions at the world famous Keukenhof (Gardens) shone brightly with many dozens if not hundreds of varieties of spectacular tulips in a mind-boggling array of colors, shapes, and patterns. There was tons of learning going on in the huge greenhouses as we sat in small group behind our lowered tripods talking creative seeing and choice of perspective, exposure, f/stops, and lots more. As always, the questions folks asked the more they learned.

Denise’s favorite flower lens is the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L macro lens and she often uses the Canon 24-105mm f/4L IS EF USM AF lens either hand held and or on the Gitzo 3532 LS CF tripod with the
Manfrotto 222 Joystick tripod head. I used my 180mm macro and my 600 on the Mongoose M3.6. With the Manfrotto 222 Joystick tripod head it was easy for Denise to point her lens straight down or nearly so….

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This image was created at the Willem-Alexander Pavilion at Keukenhof with the tripod-mounted Canon Telephoto EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro USM Autofocus lens and the and the Canon EOS-5D Mark III. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/30 sec. at f/8 in Av mode.

Manual focus on the deep red edge of the flower with the white trim and re-compose. Click on the image to see a larger version.

Image #2: Tulip Tender Whisper

Tulip/Flower Lesson I

Something that I learned on this trip and shared often with the group was that by simply lowering your tripod and sitting on the ground after picking out an attractive stand of flowers is a great way to learn to see new and exciting images, images that you would surely have missed from a standing position. Once you are on the ground, composing through the viewfinder may help.

no images were found

This image was created at the Willem-Alexander Pavilion at Keukenhof in Lisse, Holland with the tripod-mounted Canon Telephoto EF 180mm f/3.5L macro lens, a Canon Extension Tube EF 25 II, and the Canon EOS 5D Mark III Digital camera body. ISO 50. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 20 sec. at f/8 in Av mode.

Manual focus on the stem where it enters the flower. Click on the image to enjoy a larger size.

Image #3: Tulip Beauty of Spryng

Tulip/Flower Lesson II

Once I see an image, choose my perspective, carefully frame the image, fine-tune the exposure, and focus, I begin making images. For my style of flower photography I use the 2-second timer and Live View (for mirror lock and the live histogram) and work in Av mode. Once everything is perfect I make 2 images wide open, 2 at f/8, and 2 at f/13. If I am photographing flower centers I will usually start at f/13, and then make 2 at f/22 and 2 at f/32. It is amazing that when you have a choice of apertures (and thereby depth of field of course), how a given depth of field clearly stands out as best. See the images above and below for examples.

no images were found

This image was created at the Willem-Alexander Pavilion at Keukenhof in Lisse, Holland with the tripod-mounted Canon Telephoto EF 180mm f/3.5L macro lens, a Canon Extension Tube EF 25 II, and the Canon EOS 5D Mark III Digital camera body. ISO 100. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/3 sec. at f/22 in Av mode.

Manual focus on tip of the pistil. Click on the image to enjoy a larger size.

Image #4: Red tulip center

Affiliate Links

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Canon EOS-5D Mark III User's Guide

Learn everything that I know about the EOS-5D Mark III including how I set up my camera for in-camera HDRs in the 5D Mark III User's Guide. This guide also includes info on the following: 5D III exposure fine points, handling the WHITEs, the top LCD and all camera control buttons, all 5D Mark III drive modes, how to manually select an AF sensor, choosing an AF Area Selection Mode/how and why (includes extensive detail), and Menu Item Access. Coverage of almost all Menu Items and Custom Functions including the following: Image Quality, Auto Lighting Optimizer, Highlight Tone Priority, AF Configuration Tool (includes details on the custom setting that I use), Acceleration/deceleration tracking, Tracking sensitivity, Lens drive when AF impossible, Orientation linked AF point (I love this feature on the 5D III!), Highlight alert, Histogram display, Auto rotate, Custom Shooting Mode set-up, Safety shift, using the Q button, and setting up rear focus. The guide is–of course–written in my informal, easy-to-follow style.

no images were found

This in-camera Art Vivid HDR image was created at Kinderdijk, Holland with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens and the Canon EOS 5D Mark III Digital camera body. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/800 sec. at f/11 in Av mode.

Central sensor AI Servo/Rear Focus on center of the blades of the nearest windmill and re-compose. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.

Eliminating the unfortunate power lines in the background is simply too much work for me....

Learn everything that I know about the EOS-5D Mark III including how I set up my camera for in-camera HDRs in the 5D Mark III User's Guide.

Your Favorite?

Take a moment to leave a comment and let us know which of the above images is your favorite. And why.

Used Camera Gear

Walt Novinger

Walt is offering a used Sigma 300-800 f/5.6 EX DG APO IF HSM Autofocus Lens for Canon EOS, aka The Sigmonster in like-new condition. Used only 4-5 times: $6,000. The sale includes the original shipping box and the original soft lens case. Includes shipping in the continental US. You can call Walt at 1-442.222.4081 or by e-mail. James Shadle used the Nikon mount version of this lens to create many great images. Strong folks can save a bundle as this is a steal at $2,000 below list.

Brent Bridges

Brent is offering a used Canon EF 100-400mm f4/.5-5.6L IS USM wwith the Canon tripod mount ring B (W), the Canon ET-83C Lens Hood , the Canon LZ1324 lens case and the owner’s manual. Everything in excellent condition with scratches on the Lens Hood. Price $950. Seller pays shipping and insurance. Please call Brent at 770-565-5012 or contact him via e-mail

Colin Haase

Colin is offering a like-new Canon TSE (tilt shift) 24mm f/3.5 (the older version) for $750.00. If you are interested, please call him at 630-269-2242 or contact him via e-mail

Typos

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

IPT Highlights

There is a single opening on the September Bears Catching Salmon Bear Boat IPT and 2 openings on the Nickerson Beach Baby Beach Nesting birds trip. See immediately below for details and more.

2 comments to BIRDS AS ART BULLETIN #438

  • avatar Bill Butcher

    Hey Artie was wondering what is the best way to learn Exposure compensation ?
    class, book, dvd, ? I use a 7D and i struggle with getting the exposure spot on…i either get to light or underexposed. Usually underexposed and the eyes come out really dark..so i tried fill flash and was also encountering trouble with the 7d /430ex better beamer and getting the eyes to have a bit more pop ..not sure if my camera is set wrong or my flash is just not kicking out enough anymore as i have had it for about 10 years ..But with my old 20d i had to – about 1/2 stop to get a creative look to the eyes but without making them look flashed…with the 7d i am at +2 stops and i still dont notice any flash on the eyes the birds are still dark… i am playing with my 7d settings trying to iron this out. anyhow would like to create better pictures and am trying to learn shooting birds in my yard till i get it right… so i was looking for materlial to assist me learning exposure etc.. again thanks Artie love your work … Bill

    • avatar Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

      Bill, Digital exposure is easy as pie. All that you need to do is learn to get some data in the right-most box of the histogram. To get a quick head start, I would recommend studying the section on Exposure Simplified in ABP II. Then, to heighten your understanding of exposure theory, study the chapter on exposure in the original ABP. Save $10 by buying both here. Then study all the images in the blog and the Bulletins for the last 3-5 years. Then join us on an IPT. See my recent comments as to why I rarely use flash any more. Also, do a search for “getting the right exposure” on the blog and the Bulletins. There is a wealth of free stuff available. Your camera is fine. Best to consider operator error…..