May 29th, 2013

BIRDS AS ART BULLETIN #441

  • Announcing the Holland 2014 A Creative Adventure/BIRDS AS ART/Tulips & A Touch of Holland IPT
  • Tulips on the Blog
  • Last 2013 Short Notice, Dirt Cheap, In-the-Field Nickerson Beach Photographic Instruction with Arthur Morris
  • Japan in Winter
  • Thanks!
  • Affiliate Links
  • Used Camera Gear
  • IPT Info

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This Tulipa H. van der Most 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 +1/3 stop: 1/50 sec. at f11 in Manual mode.

Again, manual focus on the center of the tulip. Click on the image to enjoy a larger size.

Holland 2014 7 1/2-Day/8-Night: A Creative Adventure/BIRDS AS ART/Tulips & A Touch of Holland IPT. April 17-April 24, 2014 :$4995 Limit: 12 photographers/Openings 9

This trip needs 8 registrants to run so please do not purchase your plane tickets until you hear from us; right now we need 5 more folks.

Join Denise Ippolito, Flower Queen and the author of “Bloomin’ Ideas,” and Arthur Morris, Canon Explorer of Light and one of the planet’s premier photographic educators for a great trip to Holland in mid-April 2014. Day 1 of the IPT will be April 17, 2014. We will have a short afternoon get-together and then our first photographic session at the justly-famed Keukenhof. Most days we will return to the hotel for lunch, image sharing and a break. On Day 8, April 24, we will enjoy both morning and afternoon photography sessions.

The primary subjects will be tulips and orchids at Keukenhof and the spectacularly amazing tulip, hyacinth, and daffodil bulb fields around Lisse. In addition we will spend one full day in Amsterdam. There will be optional visits the Van Gogh Museum in the morning and the Anne Frank House in the afternoon; there will be plenty of time for street photography as well. And some great food. On another day we will have a wonderful early dinner at Kinderdijk and then head out with our gear to photograph the windmills and possibly some birds for those who bring their longs lenses. We will spend an afternoon in the lovely Dutch town of Edam where we will do some street photography and enjoy a superb dinner.

For those who will be bringing a big lens we will likely have an optional bird photography afternoon or two or possibly three. The big attraction should be gorgeous Purple Herons in flight at a breeding marsh. We would be photographing them from the roadside. And we might be able to find a few Great-crested Grebes at a location near Keukenhof.

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This image of the inside of the Willem-Alexander Pavilion at Keukenhof, Lisse, Holland with the hand held Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM zoom lens (at 85mm) and the Canon EOS-5D Mark III. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/800 sec. at f/2.8 in Av mode.

Central sensor AI Servo/Rear Focus on the red and white tulips and re-compose. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.

A simple walk into the Willem-Alexander Pavilion puts most folks into sensory overload. Note the stand of yellow and orange tulips in the lower right: Beauty of Spryng was pretty much everyone’s favorite.

Other than the arrival date: April 17, Day 1, and the date of our last photography sessions on April 24, Day 8, there is no set itinerary. We will check the weather and play everything by ear to maximize the photographic opportunities. We will try to do Amsterdam on a cloudy day. Those who wish to try for birds will do so on sunny afternoons with west or southwest winds. For Kinderdijk we will do our best to be there on a sunny afternoon with west winds as there are some birds there as well as the windmills.

There are several huge pluses to this trip. First off, denise is an amazingly skilled and caring instructor. Both her creativity and her willingness to share and to help beginning and intermediate photographers are–in my experience–unmatched. And though I have learned a ton about flower photography from denise, our styles and our techniques do vary to some degree. You will have a chance to be counseled by both of us. While denise will hunt you down to help you; my teaching style is more “the closer you stay to me, the more you will learn.” The sky, of course, is the limit.

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This flower field blur was created near Lisse, Holland with the hand held Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM zoom lens (at 105mm) and the Canon EOS-5D Mark III. ISO 50. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/8 sec. at f/32 in Tv mode.

Central sensor AI Servo/Rear Focus 1/3 of the way up the side of the frame. Then pan following the diagonal rows. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.

Including the irrigation ditch and the grassy median in this image added interest.

You will learn to create tight abstracts, how to best use depth-of-field (or the lack thereof) to improve your flower photography, how to get the right exposure and make sharp images every time, how to see the shot, and how to choose the best perspective for a given situation. And you will of course learn to create a variety of pleasingly blurred flower images. If you bring a long lens, you will learn to use it effectively for flower photography. Denise’s two favorite flower lenses are the Canon 100mm macro and the Canon 24-105mm zoom. Mine are the Canon 180mm macro lens and the Canon 600mm f/4L IS II, both always on a tripod and both often used with extension tubes and/or the 1.4X teleconverters. Denise hand holds a great deal of the time. For flower field blurs denise uses the same lenses mentioned above. My favorite is the 70-200 often with a 1.4X TC but I use both the 24-105 and the 600 II as well. Both of us use and love the Canon EOS-5D Mark III for all of our flower photography. The in-camera HDR and Multiple Exposure features are a blast.

One of the great advantages of our trip is that we will be staying in a single, strategically located hotel that is quite excellent. Do note that all ground transfers to and from Schipol will be via hotel shuttle bus.

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This tulip bud image was created at the Willem-Alexander Pavilion at Keukenhof, Lisse, Holland 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 +1/3 stop: 1/160 sec. at f/5 in Av mode.

Central sensor AI Servo/Rear Focus on the fattest part of the bud. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.

It took me about 20 minutes to find a perspective where I could perfectly parallel the subject and enjoy a relatively clean background.

What’s included: Eight hotel nights. All ground transportation except for airport transfers as noted above. In-the-field instruction and small group image review and Photoshop sessions. All meals from dinner on Day 1 through dinner on Day 8. The hotel we are staying in often offers both lunch and dinner buffets. The food is excellent. Whenever you order off the menu be it at the hotel or at one of the several fine-dining spots that we will be enjoying at various locations, only the cost of your main course is included. On these occasions the cost of soups, appetizers, salads, sodas and other beverages, alcoholic drinks and wine, bottled water, and desserts are not included. This is done in part in hopes that folks will be less inclined to enjoy an eight course dinner so that we can get to bed early. As with all A Creative Adventure/BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tours both the photo sessions and the days are long. Nothing that we do however will be demanding. Being able to sit down on the ground with your gear is, however, a huge plus. Anyone in halfway decent shape should be fine.

Snacks, personal items, phone calls, etc. are not included.

Beware of seemingly longer, slightly less expensive tours that include travel days and days sitting in the hotel doing nothing as part of the tour. In addition, other similar trips have you changing hotels needlessly. The cost of this years trip is a bit higher than last years to reflect our increased experience and the extra hotel night that is included. One final note on other similar trips: the instructors on this trip actually instruct. On other similar trips the instructors, though usually imminently qualified, serve for the most part as van drivers….

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This razor sharp hyacinth field image was created at Lisse, Holland with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM zoom lens (at 85mm) and the Canon EOS-5D Mark III. ISO 200. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/6 sec. at f/32 in Av mode.

Central sensor AI Servo/Rear Focus 1/3 of the way into the frame and re-compose. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.

There will always be someone nearby on next year’s tulip trip to help you with your questions whether they deal with technical or artistic concerns. For this image I used Live View for mirror lock and the 2-second timer to ensure the creation of a sharp image. Using diagonal lines is a great way to add impact to your images.

Happy Campers only please. A non-refundable deposit of $1,000 per person is required to hold your spot. The second payment of $2,000 due by October 30, 2013. The balance is due on January 15, 2014. Payments in full are of course welcome at any time. All payments including the deposit must be made by check made out to “Arthur Morris.” As life has a way of throwing an occasional curve ball our way, you are urged to purchase travel insurance within 15 days of our cashing your check. I use and recommend Travel Insurance Services. All payments are non-refundable unless the trip fills to capacity. In that case, all payments but your deposit will be refunded. If the trip does not run every penny will be refunded. Again, please do not purchase your air tickets until you hear from us that the trip is a go. We are very confident that it will.

All checks should be made out to “Arthur Morris” and sent to: Arthur Morris, PO Box 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855.

For couples or friends signing up at the same time for the tulip trip, a $200/duo discount will be applied to the final payment.

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This tulips-in-a-planter blur was created with the hand held Canon 24-105mm f/4L IS EF USM AF Lens(at 65mm) and the Canon EOS 5D Mark III Digital camera body ISO 50. Evaluative metering at zero: 1/5 sec. at f/22 Av mode (+/-2 stops).

Central sensor/AI Servo Rear Focus AF on the tulips,re-compose, and pan blur. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a larger version.

I created this one to pass the time as the rest of the group was buying ice cream. There are advantages to being diabetic.

When you send your deposit check, please print and sign the paperwork here.

If you are interested in joining us, please let me know asap via e-mail.

Please e-mail if you have any questions:

artie: samandmayasgrandpa@att.net

denise: photographybydenise221@gmail.com

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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.

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.

Tulips on the Blog

Whether or not you are seriously thinking of joining us in Holland next April you may wish to re-visit some of the tulip blog posts.

The first was “Dire Tulip Forecast Update” Plus Super Bonus Bird here.

Tulip Field Painting” featured six of my favorite tulip field pan blurs.

“Keukenhof Tulip Petal Dreams” featured five tight or abstract tulip images; you can see them all here.

Click here to see what happened when I brought my 600mm f/4L IS II into the Willem Alexander Pavilion.

If you like orchids you will surely enjoy “Centers of Attraction.”

Learn about wide angle tulip field image design in the “Variety” blog post.

Lastly, BAA Bulletin #439 features the Holland Tulip IPT report, two great flower/tulip photography lessons, four very sweet tulips images, and my favorite windmill image from the trip. See Peter Kes’s fine power line removal work in the image immediately above. Click here to access BAA Bulletin #439.

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This image of an American Oystercatcher with a sand crab was created on May 28 at Nickerson Beach on the last Short Notice In-the-Field session with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens, the Canon 2x EF Extender III (Teleconverter), and the Canon EOS-1D X Digital SLR camera. ISO 400. Evaluative metering -1 stop: 1/500 sec. at f/10 in Manual Mode.

Central sensor (by necessity) Expand/AI Servo/Rear Focus on the op of the bird’s head active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.

A usually shy and much sought-after subject across most of its range, American Oystercatcher is pretty much a dirt bird at Nickerson Beach….

Last 2013 Short Notice, Dirt Cheap, In-the-Field Nickerson Beach Photographic Instruction with Arthur Morris

June 7 (pm), June 8 (am & pm), 8 and possibly the morning of June 9. Afternoons with west wind can be great. Morning sessions run from 5am sharp-9:30 am. Afternoon sessions from 4pm til whenever. These are priced so low that you need to e-mail for the rates. Limit 5/session.

If you e-mail, please include all phone numbers. Payment in full due immediately via credit card after calling the office on a weekday: 863-221-2372. If you would like to join me, please get in touch via e-mail. Breeding American Oystercatcher (chicks likely) and Piping Plover (chicks possible). Common Tern and Black Skimmer/courtship behaviors. Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls. Lots of flight photography when the wind is right. Learn digital exposure and creative image design. Learn to create pleasing blurs at 5am. As I will be living and photographing on Great Gull Island for a week from the afternoon of May 30 until the late afternoon of June 6 and may not have internet access, do sign up and be patient. You will hear from me via e-mail early on June 7th if not the previous evening.

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Japan in Winter FEB 12-26/27, 2014. Snow Monkey, Red-crowned Crane, Stellers and White-tailed Sea Eagles, and Whooper Swan: $12,999. Limit: 7/Openings: 1

I have assembled a great group of 6 very happy campers and have room for one more Happy Camper. Three great leaders: Arthur Morris, Denise Ippolito, and multiple BBC and Nature’s Best honoree Paul Mckenzie,

Included: all lodging including Tokyo hotel, all breakfasts and dinners, ground transport and transfers, four eagle boat trips (ice conditions permitting), all entrance fees, and in-country flights. Not included: international flights, alcoholic beverages, lunches, bottled water, and snacks.

Do know that every major photographic competition awards several prizes to images made in Japan in winter…. Seriously interested folks are invited to e-mail for the complete itinerary.

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This image of a kiting Common Tern was also created on May 28 at Nickerson Beach on the last Short Notice In-the-Field session, this one with the tripod-mounted Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens and the Canon EOS-1D X Digital SLR camera. ISO 2000 (ISO Safety Shift). Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/500 sec. at f/4.5 in TV Mode.

Central sensor Expand/AI Servo/Rear Focus active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.

Creating this image was simply a matter of recognizing the situation and taking advantage of the opportunity. Join me at Nickerson in early June to learn to think like a pro…. Oh! And getting up very early.

Thanks!

Thanks a stack to the many who used our B&H link over the past 30 days; May was one of our best months ever. Using our B&H Affiliate Links is a great way to thank me for the 20+ hours each week I put into the blog, to thanks me for my efforts in getting out the BAA Bulletins–this one took about eight hours to prepare, and to thank me for the countless e-mail questions that I answer each week. All are invited to do the same.

Affiliate Links

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

Regular readers well know that I spend an inordinate amount of time each week preparing blog posts and the BAA Online Bulletins in order to bring you the latest free information, photography and Photoshop lessons, and all manner of related information and to share with you my favorite new images. I have long resisted efforts to charge a fee for each. Please Show your appreciation by making your purchases immediately after clicking on any of our B&H or Amazon Affiliate links below or on the product-specifics links in each post. in this blog post. Both B&H and Amazon offer world class service and the lowest prices you will find anywhere. And using one of our links will not cost you a penny more. When shopping at B&H be sure to place an item in your cart to see the often too-low-to show actual price. In many cases B&H is forbidden by the manufacturer from publicizing their lowest price!

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Used Camera Gear

Rich Wear

Save $2,000 on a like-new 600 II!

Rich is offering a like-new Canon 600mm f/4L IS II lens (used just once) that will be under warranty until July for for the ridiculously low price of $10,800. Contact Rich to learn about shipping options and the the included extras.

Rich is also offering a Gitzo 1548 CF tripod and a Wimberly V2 Head, both in very good condition for $850.

Pictures of all the item are available upon request via e-mail.

You can reach Rich via e-mail or by phone at 780-690-8868.

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

$150 Price Drop; this one is a steal!

Brent is offering a used Canon EF 100-400mm f4/.5-5.6L IS USM with the Canon tripod mount ring B (W), the Canon ET-83C Lens Hood , the Canon LZ1324 lens case and the ownerโ€™s manual. Everything in excellent condition with a few very light scratches on the Lens Hood. Price reduced: $800. Seller pays shipping and insurance. Please call Brent at 770-565-5012 or contact him via e-mail. I cannot understand why this great lens has not sold at the reduced price; it is a steal and I know that Brent takes really good care of his gear.

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. ๐Ÿ™‚

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