July 29th, 2009

Birds As Art Bulletin #294

FEATURES

  • GALAPAGOS TRIP REPORT
  • GALAPAGOS 2010/2011
  • MORE ON THE EDITING YOUR WORK BLOG POST (Back to the Basics and More #3/Galapagos: July 28, 2009.)
  • PHOTOSHOP BACKGROUND TRICK
  • BIRDS AS ART FINE ART CANVAS PRINT EDITION/GANNETS IN LOVE
  • BPN ROCKS
  • IPT UPDATES

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Galapagos Sea-lion, large pup yawning, Gardner Bay, Hood Island, Galapagos, Ecuador
Image Copyright 2009: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Canon 15mm fish eye lens (handheld) with the EOS-1D Mark III. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 1/3 stops set manually: 1/250 sec. at f/11.

When I created this image, I was about 12 inches from the young sea lion. I was so low that he thought that I was just another sea-lion. Here it is just yawning; in no way was it upset by my presence. This image proves that you need a very long lens in order to create pleasing images of wildlife. Not! When using a fish eye lens, I always make sure to have a bubble level in the camera’s hot shoe; if your horizon is off only a degree or two, you can lose a significant portion of the image when you rotate it. You can learn more about bubble levels here.

Note: all of the images in this Bulletin were captured using techniques detailed in “The Art of Bird Photography II” (916 pages on CD only). See here for details.

And all of the images were optimized using techniques described in Digital Basics.

GALAPAGOS TRIP REPORT

In the panga (Zodiac) on the way back to the ship after our great day on Puerto Ayora, I said, “This was easily the best day ever for photographing the tortoises.” In the panga on the way back to the ship after a great morning on Hood Island, I said, “This was easily the best day ever for photographing the Waved Albatrosses.” In the panga on the way back to the ship after 5 ½ great hours at Darwin Bay, Tower Island, I said, “With the nesting Red-footed Boobies, the first-ever (for this location) White-cheeked Pintails, the baby Swallow-tailed Gulls, and the frigatebird chicks, this was pretty much my best day ever here.” And in the panga on the way back to the ship after our morning at Urbina Bay, I said, “Being surrounded by more than a dozen completely tame Galapagos Hawks was insane!” Our guide Juan, who has been on the islands since he was three years old, said simply, “I have never seen anything like that before…”

And that’s how it went….

With a hand-picked group consisting of many of my very favorite clients, almost all of them multiple IPT veterans, the trip was a fantastic one and the camaraderie and the company were superb. That despite the fact that two folks had a nasty bug for the whole trip, and two more (at least) caught it later on. Rocky (don’t call me William) Sharwell, practically a neighbor of mine (living in Lakeland, FL), did not feel well from the get-go. On our first full morning he said, “I feel lousy.” I am gonna stay on the boat.” I said, “Rocky, we will be making landings today at one of the premier photographic locations on the planet. Get your gear and get your butt in the panga.” Rocky made both landings that day and thanked me for it. He took a turn for the worse over the next few days, stayed in his berth, and rested. He was saving all of his energy for the equally amazing landings at Hood Island. He made them both and went home happy. Still sick, but happy.

Tom Merigan, M.D., a Professor of Medicine and Director of the Center for AIDS Research at Stanford, is one of the world’s leading experts in the field of HIV treatment research. He was sicker than the proverbial dog for the whole trip. He had a hacking cough to go along with the usual cold and flu symptoms. Most amazingly he made more than half the landings, smiling and joking the whole time even though he obviously was feeling lousy with a capital “L.” And faced with the long and strenuous walk at Hood on our last full morning, he opted instead for a private panga ride; he described it later as “Great fun and one heck of a ride.” Though the seas were a bit on the rough side, he got to see a Waved Albatross surface with a fish and got to photograph the albatrosses and the Nazca Boobies taking off from the surface of the ocean as well. Tom’s positive attitude was one of the highlights of the trip for me. He is truly a lover of what is: (http://www.thework.com).

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Tom’s private panga ride, Hood Island, Ecuador
Image Copyright 2009: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
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Waved Albatross, head portrait, Punta Suarez, Hood Island, Galapagos, Ecuador
Image Copyright 2009: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Canon 70-200mm f/4 L IS lens (handheld at 183mm) with the EOS-1D Mark III. ISO 500. Evaluative metering +1 1/3 stops: 1/800 sec. at f/10.

I was lying right on the lava rocks in order to create this image. Ouch! This bird was nesting right next to the path. Most of the birds on the Galapagos are inordinately tame and show no fear of humans. For photographers, this is a very good thing. (This is more proof that you must have a really long lens in order to create pleasing images of birds. Not!)

GALAPAGOS TRIP REPORT (continued…)

Lou Newman is well into his 70s, but doesn’t look a day over 60. He is another one who is always smiling. By the end of our week aboard ship, he was beginning to look a bit haggard. I assumed that it was because he had not shaved, but as it turned out, he was all stuffed up: nose and ears. He visited the doctor immediately upon returning home, that would be on Monday, July, 20; as it turned out, he had a very bad bacterial infection. Lou is a trooper; he flew to Uganda to photograph the gorillas on Thursday, July 23. You gotta love it.

Everyone else was fine. Entomologist Keith Kennedy and son David, a photojournalism student and BPN moderator: always smiling. Doug Holstein, past president of Carolina Nature Photographers Association and responsible for its phenomenal growth over the past few years: always smiling. Jim Heupel, my right hand man in Iceland and co-leader of the 2008 Bosque Post-NANPA IPT, always smiling. Dean Newman, my birding guide in the mountains of western Virginia, always smiling. Mike Gotthelf: always smiling, and always quick with the photo questions. Carl Zanoni, with whom I spent hours talking diabetes and diet and blood sugar, was always smiling and appreciative. Mike Cornwell, Art Peslak, and Jack Jordan were a bit quieter than the rest, but were always easy going and appreciative. Jack and I had a lot in common and became fast friends.

We had lots of opportunities to photograph from the pangas, we made fewer landings (especially fewer wet landings) than usual, and enjoyed only one snorkeling dive. Photography was pretty much excellent every day, but it is of course more difficult to create sharp images while handholding in a dinghy than when working on a tripod on land. During the downtime co-leader Linda Robbins did almost non-stop small group or individual Photoshop tutoring. But on the morning of our last full day, the bug got her too. She made the landing on Hood, feeling weak but not wanting to miss anything. After making a very few images, she lay down on the lava rocks and slept. When we moved, we would wake her up and as soon as we stopped, she would be asleep on the lava within seconds. At one point, she was surrounded by nesting Nazca and Blue-footed Boobies and several pairs of Waved Albatrosses. A Hood Mockingbird jumped up on her seemingly lifeless body and walked up and down while checking out her vest. Once we got back to the Alta she slept the rest of the day and the night away with a high fever. She felt much better the next morning, but that was temporary. She is feeling better now.

Once we got back to Quito after a relatively long travel day on Saturday, July 18, I treated the group to a wonderful dinner at Theatrum, a fine restaurant in the city’s central historical district (http://www.theatrum.com.ec/English/about_us.html). As luck would have it, there was a fabulous local singer (Stahl) performing that night. It was a fitting ending to a great trip. I can’t wait to get back.

I urge everyone to visit the blog. There are currently five info- and photo-packed entries on the Galapagos trip with more coming soon. The latest post, “Back to the Basics and More #3/Galapagos” covers my editing techniques and includes details on the number of images that I created and kept on the trip.

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Waved Albatross and 3-week old chick, Punta Suarez, Hood Island, Galapagos, Ecuador
Image Copyright 2009: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Canon 70-200mm f/4 L IS lens (handheld at 121mm) with the EOS-1D Mark III. ISO 500. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/1000 sec. at f/8.

Here is a great tip for handheld photography when using telephoto lenses, even when using a short zoom as I did here: always use AI Servo AF (C with Nikon). Folks think that AI Servo and C were designed to be used only with moving subjects and mistakenly set their AF to One-Shot (S with Nikon.) Even though the subject or subjects may be static, the photographer is always moving; even a tiny bit of sway will throw off the focus. For this image I selected the sensor just to the left of center; it fell right on the face of the adult and yielded a sharp image. Note: if you are sitting and bracing your arms on your thigh or knee, you might get away with using One-Shot (or S), but I strongly prefer to stick with AI Servo (C) in these situations.

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Flightless Cormorant, Punta Espinoza, Fernandina Island, Galapagos, Ecuador
Image Copyright 2009: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with the 1.4X II TC and the EOS-1D Mark III. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 1/3 stops: 1/60 sec. at f/10.

It was a very poor nesting year for this species. Our guide went out of his way to get us in position to make some great images. Thanks Juan!

GALAPAGOS 2010/2011

Note: Just before we were about to send this Bulletin we filled the last two slots for this great trip. I wanted to share this info with everyone so that those who are interested in having their names put on either the 2010 waiting list or the 2011 interested/waiting list can e-mail me.

Having grown tired of limited itineraries, the result of political goings-on inside the Galapagos National Park Service, and tired of missing out on too many great spots each year, I have decided to go with a longer trip, the trip of a lifetime in 2010.

Are you a happy camper? Are you a pleasure to be with? Have you dreamed of visiting the Galapagos since you were a child? Would you like to experience everything that the archipelago has to offer while learning to create better images? Would you like to learn to think like a pro in the field, to evaluate a situation quickly and accurately? Answer at least five of those with a yes and you will want to consider joining me for the photographic experience of a lifetime. There are only 2 slots left; please call me immediately at 863-692-0906 to reserve a spot. See the deposit info and terms below.

2010 Galapagos Photo Cruise of a Lifetime/The Complete Galapagos Photographic Experience: 15 days on the boat including 13 full days, one half day, and a 2-hour panga ride on the last morning: $10,999. July 4-21, 2010. (July 6-20 on the boat.) Limit 11/Openings: 0.

Fly to Quito: July 4, 2010; Rest and travel delay insurance day: July 5; Fly to Galapagos, board boat: July 6. Fly back to Quito: July 20; Fly home: July 21 (We may add a 4-day hummingbird trip for the criminally insane…)

Cost: $10,999 includes three nights in the luxury hotel–the Hilton Quito Colon, round trip airfare to and from Baltra, all meals on the boat, an absolutely killer buffet lunch with the tortoises!, all park fees and related costs, all transfers, and a five star thank you dinner on the evening of July 20. A $5,000 non-refundable deposit due immediately. Two additional non-refundable payments as follows: $3000 due on NOV 1, 2009. Final payment: $2,999 FEB 1, 2010. $400 off the total if you register with a friend or a spouse; $200 off per person on the final payment. First come will be first served. A waiting/interested list for 2011 has been created; there are already three folks on it. Folks on this list will have first dibs on a the 2011 trip (live and be well…) If you would like your name put on the 2011 waiting/interested list, please let me know via e-mail. If you would like to see the complete 2010 itinerary, please e-mail us at birdsasart@att.net with the words “Galapagos 2010 Itinerary Please” cut and pasted into the subject box.

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Small Ground Finch on head of Galapagos Tortoise, Puerto Ayora, Galapagos, Ecuador
Image Copyright 2009: Carl Zanoni
Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS lens with the 1.4X II TC and the EOS-40D. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/640 sec. at f/5.6. Gitzo 3530 LS tripod with the Mongoose M3.5.

After our sumptuous lunch at a new spot that our guide Juan came up with, we enjoyed lots of great tortoise photography. We all tried for this image, but only Carl Zanoni, whom I first met at the Portland, Maine seminar, was successful. Carl was thrilled.

MORE ON THE EDITING YOUR WORK

See: BLOG POST Back to the Basics and More #3/Galapagos: July 28, 2009.

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Question: Why save this image when you have several that are far better?

Answer: So that you can grab the end of the near wing so that it can be used to repair the image immediately below.

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See the optimized image with the repaired wing below.

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Nazca Booby in flight, early morning light, Prince Phillips Steps, Tower Island, Galapagos, Ecuador
Image Copyright 2009: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Canon 70-200mm f/4 L IS lens (handheld at 200mm) with the EOS-50D. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/4000 sec. at f/4 set manually.

It is pretty bad when you clip a wing with a 70-200…. In any case, had I not thought to save the first image in this series I would have deleted the 2nd and the 3rd image would not exist….

To learn more about how I edit, click here and check out the July 28th entry: www.birdsasart-blog.com.

To learn how to add wingtips check out APTATS here. (Hint: I started with a Quick Mask that needed to be re-sized and warped. But the colors were off (too black), so I created a selection that allowed me to replace the blacker feathers by cloning the browner tones from the primaries from the original image….) .

PHOTOSHOP BACKGROUND TRICK

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Swallow-tailed Gull, top shot, Punta Suarez, Hood Island, Galapagos, Ecuador
Image Copyright 2009: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Canon 400mm f/4 IS DO lens (handheld) with the EOS-1D Mark III. ISO 500. Evaluative metering +2 1/3 stop off the light gray sky: 1/1600 sec. at f/4.5 set manually.

I sat on a rock along the coast trying to photograph the bird in flight. This was my best. I like it a lot but know that I can do better…. The image above represents the converted RAW pretty much as it came out of the camera. How would you optimize it?

I love the bird but am not crazy about the background. It is lava, and there is lots of whitewash on the rocks. In addition, there are lots of dark areas that are well delineated. After a crop from the right and from above, I hit Control A to select the whole image and put it on its own layer by hitting Control J. Then I ran a large Gaussian Blur (about 40 pixels) on the layer. That smoothed out the background but made the gull look like something out of a psychedelic dream. Working at a fairly high magnification, I used the eraser tool to erase the bird. I worked very carefully on the edges. When I was done I hit a few spots with a 50% Opacity Clone Stamp to eliminate some of the lighter and darker areas. The optimized image is below. This trick will only work when the area that borders the bird is pretty much evenly toned. I find it much easier to erase the bird in these situations than it is too make a good selection (even when I use Refine Edge….)

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BIRDS AS ART FINE ART CANVAS PRINT EDITION/GANNETS IN LOVE

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Great news: I just learned that this image will be one of eighteen honored images in this year’s National Wildlife Federation’s contest. More great news: I just learned that this image is in the finals of the Nature’s Best contest.

BIRDS AS ART proudly announces the limited sale of another classic Arthur Morris image, “Gannets in Love.”

This endearing image was created at Bonaventure Island, Perce, Quebec, Canada. The thick gallery wrap (1 ½ inches) canvas is hand-made in the US under the supervision of the artist and is available only through BIRDS AS ART.

This is the second in a series of Arthur Morris’ digitally signed, numbered, limited edition gallery-wrapped canvas prints. The canvas is stretched over custom-made wood supports. The canvas has no frame and appears to float on the wall. There’s no need for a frame for stability since the structure is inside the art. These fine canvas limited edition prints are covered with a rear black dust cover. The hanging wire is neatly attached and a courtesy package with two clear bump-ons, a nickel plated hanger and nail are included.

This edition will be limited to 100 pieces of any size. Once the final print is sold the edition will be permanently closed making each Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART print a valuable collectible. Each 16 x 24 inch print is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity.

The first fifty prints will sell for only $349 plus $20 shipping and handling to all US addresses. Once 50 prints are sold, the price will rise to $424. The last five prints will sell for $499. (Please e-mail for prices on other sizes and for framing options.)

Prints ordered before September 30, 2009 may apply a $50 discount. These prints are in stock and ready to ship now.

Shipping and handling to Canada will require an additional $35 handling fee. (Canadian orders may be subject to Customs delays and duties and require payment via personal check or money order in US funds.)

Each image will be professionally packed to avoid damage during transit. All fees are due and payable in advance in US funds. (We cannot be responsible for delays at customs.)

Payment may be by check or money order mailed to Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART PO Box 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855, by Paypal to birdsasart@att.net, or by credit card. Please call 863-692-0906 for credit card orders.

We offer a 100% money back guarantee. If for any reason you are not completely satisfied we will gladly accept a return for exchange or refund provided that the item is returned within seven days of receipt and is in saleable condition. We refund only the purchase price plus the shipping and handling. Return shipping is the responsibility of the customer. This guarantee does not include prints that you damage or that are damaged in shipping. If your print is damaged in shipping, please let us know and we will arrange to have a replacement sent. Please allow 14 days for your check to clear.

We are 100% positive that ”Gannets in Love” will join “Fire in the Mist” and become a treasured collector’s item; thank you for your support of my work.

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BPN ROCKS

BPN continues to grow on a daily basis. We have more folks participating, many of them from distant locations around the world, and the quality of the critiques and advice keeps getting better and better. The feeling of community is also growing as folks get to know each other through their posts. Below are links to a few outstanding threads in various galleries.

I have written often that many good photographers ruin their images in Photoshop most often by over-saturating or over-sharpening them. For a perfect example, see Dr.Pranay Rao Juvvadi’s Mating Black Ibises post here: http://birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=42145. Post an image, get some great feedback, get additional help if need be, and repost a far superior image. It’s that simple on BPN.

Grace Scalzo’s very fine image of a young Common Tern performing a double overhead wing stretch is a perfect example of a point that I made in a recent (but rare) letter to the BPN community: the ER, the Educational Resources Forum at BPN is a vastly under-utilized resource. When the moderators have to type the same information on saving the whites or the reds or the yellows (when that info is readily available in the ER) it adds to the workload and keeps us from commenting on other relevant issues with a given image. You can see Grace’s image here.

In many cases I learn a ton from the comments made to my posted images. Below are three great examples of this, each featuring a Galapagos image. If I can learn so much from posting on BPN imagine how much you could learn….

“Galapagos #4/Is it Real or is it Counterfeit?”: http://birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=41869 in Avian.

“Galapagos #2/Red.” : http://birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=41993 in Wildlife.

And “Home From “Galapagos #1”: http://birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=41523 also in Avian. This one has a great lesson on eliminating chromatic aberration.

Thanks again to all who helped me!

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Galapagos Tortoise, Puerto Ayora, Galapagos, Ecuador
Image Copyright 2009: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Canon 800mm f/5.6 L IS lens with the EOS-1D Mark III. ISO 500. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/200 sec. at f/5.6. Mongoose M3.5 head with the Gitzo 3530 LS tripod.

No matter how much you love the birds, photographing the tortoises in the wild is always one of the highlights of any Galapagos trip. This old bird held still long enough for me to focus on the eye with One-Shot AF and recompose.

IPT UPDATES

I will be teaching fewer and fewer IPTs each year. The number of participants has been reduced, and the number of days in most tours have been increased. If you want to learn from the very best, do consider joining me on an IPT for some of the best bird and wildlife photography and instruction on the planet.

Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge

Nickerson Beach/Shorebird/Nesting Skimmer Photography-Tour (JBWR/NB PH -T): August 18-21, 2009 4-DAY: $1399. Limit: 6 Openings 3. (Please call for late registration details.)

For eight years in the late 70s/early 80s I conducted the International Shorebird Survey at JBWR for the then Manomet Bird Observatory. And it was there on the East Pond, in the summer of 1983, that I began to learn my trade with the old 400mm f/4.5 FD lens…. I remember the first roll of film that I got back; those dots on the slides, were they the birds? In a short time I was on my belly getting within 12 feet of my subjects, often even closer so that I needed an extension tube to focus. And I have been getting down on my belly in the mud for the past 25 years. And loving it. And I know the East Pond better than anyone living.

This photography tour is timed to coincide with the peak of the juvenile shorebird migration and with four morning high tides. We will be photographing the following shorebird species in fresh juvenal plumage: Least Sandpiper, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Semipalmated Plover, Lesser Yellowlegs, Short-billed Dowitcher, and Stilt Sandpiper. Juvenile Pectoral and Western Sandpipers and several other species are possible. We will also get to photograph worn, molting adult White-rumped and Semipalmated Sandpipers, Semipalmated Plovers, and Short-billed Dowitchers. Not only will you get to photograph these species, you will learn to age and identify them. Getting a copy of my “Shorebirds; Beautiful Beachcombers” and studying it in advance would give you a huge head start. You can order a signed copy here . On some mornings we may spend a bit of time on the back porch of my friend Denis Macrae’s home where we will get to photograph Laughing Gulls in both worn breeding and fresh juvenal plumage. Snowy and Great Egrets and both night-herons are possible there as well .

Most afternoons will be spent at Nickerson Beach just west of Point Lookout, Long Island, NY. For many years running there has been a large successful colony of Black Skimmers at this location. In mid-August we should have lots of fledged young, lots of large chicks, and a smattering of small chicks still in the nest scrapes. The existence of beach nesting birds is of course extremely fragile and in a given year the success of even a dependable colony like Nickerson may vary. There will be lots of adults both in flight and on the ground with fish for their young. American Oystercatcher and a variety of gulls are also possible at Nickerson. Two years ago we were blessed late one afternoon as several thousand Common Terns flew in to roost for the night, the nervous flock taking flight time and time again in front of a lovely setting sun. I will of course adapt to local conditions in an effort to always have the group in the right place at the right time.

I will not have a slide projector or a projection screen on this photography tour. All of the formal teaching will be done on the laptop either during meals or in the motel lobby during midday hours. As we will be getting up very early (sunrise averages about 6:10am), and be staying in the field very late (sunset averages about 7:45 pm), our evenings will be free after dinner. Breakfasts will be on the run and the cost of lunch is included. We will of course have a midday break of about three hours that will include instructor nap time. That will still leave us at least an hour or two for image review and some Photoshop lessons. To get the most out of this trip, experienced photographers should have at least a 500mm f/4 lens and be comfortable using at least their 1.4 teleconverter. The very best images will be created by those who are willing and physically able to get down on the ground and photograph while prone. Sitting behind a lowered tripod is also an option and is especially effective when the birds are actively feeding as it is easier to follow birds in motion while sitting than while prone. Added plusses at JBWR include jet fuel and Canada Goose dung…. 🙂

There will be tons of in-the-field instruction that will include stalking techniques and getting the right exposure via histogram review. You will learn to see and think like a pro. The closer you stay to me and the more questions you ask, the more you will learn. With the extremely small group, the opportunities for learning from a top pro will be unparalleled. Questions are limited to 500 per person per day. We should also get to do some fill flash work. As always, BAA reserves the right to exceed the noted limit by no more than one. If you act quickly, affordable lodging (averaging about $85 per night plus taxes with advance payment) is available as follows:

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Days Inn Jamaica-JFK Airport
144-26 153rd Court
Jamaica, NY 11434

718-527-9025

In addition, there are several 4+ star hotels in the area with rooms averaging $230/night plus taxes.

BOSQUE del APACHE 2009 IPT

“The Complete Bosque Experience.” NOV 21-27, 2009. Slide program on the evening of Friday, NOV 20. 7-FULL DAYS: $3199. (Non-refundable deposit: $500.) Limit: 10/Openings: 2. Co-leader: Scott Bourne.

SW FLA PRESIDENT’S WEEK IPT

FEB 10-15, 2010. Slide program on the evening of FEB 9. Slide program on the evening of FEB 11. 6-FULL DAYS: $2799. (Non-refundable deposit: $500.) Limit: 10/Openings: 5. Co-leader: Tim Grey!

Imagine having Photoshop guru Tim Grey at your side to answer your Photoshop questions for 6 full days! Escape winter’s icy grip and join me in Florida in the land of ridiculously tame birds. This IPT will visit Little Estero Lagoon which has been fantastic for the past three years (and been getting better each year), the Venice Rookery, several killer Burrowing Owl nests on Cape Coral, and several spots on Sanibel including Blind Pass, the Sanibel Fishing Pier, and the East Gulf beaches (for Snowy Plover). If we have a foggy drizzly morning we may visit Corkscrew Swamp and Sanctuary. We have arranged for morning low tides at Little Estero and a setting full moon for our Saturday visit to the Venice Rookery For the first time ever, we will not be visiting Ding Darling NWR as photographic opportunities there have been diminishing steadily for the past decade. As you can see, I am teaching less and less, taking fewer folks, and lengthening the IPTs to allow for a slightly more relaxed pace with repeat visits to the best locations.

A non-refundable deposit of $500 is required to hold a spot for each of the above IPTs. Deposits may be paid by check, Paypal, or credit card. Payment in full (by check or money order) is due four months before the start of each trip and is non-refundable unless the IPT sells out. You will be required to sign a statement of understanding to this effect. Travel insurance is of course highly recommended. Travel Insurance Services offers a variety of plans and options. Included with the Elite Option or available as an upgrade to the Basic & Plus Options, you can also purchase Cancel for Any Reason Coverage, which expands the list of reasons for your canceling to an infinite list, from a sudden work or family obligation to a simple change of mind. My family and I use and depend on the great policies offered by TIS whenever we travel. You can learn more here: Travel Insurance Services. We regret that we must implement this new policy but we have recently been plagued by last minute cancellations that make it impossible for others to participate and deprive us of essential income.

2010 Galapagos Photo Cruise of a Lifetime

The Complete Galapagos Photographic Experience: 15 days on the boat including 13 full days, one half day, and a 2-hour panga ride on the last morning: $10,999. July 4-21, 2010. (July 6-20 on the boat.) Limit 11/Openings: 2.

See above for complete details. E-mail for itinerary or to have your name placed on the 2011 interested list.

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Yours truly with immature Galapagos Hawk, Urbina Bay, Galapagos, Ecuador
Image Copyright 2009: Linda Robbins/Hummingbird Addiction
For the whole story of the amazing hawk morning, check out the blog here

1 comment to Birds As Art Bulletin #294

  • Caroline Werle

    Beautiful pictures on your website! I initially loved the hawk on the scope but love all of the animals! Thank you for sharing your wonderful world with the rest of us!