- CONTEST UPDATE
- MORRO BAY IPT REPORT
- Tualatin River Bird Festival, Sherweood, Oregon
- Cheesemans’ Ecology Safaris International Trips
- POSSE NEWS/DENISE IPPOLITO
- MIDWAY 2013: JUST TWO SLOTS OPEN!
- IPT UPDATES
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This pair of Long-billed Curlews was photographed at Morro Bay, CA with the tripod-mounted Canon 800mm f/5.L IS lens and the Canon EOS-5D Mark III. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/2000 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual mode. Central Sensor/AF Areas Expand/AI Servo Rear Focus AF and recompose. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click here to learn to set up Rear Focus on your 5D Mark II. Click on the image for a larger version. Tip: always focus on the bird in the front. |
Contest Update
Important Contest News
Only One Day Left to Enter the Competition!
Only One Day Left to Make Your Qualifying B&H Purchases!
Only Eight Days Left to Upload Your Photos!
Although you may upload your images until 11:59pm eastern time on April 30, 2012, the very last day for registering for the contest and for making eligible B&H purchases will be Monday, April 23, 2012. This will give us time to process your registrations and verify your B&H purchases and will give you time to upload your images successfully. Good luck to all.
The BIRDS AS ART 1st International Bird Photography Competition has been going great guns. Additional folks are getting in on the fun each day. And many folks who had previously finished their entries have been taking advantage of the extension by uploading even stronger images. Thanks to those who responded to my Hand of Man pleas; it is now one of our strongest categories. While each of the following categories has some very strong images there is still room for improvement: Small in the Frame/Environmental, Pleasing Blurs, Youth, and especially Captive (photographs of captive, zoo, pet, or rehab birds).
Those of you who have been in the dark can learn more about the BIRDS AS ART 1st International Bird Photography Competition here or by visiting the main contest page here.
Save Your B&H Receipts
Do save your e-mail receipts for eligible B&H purchases made after Monday, April 23 as you will be able to use them for entry into the BIRDS AS ART 2nd International Bird Photography Competition; details will be announced in several months. Please remember, only B&H purchases made using the product-specific BAA B&H affiliate links in the Bulletins or on the blog or the more general link here qualify. See additional details by scrolling down to item 2 here. If in doubt, simply start your B&H searches by clicking here:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/?BI=6633&KBID=7226
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This bathing Black Oystercatcher was photographed at Morro Bay, CA with the tripod-mounted Canon 800mm f/5.L IS lens and the Canon EOS-5D Mark III. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1/3 stop: 1/2000 sec. at f/7.1 in Manual mode. Lower Central Sensor/AF Areas Expand/AI Servo Rear Focus AF active at the moment of expsoure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click here to learn to set up Rear Focus on your 5D Mark II. Click on the image for a larger version. Tip: always choose a lower AF sensor when working with bathing birds; if they flap, you will have a good chance to avoid clipping the raised wings. |
MORRO BAY IPT REPORT
It is wonderful but hard to figure out how and why IPTs consistently attract groups of fun, nice folks who are serious about learning to become better bird photographers. Alan and wonderful wife Pat Lillich have been on several IPTs and will be traveling with me on the Cheesemans’ Falklands/South Georgia trip next fall; please e-mail
if you’d like to get on the wait list for that amazing trip. Dane Johnson was on a Bosque IPT years ago. Jean-luc Valliant is a skilled photographer who has been on many IPTs and will be joining the Galapagos group in July 2013; there is room for you on that one if you are a Happy Camper! I first met Don Nelson at the Klamath event last year–my appearance there sponsored by Canon USA/Explorers of Light. Don was kind enough to take me to a cooperative Great Horned Owl but the bird was buried in a bush 🙁 I will be seeing Don again at the Tualitan event, also sponsored by Canon USA/Explorers of Light.
Pete Sole’ attended with wife Nancy. Pete was eager to learn and Nancy was a sweetheart. George Cottay (say KOT-ee) attended with his lovely wife. George liked to stay well back with his 800mm f/5.6L IS/Canon EOS-7D combo and fell in love with the corner of a marina where we found some good grebe photography. (See Gear Strategy here.) Newcomers Walt Novinger of San Diego and Joe Messina both had 500mm f/4L IS lenses and both felt that they learned a ton. Talented young photographer Gaurav Mittal traveled all the way from India to join the IPT and blew everyone away with his flight images from the trip. Guarav has already signed up for next year’s Bosque IPT.
Blog folks know that we were blasted by fierce winds most every afternoon but our co-leader Aidan Briggs saved the day by bringing us to a coastal pond that was loaded with bathing gulls and some other goodies each afternoon. Unlike my previous January visit which featured one glorious sunset after another we were hard-pressed for any color at all in the western sky as each day drew to a close. Things looked promising several times but we were greyed out by a huge fog bank every time that things looked reasonably good. We killed on Long-billed Curlew, Marbled Godwit, and Willet every morning. Everybody loved our lunches at Giovanni’s Fresh Fish Market & Galley (1001 Front Street, Morro Bay, CA). We stayed at The Inn at Morro Bay and had a great wrap-up dinner there on our last night together. It was a fitting end to a great trip.
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The three original images for this HDR photographer were created with the tripod-mounted Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II lens (AT 95MM) and the Canon EOS-5D Mark III. ISO 400. AEB +/- 2 full stops around Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/4 sec. at f/11. Assembled in Photomatix Pro using the Enhancer Grunge pre-set. Save 15% by entering BIRDSASART as the Coupon Code. Central Sensor/AI Servo Rear Focus AF and re-compose. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click here to learn to set up Rear Focus on your 5D Mark II. Be sure to click on the image to see a larger version. Tip: working off a tripod when attempting to create an HDR series makes worlds of sense. |
Tualatin River Bird Festival, Sherweood, Oregon
Thanks to the generosity of Canon USA/Explorers of Light I will be presenting the keynote address, “A Bird Photographer’s Story,” at the Tualatin River Bird Festival in Sherwood, Oregon on May 12, 2012 from 6:30 to 9pm. The event is free and open to the public. Click here for complete details. I will be doing several additional programs at the festival; click on the “Focus on Nature” link on the grey bar at the top of the page or see the next BAA Bulletin for details. I hope to see you there!
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This Western Gull was flapping after a bath. The image was created with the tripod-mounted Canon 800mm f/5.L IS lens and the Canon EOS-5D Mark III. ISO 400. Evaluative metering at zero: 1/2500 sec. at f/7.1 in Manual mode. Lowest Central Sensor/AF Areas Expand/AI Servo Rear Focus AF active at the moment of exposure. Click here if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click here to learn to set up Rear Focus on your 5D Mark II. Click on the image for a larger version. 5D III AF performed superbly on the bathing and flapping birds. I will be sharing everything that I have learned in the upcoming 5D Mark III User’s Guide. tip: working in Manual mode in situations like this will give you a perfect exposure every time no matter how much or how little white is revealed by the flap position. |
Cheesemans’ Ecology Saafaris International Trips
To learn about a variety or fantastic international trips that include lots of great photography please click here.
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POSSE NEWS/DENISE IPPOLITO
The talented, skilled, and amazingly creative Denise Ippolito is offer two killer workshops as noted above and below. For more information, click here.
The workshop above (only four slots open) includes access to the abandoned Lonaconing Silk Mill–also know as the Klotz Throwing Company. It is the last intact silk mill in the United States. It is located in Lonaconing, Maryland within the National Lonaconing Historic District, and the site was nominated by the George’s Creek Watershed Association for the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places. In the workshop below you will be visiting two of the northeast’s finest gardens in full bloom with one of the world’s premier flower photographers and instructors.
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MIDWAY 2013: JUST TWO SLOTS OPEN!
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Join me on Midway and photograph three species of albatross until your arms are too tired to lift your rig…. Click on the composite image to enjoy a larger version. |
MIDWAY ATOLL BAA IPT: March 25, 2013 (from Honolulu, Oahu, HI) 7-FULL DAYS OF PHOTOGRAPHY: $7895 ALL INCLUSIVE FROM HNL. Trip dates and price tentative. Limit: 14/Openings 1.
Due to a cancellation, there is now a single opening on the formerly sold out Midway trip. Click here for additional details. Call 863-692-0906 or e-mail immediately if you are good to go.
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Midway is a world renowned wildlife photography destination that ranks right up there with Antarctica, East Africa, Japan in winter, and the Galapagos. And like the Galapagos, most of the wildlife is inordinately tame. Click on the composite image to enjoy a larger version. |
What’s included? The round trip charter airfare from HNL to Midway and back, all lodging and meals on Midway. The food, both American and Thai, is killer good so do not plan on losing any weight, all associated national park fees as well as transport via large golf cart. For the most part we will stay together as a group. Those wishing to photograph on their own with some restrictions may rent bikes. Also included is in-the-field instruction. Informal image sharing and Photoshop instruction will be available most days for those sitting next to me or looking over my shoulder in the lobby of Charley Barracks early mornings, evenings, and during break time. I do try to catch a short nap each day.
What’s not included: The cost of the airfare from your home to and from HNL. Your meals in Honolulu. The cost of your hotel room on March 24th and late check out if needed on April 2. Personal items and souvenirs purchased on Midway.
If you are a happy camper and wish to register for this trip please call us at 863-692-0906 immediately. If no answer please leave a message but send an e-mail to me at samandmayasgrandpa@att.net. You will be given instructions for sending your deposit check for $800 to us here: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART, PO Box 7245 (mail) or 4041 Granada Drive (courier), Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855. Do note that while many trips are advertised as once in a lifetime, this one may very well be that once in a lifetime opportunity as there is constant talk that each season may be the very last.
For the folks who have never traveled with us, please remember, happy campers only. If you are a bitter and unhappy person we do not care to travel with you. If you are pleasant, fun, easy to get along with and know how to act in the field with a group, we would be delighted to have you along.
Earn Free Contest Entries and Support both the Bulletins and the Blog by making all your B & H purchases here.
More and more folks are earning multiple contest entries with their B & H purchases. See here for details on that. Eleven great categories, 34 winning and honored images, and prize pools valued in excess of $20,000. Click here to visit the competition home page.
Shopper’s Guide
Below is a list of the gear used to create the images in today’s post. Thanks a stack to all who have used the Shopper’s Guide links to purchase their gear as a thank you for all the free information that we bring you on the Blog and in the Bulletins. Before you purchase anything be sure to check out the advice in our Shopper’s Guide.
Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens. Right now this is my all time favorite super-telephoto lens.
Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II lens. Man, I am loving this lens on my shoulder with the 2XIII teleconverter. I also use it a lot–depending on the situation–with the 1.4X III TC.
Canon EF 1.4X III TC. This new TC is designed to work best with the new Series II super-telephoto lenses.
Canon EOS-5D Mark III. Man, I am in love with this camera body. Both the files and the AF system are superb.
And from the BAA On-line Store:
LensCoats. I have a LensCoat on each of my big lenses to protect them from nicks and thus increase their re-sales value. All my big lens LensCoat stuff is in Hardwood Snow pattern.
LegCoat Tripod Leg Covers. I have four tripods active and each has a Hardwood Snow LegCoat on it to help prevent further damage to my tender shoulders 🙂 And you will love them in mega-cold weather….
Gitzo GT3530LS Tripod. This one will last you a lifetime.
Mongoose M3.6 Tripod Head. Right now this is the best tripod head around for use with lenses that weigh less than 9 pounds. For heavier lenses, check out the Wimberley V2 head.
CR-80 Replacement Foot for Canon 800. When using the 800 on a Mongoose as I do, replacing the lens foot with this accessory lets the lens sit like a dog whether pointed up or down and prevents wind-blown spinning of your lens on breezy days by centering the lens directly over the tripod.
Double Bubble Level. You will find one in my camera’s hot shoe whenever I am not using flash.
The Lens Align Mark II. I use the Lens Align Mark II pretty much religiously to micro-adjust all of my gear an average of once a month and always before a major trip. Enjoy our free comprehensive tutorial here.
BreezeBrowser. I do not see how any digital photographer can exist without this program.
