Birds As Art Bulletin #322
April 6, 2010
Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART, PO Box 7245 4041
Granada Drive, Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855. Telephone: 863-692-0906.
Computer fax: 877- 265-6955
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FEATURES:
CANON EOS-7D USER'S GUIDE
INFO
CANON EOS-1D MARK IV
USER'S GUIDE INFO
THE LAREDO TRIP REPORT
CHARLOTTE HARBOR, FL
WILDLIFE & KAYAK FESTIVAL PROGRAMS NEXT WEEKEND!
ROBERT O'TOOLE MIDWAY
VIDEOS
POSSE NEWS/ROBERT O'TOOLE
POSSE NEWS/ALFRED & FABS
FORNS
POSSE NEWS/TODD GUSTAFSON
IPT UPDATES
VERY IMPORTANT
NOTE: If you are responding to a
Bulletin via e-mail please take the time to delete all irrelevant text and
images. Thanks.
Red-footed Booby, white morph, Eastern Island, Midway Atoll NWR
Image copyright 2010/Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Canon 400mm f/4 IS DO lens with the 1.4X II TC (handheld at 560mm) and the
EOS-7D. ISO 320. Evaluative metering at zero: 1/500 sec. at
f/14. "Fill-flash" at zero with the Better Beamer.
The 400 DO/1.4X II TC/7D combination is lightweight and deadly;
it offers an equivalent focal length of 896mm, a shade under 18X
magnification. And with IS it is easily hand-holdable in a variety of
situations. Notice that even at f/14 the bill tip is not even close to
being in focus.... In the 7D User's Guide you will learn which 7D
Custom Function is set so as to save my butt when using the 400 DO....
CANON EOS-7D USER'S
GUIDE INFO
I spent 8 hours a day last week locked in my
lonely writer’s garret working on the long-awaited 7D User’s Guide. The
first draft was pretty much finished by Friday evening. Many of the folks who
subscribe to the RSS or e-mail blog notifications at
www.BIRDSASART-Blog.com took advantage of a $5.00 discount by purchasing a
pre-publication copy. And many of them e-mailed corrections and
suggestions for improvement that were incorporated in the 2nd draft that was
e-mailed to all purchasers on Sunday.
I can honestly say that the 7D guide is
amazing. Pretty much everything on the 7D is brand new and many folks have
been seen shaking their heads in confusion. Learn everything that you
need to know about setting up and operating your camera so that you are able
to consistently produce the images that you want. This all new guide
will open your eyes as to the possibilities. I share all of my Menu and
Custom Function settings along with the reasons for each choice. I describe
each of the five AF Area Selection Modes in detail and let you know which ones
I use for what and why! And I have written a totally new section
on making micro-adjustments. There is a ton of stuff in this guide that
you will never see or hear anywhere else.
You will, for example, learn how I create, save and use three different
personalized Camera User Settings. Or how to set up and use Live View
for a variety of nature photography applications. The entire guide is of
course written in my easy to read, easy to follow, designed for dunces how-to
style <smile> So easy that even a child could follow along. Do note
that 7D UG does not cover the creation of video.
The first edition of the Canon EOS-7D User’s Guide
PDF will be e-mailed no later than Thursday, April 8. Updates--there
will be at least one--will always be free.
The 7D User's Guide (7D UG) will sell for $30 if
you send a check or a PayPal or if you call with a credit card in hand.
If you purchase the 7D UG through the BAA On-line store, a $2.00 discount will
be applied. Order your copy today for only $28 through the store by clicking
here:
https://store.birdsasart.com/shop/item.aspx?itemid=285.
Laysan Albatross, tight flight, Bulky Dump, Sand Island, Midway Atoll NWR
Image copyright 2010/Arthur Morris/BIRDS
AS ART
Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS lens (handheld at 200mm) with the EOS-7D. ISO
400: 1/1250 sec. at f/4 set manually. Exposure confirmed via histogram
check.
The 70-200 f/4L IS lens and the 7D make an
effective lightweight combination. When there are relatively tame
birds around that rig will usually be on my shoulder or in my hands.
The 7D offers five AF Area Selection modes; in the guide, you will learn
which one I prefer for flight photography.
CANON EOS-1D MARK IV
USER'S GUIDE INFO
The long-awaited but as-yet still unwritten Mark
IV User's Guide should be finished by this coming Friday <smile> I
will be on it as soon as I finish this Bulletin. We should be e-mailing the
completed PDF file by next Tuesday, April 13th at the latest. As the MIV
is in many ways similar to the Canon EOS-1D MIII camera body, preparing this
guide will not be as much work as preparing the 7D Guide was <another
smile> It will be fairly comprehensive, covering all menu items and
Custom Functions except those dealing with creating video. And as
always, the Mark IV UG will be written in my easy to read, easy to understand
style.
The Mark IV User's Guide will sell for $25, $23
for all orders placed through the BAA On-line store. As we have kept you
waiting for too long we are offering a $5.00 discount on pre-orders placed
through the BAA On-Line store only. To pre-order your copy and save $5.00 off
of the $23 price, click here:
https://store.birdsasart.com/shop/item.aspx?itemid=286. Only
18 bucks after the smoke clears! (We will
not be accepting phone orders, PayPals, or checks until Wednesday, April 14th.
(Note: as above, there will always be an incentive for ordering the User's
Guides through the on-line store.)
Vermillion Flycatcher, singing male, Las
Lazos Ranch, Laredo, TX
Image copyright 2010/Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Canon 800mm f/5,6L IS lens with the 1.4X II TC and the EOS-1D MIV. ISO
400: Evaluative metering +1 2/3 stops: 1/250 sec. at f/8. Fill flash
at -1 2/3 stops with Better Beamer.
THE LAREDO TRIP REPORT
It was not surprising that there were lots of
great folks in Laredo, TX last week, and lots of bird photographers. The
Laredo Birding and Photography Festival took place from March 24-27 and the
kick-off for the 2010 ICF (Images for Conservation Fund) Pro Tour March
26-27: http://www.imagesforconservation.org/2010+Pro-Tour. You
can learn more about the ICF here:
http://www.imagesforconservation.org/front. At the Pro-Tour dinner on
that Friday night I met two great photographers from the Netherlands, Jasper
Doest and Krijn Trimbos. The three of us had been on-line friends for years.
We had much too much fun over the next two days. For the complete
and hilarious story of this meeting see my BPN thread "Crying and the Douche
Bag" here:
http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=60639. In
addition I met some really sweet and knowledgeable folks including Carrol
Henderson from Minnesota and local birder Roy J. Rodriguez. Both were
seriously involved in educating children about birds and nature so the three
of us had a lot in common. Roy is a superb naturalist; on a ranch visit
he answered every one of my questions about the birds, the flowers, the trees,
the river, the geology, and about the history of the area without batting an
eyelash. Roy is a superb birding guide; you can contact him at
rjrodz@aol.com. And Carrol and I
hope to hook up in his home state for some great bird photography.
Green Parakeet, Laredo, TX
Image copyright 2010/Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Canon 800mm f/5,6L IS lens with the 1.4X II TC and the EOS-1D MIV.
ISO 400: Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/400 sec. at f/10.
This species has recently been expanding its range northward from
Mexico. Thanks a ton to Blasita Lopez of the Laredo Convention and
Visitors Bureau for inviting me to the festival and for helping me find a
flock of these beauties.
CHARLOTTE HARBOR, FL WILDLIFE & KAYAK FESTIVAL PROGRAMS/PUT THIS DATE
ON YOUR CALENDAR
I will be doing two programs this
coming Saturday, April 10, 2010. The morning program (10:30am until noon), "A
Bird Photographer's Story," is being sponsored by Canon USA/Explorers of
Light. It will include lots tips for making better images. The afternoon
session (1:30 till 3:00pm) will cover the BIRDS AS ART Digital Workflow with
lots of great Photoshop tips. You can learn more by clicking here:
http://www.charlotteharbortravel.com/events/moreinfo.php?Event_ID=24471&pMonth=April
I look forward to seeing many of you there. I will be bringing along a small
selection of books, CDs, and photographic accessories. If you would like
me to bring something specific for you, please e-mail me asap at
birdsasart@att.net
Black-footed Albatross
in flight, Sand Island, Midway Atoll NWR
Image copyright 2010/Arthur
Morris/BIRDS AS ART
Canon 400mm f/4 IS DO lens with the EOS-7D. ISO 400.
Evaluative metering +2 stops off the sky: 1/1000 sec. at f/5.6 set
manually. Exposure confirmed via histogram check.
The 400 DO and the 7D are a
great combination for flight photography. As detailed in the 7D User's
Guide, I love
Auto Selection 19-point AF for a variety of
situations (including birds in flight). Do check out the original
capture below.
Immediately above is
the original as it looked when it came out of the camera. In
six minutes in Photoshop I transformed the correctly exposed though washed
out-looking image above into the handsome photograph above it. I used
a variety of techniques that are detailed in Digital Basics:
https://store.birdsasart.com/shop/category.aspx?catid=32.
These included Levels, Curves, Hue Saturation and Selective Color
Adjustments, using Refine Edge to protect selection edges and to get
them looking just as I want them, making selections and targeted
adjustments, using Linear Burn to darken the sky, running Photoshop Noise
Reduction, and selectively sharpening the bird only with a Contrast Mask.
In addition,
Digital Basics will teach you how and why to expose to the right.
ROBERT O'TOOLE MIDWAY
VIDEOS
Sorry that the links to Robert O'Toole's killer Midway video clips in the last
Bulletin did not work. We will try again now <smile>
Breezebrowser Screen Capture, Sandhill Crane adult with young, Indian
Lake Estates, FL
Image copyright 2010/Arthur Morris/BIRDS
AS ART
Canon 70-200mm f/4 L IS lens with the 1.4X II TC (handheld at 280 mm) with the
EOS-7D. Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/500 sec. at f/8.
I love how you can watch the focus points
shift when using AI Servo
Auto Selection 19-point AF. Heck, simply switching from one Area
Selection AF mode to another can be a challenge with the 7D. The BAA 7D
User's Guide will teach you to set up and use your new body confidently and
efficiently. The optimized image is below.
POSSE NEWS/ROBERT
O'TOOLE
Hungary Bird Photography
Workshop #2: May 8-15, 2010. 7 Days: $3899. See
the Late Registration Discount info below. (Limit 4: openings:
1)
Bee-eaters, European Rollers, raptors and more great birds in
Hungary with Robert O'Toole. This
central European country is known as one of the top tourist destinations in
the world but it also offers some of the most amazing bird photography
opportunities on the planet. Based in the Kiskunsági National Park
(2 hours south of Budapest) we will be visiting 14
established hides--10 within a radius of 1.2 miles--during the peak
season bee-eaters, rollers, kestrel--all nesting, displaying, and mating.
Bee eaters spend an enormous time in front of the set ups offering food to
their mates: bees, wasps, butterflies and dragonflies. All right on
our perches. Some bee eaters have been known to catch as many as 250 bees
per day. Rollers will perch prominently while hunting and the male will feed
the female about every 20 minutes with insects, rodents, snakes, lizards and
frogs of all kinds. There will also be chances to photograph Golden Oriole,
Cuckoo, Spoonbill, Squacco Heron, White-tailed Eagle, Goshawk, Sparrowhawk,
Hawfinch and much more. There is a good chance this year for nesting
Hoopoe!
Both of these workshops had been sold out for some
time. Because of a recent cancellation Robert is able to offer a $900
Late Registration Discount brings the cost of
this great workshop down to $2999.
Please
contact Robert at robert@robertotoolephotography.com to register
or for more information.
European Bee-eater Hungary,
Central Europe
Image Copyright 2009: Robert O'Toole Photography
Nikkor 500mm f/4G ED VR with TC-14E 1.7x II Teleconverter and Nikon D300 with
MB-D10, ISO 400. Manual metering on zero: 1/000 sec. at f/8.0.
This bird caught the dragonfly in
midair and is now displaying it to attract a potential mate.
BALD EAGLE SUMMER WORKSHOP: June 18-22, 2010 (slide program on the
evening of June 17.) 5-FULL DAYS: $2749. LIMIT: 10. Two
in-the-field photography sessions per day (weather permitting of course) in
all natural areas away from civilization and only accessible by charter boat.
$800 deposit required, full payment due by May 18th.
The workshop location is like a dream: cooperative eagles in natural settings
away from civilization in soft warm summer light. You will not believe the
opportunities that will present themselves on this workshop. We will
photograph eagles in flight, perched on natural driftwood, in small spruce
trees, and on rocky shores and beaches. Eagles of all ages will be engaged in
a variety of behaviors including displaying, fishing, flying, and feeding.
Please contact Robert at
robert@robertotoolephotography.com to register or for more information.
See the images from Robert's Homer trip last February on his new website
(right now in a beta form):
http://www.robertotoole.com/galleries/latest-images/
Bald
Eagle inverted bank, Katchemak Bay, near Homer Alaska
Image Copyright 2009: Robert O'Toole Photography
Nikon D700 with Sigma 100-300 F4 EX @175mm, ISO 500. Manual metering
mode.1/2000 sec. at f/8. Hand held..
This bird was about to begin a power dive.
POSSE NEWS/AL & FABS FORNS
St.
Augustine Alligator Farm Workshop, May 14 to 16, 2010. Limit: 6.
3-DAYS: $850. (does not
include lodging, meals, or ground transportation).
Join creative photographers Al and Fabs Forns at the
Alligator Farm for a week-end of fun while you learn and practice. We will
cover flight photography techniques, subject isolation, how to make good use
of habitat, portraits and a creative approach. In the classroom, we'll cover
Photoshop and Lightroom workflows and tips, and the use of artistic filters
to enhance your images. There will also be critiques of your work. Six
in-the-field and three classroom sessions. Maximum of 6 participants. Take
advantage of a very small group and personal attention.
Price is $850 per person that includes only instruction. Lodging, meals
transportation and entry fee are your responsibility.
E-mail fabs@avianscapes for
more information or to reserve a spot today!
POSSE
NEWS/TODD GUSTAFSON
Kenya Big Game
Safari/Rwanda for Gorilla Trekking
Gustafson
Photo Safari invites you to join the 2010 Kenya Big Game Safari!
This itinerary concentrates on the two most prolific parks for big
game photography in
Kenya:
Samburu and Maasai Mara. We will spend 7 days in each of these
remarkable destinations. Flights to and from the parks will
minimize travel time and maximize in the field photography time.
The arid, sub Saharan
region of Samburu is home to many unique animals and birds.
Gerenuk, baisa oryx, vulturine guinea fowl, Somali ostrich are just a
few. Take a look at
http://www.youtube.com/gustaphoto#p/a/u/1/67dKIdyDCFY
for HD video footage of Gustafson Photo Safari in Samburu. The
last 5 years have shown a remarkable increase in the frequency and
consistency of the
Mara
River crossings.
HD footage of wildebeest crossings and the Maasai Mara’s spectacular
wildlife has just been posted.
http://www.youtube.com/gustaphoto.
Also, enjoy the Mara Crossings
article available at:
http://www.gustafsonphotosafari.net/wp-content/uploads/migration2.pdf. On
my website you can also check the images from past safaris:
http://www.gustafsonphotosafari.net/?page_id=53
Kenya Big Game Safari: $11,999.00
per person double occupancy.
Please note that in an effort to keep
prices down I have worked with my land operators to run this safari at
2008 prices!
July
28 Depart US
July
29 Nairobi
Serena
Jul 30 – Aug
4 Samburu Serena – 6 nights
Aug 5 – 11
Mara Serena – 7 nights -plus you have the AM of August 12
for game drive
August
12
Nairobi Serena
Rwanda for Gorilla Trekking
Price $7,600.00
Aug
13-15 Mountain Gorillas View Lodge –
2 days for gorilla trekking
August 16
Kigale Serena – morning excursion for trekking the Golden Monkey
and transfer to Kigale afterwards
August 17
Flight to NBO to connect back home
August 18
Arrive home
Todd Gustafson. (847)298-8351.
E-mail:
gustaphoto@aol.com.
Web site:
www.gustafsonphotosafari.net
CANON EOS-1Ds MARK II FOR SALE
David McNicholas is offering a used
Canon EOS-1 Ds Mark II 16.7 mp digital camera (Firmware 1.1.6) in
excellent condition for
$1795. Sale includes all the original equipment, the original box,
packing, cables, battery charger, the Instruction Manual, an extra camera
battery and a 4gb memory card. The buyer pays shipping and
insurance: asking $1795
Note from artie: The 1Ds II
was my favorite camera body for more than two years.
IPT UPDATES
BOSQUE del APACHE 2010 IPT:
�The Complete Bosque Experience.� NOV 20-26,
2010. Slide program on the evening of Friday, NOV 19. 7-FULL
DAYS: $3199. (Non-refundable deposit: $500; see details below.)
Limit: 10/Openings: 6.
Co-leaders: Robert O�Toole, Jim Heupel, and multiple BBC Wildlife
Photographer of the Year honoree Chris Van Rooyen of South Africa (http://www.wildlifephotography.co.za/). Live,
eat, and breathe photography with one of (if not the) world's premier
photographic educators at one of his very favorite locations on the planet.
Plus great co-leaders and top-notch Photoshop instruction.
San Diego
IPT JAN, 2011. DATES TBA.
5 Full Days: $2499 (Limit 8/Openings:
6). I
will announce the dates once I get a look at a tide table. I already
have two deposits even without a firm date!
Slide
program on the evening before the first day of the IPT. A fully refundable
$500 deposit now will hold your spot until the dates are announced.
Once the dates are announced let me know either way. If you opt in,
then your deposit will become non-refundable and you will be asked to
complete the registration and release forms. Brown Pelicans, Wood and
Ring-necked Ducks, Western and Heerman's Gulls, Marbled Godwits, and lots,
lots more.
SW FLA
PRESIDENT'S WEEK IPT: 2011 DATES TBA: $2899.. (Limit 10). If
you would like your name placed on the interested list for this
IPT, please e-mail me at birdsasart@att.net.
Or send me a deposit as below <smile> Same story as above on the
dates: I am waiting for the publication of the tide tables.
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 only) 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:
http://www.travelinsure.com/what/selecthigh.asp?32940. Do note
that many plans require that you purchase your travel insurance within
14 days of our cashing your deposit check of running your credit card.
We regret that we must implement this new policy but we have been
plagued by last minute cancellations that make it impossible for others
to participate and deprive us of essential income. In addition,
these policies protect you against unexpected developments, injuries, or
illnesses.
Important note: please print, fill out, and sign
the registration and release forms and include them with your deposit
check (made out to "Arthur Morris." ) If you use a credit card to
register, please fill out, sign, and mail the two forms asap. Your
registration will not be complete until we receive your paper work.
You can find the forms here:
http://www.birdsasart.com/Registration%20and%20Release%20Forms.pdf.
ROBERT
O'TOOLE PHOTOGRAPHY HOMER BALD EAGLE INSTRUCTIONAL PHOTO-TOUR WITH
ARTHUR MORRI/BIRDS AS ART.
March
18-22, 2011 & March 24-28.
5-FULL DAYS: $3249. Limit: 12 (including the leaders).
Both of these trips sold out with long
waiting lists within hours after being announced to the BAA Friends
List. The Friends List is made up of IPT veterans who fit in the
happy camper category. If you have been on an IPT and would like
your name added to the BAA Friends List, please e-mail me at
birdsasart@att.net and include a
short note.
Best and great
picture-making,
artie
Note:
Arthur Morris has been a paid Canon contract
photographer, part of the Explorers of Light program, 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 that may be accessed here:
http://www.birdsasart.com/bn.html
