My Two Favorites from the Land-based Falklands IPT

[Arthur Morris]

Image #1: Black-browed Albatross yawning in golden light

This image was created on January 6, 2019 at Rookery Cabin on Saunders Island. I used the hand Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR lens (https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/936121-REG/nikon_80_400mm_f_4_5_5_6g_ed_vr.html/BI/6633/KBID/7226/kw/NI8040045GED/DFF/d10-v2-t1-xNI8040045GED) (at 260mm) and my souped up Nikon D850. (https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1351688-REG/nikon_d850_dslr_camera_body.html/BI/6633/KBID/7226/kw/NID850/DFF/d10-v2-t1-xNID850) ISO 500. Matrix metering at zero: 1/1600 sec. at f/8. NATURAL AUTO WB at about 7pm on a clear day.

Nikon Focus Peaking fine-tune value: +5. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here (http://birdsasart-shop.com/the-nikon-af-fine-tune-e-guide/).

Center Group (grp) AF point/Continuous (C in Nikon/AI Servo with Canon) AF was active at the moment of exposure. The array was centered on the spot where the upper and lower mandible met. I added a sliver of canvas after leveling this image with the Ruler Tool as detailed in Digital Basics II (http://birdsasart-shop.com/the-birds-as-art-current-workflow-e-guide-digital-basics-ii/).

Learn more about the creation of this image and our amazing three week trip in the blog post here (http://www.birdsasart-blog.com/2019/01/13/made-it-back-to-santiago-chile-and-my-two-very-favorite-images-from-the-falkland-land-based-ipt-scrambled-egg-for-dinner-and-yawning-albatross/).

I could not decide which of these two images I liked best so I decided to post them both and let y'all decide which one is better and why.

with love, artie

[Arthur Morris]

This image was created on Christmas Day 2018 at The Neck on Saunders Island. I used the handNikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR lens (https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1431717-REG/nikon_20082_af_s_nikkor_500mm_f_5_6e.html/BI/6633/KBID/7226/kw/NI50056E/DFF/d10-v2-t1-xNI50056E) and my souped upNikon D850. (https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1351688-REG/nikon_d850_dslr_camera_body.html/BI/6633/KBID/7226/kw/NID850/DFF/d10-v2-t1-xNID850) ISO 400. The exposure was set for incoming rockhopper penguins at 1/2000 sec. at f/6.3 NATURAL AUTO WB at 6:44pm on a relatively sunny day.

Nikon Focus Peaking fine-tune value: +3. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here (http://birdsasart-shop.com/the-nikon-af-fine-tune-e-guide/).

Center Group (grp) AF point/Continuous (C in Nikon/AI Servo with Canon) AF was active at the moment of exposure. Though the upper AF point in the array was on the side of the gull’s breast (my bad) as originally framed, the image was sharp on the eye.

Learn more about the creation of this image and our amazing three week trip in the blog post here (http://www.birdsasart-blog.com/2019/01/13/made-it-back-to-santiago-chile-and-my-two-very-favorite-images-from-the-falkland-land-based-ipt-scrambled-egg-for-dinner-and-yawning-albatross/).

I could not decide which of these two images I liked best so I decided to post them both and let y'all decide which one is better and why.

with love, artie

[Krishna Prasad kotti]

Beautiful Images. I read the blogs...

I like the shot with the eye more...

Congratulations on the capture...

[dankearl]

The first one is just outstanding...Sharpness and exposure perfect.
I would clean up the eye just a bit is my only nit.

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks Dan. I am unsure as to what you are suggesting that I clean up with the eye.

with love, artie

[dankearl]

Art, just a bit of muddiness above the catchlight I might eliminate.. I would also enlarge the catchlight a tad.
Very minor on an excellent image.
If it was not such a large headshot, it would be hard to notice.

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks Dan. I will take a closer look.

with love, artie

[Isaac Grant]

Welcome back Artie. Looks like you had yet another amazing experience. Super happy for you. The gull with the falling egg is super cool but I prefer the beautiful close up of the albatross. Would not change a thing. Have been going back and forth on the 80-400. Now that I have the 600 and the 500PF I just can not think of very many times that I would use it. How do you like it compared to the Canon 100-400 ii? Think it is worth having in the bag for when you need a zoom?

[William Dickson]

Yes, the first one for me as well...Love the whites and that open bill is fab. Great control of the blacks v whites on the second image. Reminds me of a gull I was photographing dropping mussels onto the harbour in an attempt to break them open. Anyhoo I like them both :S3:

Will

[David Roach]

Hi Artie,
I beleive the referred to muddiness is part of the skies reflection (clouds, I think). My vote is leave as is.
Peace,
David

[Arthur Morris]

Welcome back Artie. Looks like you had yet another amazing experience. Super happy for you. The gull with the falling egg is super cool but I prefer the beautiful close up of the albatross. Would not change a thing. Have been going back and forth on the 80-400. Now that I have the 600 and the 500PF I just can not think of very many times that I would use it. How do you like it compared to the Canon 100-400 ii? Think it is worth having in the bag for when you need a zoom?

Jeez. I typed a long response to this this afternoon but screwed up posting it so I will try to recreate it here :(

Thanks. And yes, my great blessings continue.

As for the 80-400, did you use your Canon 100-400 II for much besides flight? If yes, you will miss not having the 80-400. Both of those are great for bird-scapes, Bosque flock blurs, large flowers, scenics, quasi-macro stuff and both are invaluable when working with very tame birds (as I am often privileged to do). Being able to zoom out when the albatross yawned allowed me to make the image ... The 80-400 focuses closer than the 500 PF with a magnification of 0.20X as compared to only 0.18X for the 500mm. I do often miss the close focus of the Canon 100-400 II (.98 meters with a magnification of 0.31X!).

So as usual it is up to the photographer as to which lenses they need in their personal gear bag ...


with love a

[Daniel Cadieux]

I've been on a tight portrait kick the past little while, so the first image really grabbed my attention. The second is cool for the behaviour, but the first has more punch for me. Nice whites and details.

[Dorian Anderson]

As unique is the second one, I am very partial to the perfectly exposed and razor sharp first. I'm a huge headshot fan and albatrosses are
my favorite birds, so that combo with the action sits well with me.

[John Mack]

Both are very nice. The egg one takes the cake for me. Bird looks very concentrated on that egg. Details on the yawn are fantastic.

[Isaac Grant]

I did use the 100-400 ii. Not nearly as much as my 500 and 600 f4's but I used it. In Florida is was invaluable. Not too often in NY that I have anything that close or that tame but are times I can see the value of having it. Then there are always the problem of what lens to carry and bring with you when you have a 2 or 3 lens system. But I think I will get it for those limited times where I need it. Thanks as always.

[arash_hazeghi]

very cool Artie, love the close up details and the second one with the egg.

Did you get your 500PF yet?

[Arthur Morris]

very cool Artie, love the close up details and the second one with the egg.

Did you get your 500PF yet?

Thanks Arash. That is how I feel :) And yes, I brought my very own 500 PF to the Falklands. I used the 80-400 and the 500 PF more than 95% of the time even though I had the 600 f/4 VR with me ...

with love, artie

[Arthur Morris]

I did use the 100-400 ii. Not nearly as much as my 500 and 600 f4's but I used it. In Florida is was invaluable. Not too often in NY that I have anything that close or that tame but are times I can see the value of having it. Then there are always the problem of what lens to carry and bring with you when you have a 2 or 3 lens system. But I think I will get it for those limited times where I need it. Thanks as always.

Yuppers. You will probably wind up with the 80-400 at some point. I forgot to mention that lenses in this class are great for skimmer blurs at Nickerson and great for flight with large birds in flight like the pelicans in San Diego. I am headed there FRI and am not even home yet. I am in MIA after my red-eye from Santiago, Chile last night. Knackered for sure.

with love, artie

[annmpacheco]

Welcome back Artie, the albatross with the details and open beak stole my heart, love it! And that dropped egg really has an "awe" factor, so love that one as well. I have 3 frames of a common tern with the egg coming out in flight and it will always be a mystery if the egg landed safely!

[Paul Burdett]

Hi Artie. Good to see your images as always. They always inspire me!

[David Salem]

That Albie is gorgeous!! Love the detail that 850 captures and your exposre and colors look great. Very nice Artie

[gail bisson]

First one for me.
The IQ rocks and I love the color of the blue water.
I wish the lighter band of blue was not at the top of the frame but this is not a big deal.
As you like to say, the whites "are killer",
Gail

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks Gail. I hate that strip of sky as well, a product of having to zoom out while being low enough to keep my shadow off the bird's head ...

with love, artie

[Alex Becker]

Late to the party so can only really echo everyone else. Love both of them. I think my favorite is the close up. Great detail and exposure. The feathers along the mouth are awesome. TFS, looking forward to seeing more

[Ian McLachlan]

Like almost everyone I think the close up simply superb.
But in regard to the second. I don't think you can have the teleconverter on the and be at 6.3 using the Nikon PF. 500 lens, Unless I have misunderstood the info ,if the converter [TC14EIII ] was on the PF then it has to be at f8 . So my question is --was converter ON at f8 or oFF at f6.3? .What is so important about this is whether or not the PF is good enough at 700mm for fast BIF. Say- peregrines .I am hoping that we will get an answer to that soon from the new HH users who have this gear as we cannot even buy the lens in Aust. yet. You seem to have had a great time down there.

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks Ian. You are of course correct. This was with the 500 alone. I caught that error on the blog and fixed it. And thanks to you, fixed it here as well. It is nearly impossible to get this lens anywhere ... I have done some flight with the TC-E14 ...

with love, arite

[Ian McLachlan]

Thanks Artie. Well like a few others I'm hoping that the 500 pf is sharp /sharp at 700mm . It would solve a lot of problems as one's muscle power inevitably vaporises .Look forward to those frames.
Ian

[Arthur Morris]

Ian, It is super sharp at 700mm. Just not sure how good it might be for peregrines. Heck, it was sharp with the Emperor Penguin chicks on a tripod with the TC-E17 ...

with love, artie