Happy New Year!!! Hopefully, we all get to enjoy this new year to the fullest. Today, I am presenting a few more images from the Sarasota Bay, at the same location where the June Black Skimmers colony tour will take place. If you like what see, consider this as a potential addition to the Black Skimmers 🙂
ISO 400 | f/4.0 | 1/4000 sec. | Manual mode | AF-C Zone Focus Area
Sony 600mm f/4 GM OSS with the Sony Alpha 1
The image above is a Royal Tern flapping its wings after bathing. Note that I took care to incorporate the full water ripples from the surface. After a bit more experience with the Sony Alpha 1 AF, I decided to abandon assessing exposure with Zebras. I realized that the image displayed in the view finder is quite sufficient to assess if one is over or under exposing and the Zebras can be very distracting. While using Zebras might still be a good starting point for beginners, experienced photographers can easily do without and enjoy better visibility in the view finder.
ISO 250 | f/4.0 | 1/4000 sec. | Manual mode | AF-C Zone Focus Area
Sony 600mm f/4 GM OSS with the Sony Alpha 1
Yes, it is indeed a small shrimp in the beak of the Black bellied Plover in flight above! The Sony Alpha 1 AF performance is quite astounding. Not only it acquires focus fast on the eye of the bird, but the camera actually locks focus very well during the entire action sequence. This is light years better than what the old Canon 1DX mark II used to do. The switch to Sony was pricey, but absolutely worth it!
ISO 320 | f/4.0 | 1/4000 sec. | Manual mode | AF-C Zone Focus Area
Sony 600mm f/4 GM OSS with the Sony Alpha 1
I am very pleased with the symmetry of the wings in this landing. While I usually do not pay that much attention to gulls, they also can offer a nice action display. The key is to be well positioned! Having a fast burst rate also greatly helps to capture just the right moment from the action. This is especially important in bird photography.
Ospreys / Spoonbills mix Photography Tour – $1,390
March 26th-27th 2022 / limit 5 people – Full
April 23rd-24th 2022 / limit 5 people – 1 open
3 shoots and 1 over-the-shoulder Photoshop tutoring => 2 boat-based Osprey shoots at the Vero Beach Cypress Lake + 1 land-based Spoonbills shoot at a local rookery. $250 deposit. Send me an email at steven@stevenbirdphotography.com .
Tampa Bay Spoonbills Rookery Photography Tour – $1,490
January 29th-30th 2022 / limit 5 people – Full
February 26th-27th 2022 / limit 5 people – 1 open
3 shoots and 1 over-the-shoulder Photoshop tutoring => 3 shoots at the Tampa Bay Spoonbills rookery. We typically shoot while wading in the water in the mornings and from the boat in the afternoon. $250 deposit. Send me an email at steven@stevenbirdphotography.com .
Black Skimmers Colony Photography Workshop – $1,090
June 25th-26th 2022 / limit 5 people – 3 open
3 shoots and 1 over-the-shoulder Photoshop tutoring => 3 shoots at the Sarasota Bay Black Skimmers colony. We shoot along the beach, where the nesting colony is easily accessible. $250 deposit. Send me an email at steven@stevenbirdphotography.com .