It's Been Great, But Time Goes On ...

[Arthur Morris]

Artie, why write 100 words when five will do. There is no time limit Artie to commenting, I'm think you should.

Steve, I am not sure as to what you mean. Perhaps use some more words to explain what you mean.

The time limit is on how long I have to live, with so many things more I still want to do.

You Think that I should do what?

with love, artie

ps: As infrequently as I have spent time on the Avian forum in the past few years, when I did get on, I would spend at least and hour doing critiques and reposts.

 

[Arthur Morris]

Hey Artie, I may not have been around for a while, but I am still around. I too, learnt a lot on BPN, and I thank you for such a great platform. Way back, it was a privilege to have been asked to become an avian Mod, and I enjoyed the interaction. All the very best for the future.

Thanks, Stu, for your kind words and your help.

with love, artie

 

[Steve Kaluski]

Comment on the Beaver posting Artie.

 

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks for everything you've done for BPN and for Avian photography Artie.

BPN has massively shaped me as a wildlife photographer and I am forever grateful!!!

And quite the bird photographer you have become. It has, therefore, been my pleasure. The best fun was getting to throw a pass to you, no matter how pathetic.

with love, a

ps: great to see you active here again.

 

[Arthur Morris]

Comment on the Beaver posting Artie.

Shoot me the link

a

 

[Arthur Morris]

Hi Dave,

re:

Experience is everything in life. I did macro (Insects & Arachnids) for near 15 years. Now my eyes aren't good enough to tell if the subject's eyes are sharp in the viewfinder. So, I moved to birds.

Agree. Have you tried focus peaking with the R3 for macro? It would surely help.

I'm using a R3 - wonderful camera and a game changer for me, coming from an older 1DIIn, 60D and 7DII. I'm enjoying my photography more and getting more keepers. In hindsight, I should have went with the R5, but I had concerns over rolling shutter. I use a mark 1 EF 500mm f4 prime, but I am saving my pennies for a EF 600f4 II. And a R5. I plan to keep the R3 and use it mostly for low light rainforest shooting where light is a premium. It's high ISO performance is the best of any modern camera imho. The R5 will be used for the rest of my birding photography. As I am on a fixed income, and I have a variety of health issues that may eventually preclude me from working, I am not sure when I will have the funds for either "upgrade". I take it 1 day at a time.

I shot film for almost two decades. I was a Canon Explorer of Light for 19 years. After trying Nikon for a bit, I am now thrilled to be shooting Sony mirrorless.

I'm based in Brisbane, Australia.

Highlights for me have been seeing both the critically endangered Swift Parrots and Regent Honeyeaters. If you could do a write up on both of them, it may help spread the word about their dire straights and if we can get more voices harassing our minister for conservation to force change to protect both of these beautiful species, even better. Australia has the highest rate of mammal extinction in the world, and birds aren't far behind in this sad statistic. Our conservation act is 1 of the worst in the world and despite it being damned in a recent 2021 report, our government refuses to adopt the recommended changes.

Sounds familiar. It is unfortunate that humans have been doing such a great job trashing our planet for the past few hundred years.

artie

 

[Dave Pastern]

re:

Agree. Have you tried focus peaking with the R3 for macro? It would surely help.

I shot film for almost two decades. I was a Canon Explorer of Light for 19 years. After try8ing Nikon for a bit, I am now thrilled to be shooting Sony mirrorless.

Sounds familiar. It is unfortunate that humans have been doing such a great job trashing out planet for the past few hundred years.

artie

Hey Artie,

No, didn't think of focus peaking. I've just bought some used Takumar lenses (135mm f2.5 6 blade and the "hot" 50mm f1.8 super-multi-coated) so will be using focus peaking with those. I've found Canon's eye tracking AF is pretty good with damselfly eyes.

If I was starting over, I'd probably be shooting Sony. I am far from impressed with many of Canon's decisions that really treat consumers in a not so good way imho.

100% agreed on human activity. We won't be satisfied until we destroy our planet and take every other species with us imho.

Cheers,

Dave

 

[Arthur Morris]

Sony has some great gear but they too couldn't care less about nature photographers. Sadly. There is quite a bit of room for improvement with the camera bodies, nothing that could not be fixed in two minutes with a firmware update.
a

 

[Robert Kimbrell]

View attachment 230238
BPN was born in my living room at Indian Lake Estates, FL sometime in mid 2007. James Shadle (AKA Captain Froggie) was there along with probably four or five other others, one recently deceased. I put up all the start-up money and kept the site going till now. Jim Neiger was there as well. James, Jim, and I are still friends though we don't see each other much anymore, we talk once in a while.

The first post was on 27 December 2007.

Scrolling through the first few weeks of posts I came across many familiar names. Many friends, some clients, too many now dead, many who went on to succeed professionally -- too many in fact to name. Special thanks to Dan Cadieux for his BPN help in recent years, to all the members over the years, and especially, to all the moderators. Without them, no forum would ever amount to anything. I'd be remiss not to mention Avian Moderator Arash Hazeghi; he too has been a good friend for many years and we have done more than a few guides together. Both Dan and Arash developed into incredibly talented photographers as a result of the countless hours they spent on BPN.

I could not find my first post or my first comment, but I went on to write 32,593 of those. As many of you know, I have basically been an absentee owner for the most part for several years. As I am sure that the active folks have figured out by now that BPN changed owners very recently. When Group Builder offered to purchase BPN, I jumped at the chance. I believe the forum is in excellent hands now.

I will still be around on occasion.

Much love, artie
Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

PS: The baby Tricolored Heron was photographed at Gatorland in 2017 with a 105mm with the Canon 100-400 lens and the EOS 5D Mark IV.

Wow Artie.
Thanks for all the time and effort you put into this forum. Also for the past and present moderators. It has been immensely helpful in improving my photographic skills. I have gotten to meet and know so many of the participants over the years. You have all built a great commuity. I do hope it will be able to continue on .
Robert. Kimbrell

 

[Arthur Morris]

Wow Artie.
Thanks for all the time and effort you put into this forum. Also for the past and present moderators. It has been immensely helpful in improving my photographic skills. I have gotten to meet and know so many of the participants over the years. You have all built a great commuity. I do hope it will be able to continue on .
Robert. Kimbrell

Thanks, Rob. Another not-quite-forgotten name from the past. Do you still get to DeSoto on occasion?

with love, artie

 

[arash_hazeghi]

BPN got me into bird photography, and helped me excel in the art beyond just a casual hobby. I started shooting birds in mid 2000's, but it was not until I discovered BPN that I made real measurable progress in bird photography. It was the critique here that taught me about basic concepts like light, head angle, pose and so on. If it weren't for BPN I'd be still shooting steep angle BIF, with pancake wing position flying away against a sky background! I have learned so much from the critique here. I met some of my best long time friends here, Doug Brown, Dave Salem, Joel Ingram, James, and Artie himself to name a few, and I got to meet more members and enjoyed shooting with them as well.

times have changed and the trends of the day have moved from Internet forums to social media, but if you want honest critique this is still the only place that can provide it. I look forward to the IT updates brining the site to the modern era

best
Arash

 

[Arthur Morris]

Well said Arash. Folks have a choice of getting 500 likes on IG or FB or learning something here on BPN.

Life is about choices.

with love, a

 

[Robert Kimbrell]

Thanks, Rob. Another not-quite-forgotten name from the past. Do you still get to DeSoto on occasion?

Yep. I do still shoot @ Desoto. I lost over a year of photograpy as Hurricane Ian trashed my house, but i am now back to birds juss about every weekend.
Hope to see you there one day.
Robert.

 

[Arthur Morris]

Super. I will see you there. Do you know if it is open after Helene?
with love, artie

 

[Dave Pastern]

Sony has some great gear but they too couldn't care less about nature photographers. Sadly. There is quite a bit of room for improvement with the camera bodies, nothing that could not be fixed in two minutes with a firmware update.
a

yeah, wildlife photographers seem to be the unwanted children so to speak. These camera manufacturers only seem to care about fashion, landscape and sports photography.

OM systems is pretty good though. And, they stand by their "weather" sealing unlike Canon, Sony and Nikon.

 

[gail bisson]

Hi Artie,
Just wanted to add my 2 cents worth and thank you for all your hard work and to this awesome critique forum. I am the photographer I am today because of you and all the wonderful members that helped me improve my skills. Take care, Gail

 

[David Pugsley]

Thank you for everything Artie! I too have been largely absent from BPN. I believe, unconsciously, it’s because you haven’t been around much. I so value your critiques. You keep them honest and pertinent. As you said, no 2 points of magenta from you.

BPN and, more importantly, YOU have provided me the education that allows me to make, IMHO, some pretty darn decent images of my favorite feathered friends. While I may not shoot all that often I try to make it count. Your teachings have made that possible.

Looking forward to sharing more time in the field.

Best
Pugs

 

[Richard Waas01]

Hi Artie,
I see your images every now and then on Facebook and Instagram. Now it's nice to see BPN is back and going strong!

 

[Arthur Morris]

Hi Artie,
Just wanted to add my 2 cents worth and thank you for all your hard work and to this awesome critique forum. I am the photographer I am today because of you and all the wonderful members that helped me improve my skills. Take care, Gail

Thanks, Gail. You are one of many whose work is superb.
with love, artie

 

[Arthur Morris]

Thank you for everything Artie! I too have been largely absent from BPN. I believe, unconsciously, it’s because you haven’t been around much. I so value your critiques. You keep them honest and pertinent. As you said, no 2 points of magenta from you.

BPN and, more importantly, YOU have provided me the education that allows me to make, IMHO, some pretty darn decent images of my favorite feathered friends. While I may not shoot all that often I try to make it count. Your teachings have made that possible.

Looking forward to sharing more time in the field.

Best
Pugs

Thanks, Pugs. My pleasure. Don't forget that you taught me a bunch also!

with love, artie