Renowned photographer Arthur Morris is a freelance nature photographer, teacher, and writer specializing in birds. He is widely recognized as one of the world’s premier bird photographers, photographic educators, and tour leaders. His images, published the world over, are noted for both their artistic design and their technical excellence. His fitting credit line: Birds As Art. Eight of his images have been honored in various BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year competitions and many more have been honored in the Nature’s Best contests.
We are thrilled to have Arthur joining us at our Photo Expo in Memphis next week! It’s not too late to grab your tickets for an exclusive private class. Read on for a look behind the lens of the master. We’re highlighting some recent images he has captured with the Nikon D850.
This image was created on the evening of March 31, 2018 near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. I used the handheld Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR lens (at 400mm) with the Nikon D850. ISO 1600. Matrix metering + 3 stops off the sky set manually: 1/1600 sec. at f/6.3. Nikon Focus peaking AF fine-tune: +9. Center Group (grp) AF as originally framed. AWB at 5:35pm on a cloudy afternoon.
This image was created on the morning of April 9, 2018 at the Riparian Preserve at the Gilbert Water Ranch in Phoenix, AZ. I used the Induro GIT 304L/Mongoose M3.6-mounted Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4E FL ED VR lens, the Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III, and the Nikon D850. ISO 1000. Matrix metering +2/3 stops as framed: 1/500 sec. at f/6.3. AUTO1 WB at 6:42am on a partly overcast morning.
Center Group (grp) AF point/Shutter button AF was active at the moment of exposure. The left hand AF point in the array was right on the bird’s face. Focus peaking AF Fine-tune: +6.
This image was created on the morning of Friday, February 16, 2018. I used the Induro GIT 304L/Mongoose M3.6-mounted Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4E FL ED VR lens, the Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III, and the blazingly fast AF king, the Nikon D5 DSLR (Dual XQD Slots). ISO 400. Matrix metering at about – 1 2/3 stops: 1/2500 sec. at f/7.1 AUTO0 WB at 8:52am on a clear day. Nikon Automatic AF fine-tune: +8. Center Group (grp) Shutter Button AF as originally framed.
This image was created on February 10, 2018 on Cayman Brac with the handheld Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR lens (at 290mm) and the blazingly fast professional digital camera body, the Nikon D5 DSLR camera body with dual XQD slots. ISO 400. Matrix metering probably at zero: 1/1600 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode. AWB at 8:29am on a clear sunny day. Group/Shutter Button AF.
This image was created on the morning of Tuesday, February 20, 2018 while standing thigh deep in Tampa Bay next to James Shadle’s customized pontoon boat, the Hooptie Deux. I used the Induro GIT 304L/Mongoose M3.6-mounted Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4E FL ED VR lens, the Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III, and the Nikon D850. Auto ISO (2800). Matrix metering +1.7 stops as originally framed in S mode (Tv in Canon): 1/1000 sec. at f/5.6. K7690 WB at 6:58am with some fog on the eastern horizon. Center Group (grp) Shutter Button AF.
This image was created on the morning of March 5, 2018 at the Gilbert Water Ranch Riparian Preserve in Phoenix, AZ. I used the Induro GIT 304L/Mongoose M3.6-mounted Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4E FL ED VR lens and the Nikon D850. ISO 400. Matrix metering at -1/3 stop: 1/3200 sec. at f/6.3. AUTO1 WB at 7:20am on a clear day. Nikon Automatic AF fine-tune: +6. Center Group (grp) Shutter Button AF as originally framed.
This image was created on the 2018 Spoonbill Instructional Photo Tour on the morning of Friday, February 25, 2018. I used the Induro GIT 304L/Mongoose M3.6-mounted Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4E FL ED VR lens, the Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III, and the blazingly fast AF king, the Nikon D5 DSLR (Dual XQD Slots). ISO 1600. Matrix metering at about – 2/3 stop: 1/1250 sec. at f/7.1 AUTO1 WB at 8:11am on a clear day. Nikon Automatic AF fine-tune: +8. Center Group (grp) Shutter Button AF as originally framed.
This image was created on the last morning of the 2nd 2018 San Diego Instructional Photo Tour with the handheld Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR lens (at 500mm) and the mega mega-pixel Nikon D850 DSLR. ISO 400. Matrix metering: 1/4000 sec. at f/6.3 in Manual mode was about zero exposure compensation as framed. AWB at 8:22am in early morning light. Group (grp)/Shutter Button AF.
This image was created at La Jolla, CA on the first 2018 San Diego Instructional Photo Tour with the hand held Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR lens (at 200mm) and the blazingly fast Nikon D5 DSLR.. ISO 800. Matrix metering +2 2/3 stops off the water: 1/2500 sec. at f/5.6 in Manual mode. AWB at 4:22pm in on a cloudy afternoon. Group (grp)/Shutter Button AF.
This image was created at Gatorland in Kissimmee, FL on the foggy morning of Sunday, February 18 with the hand held Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR lens (at 500mm) and the Nikon D850. ISO 800: Matrix metering plus 2 1/3 stops off the foggy sky: 1/1000 sec. at f/6.3 in M (Manual) mode. AWB at 8:40am. Center Group (grp) Shutter Button AF as originally framed.
Artie’s book, “The Art of Bird Photography,” is the classic how-to work on the subject. The follow-up concentrates on the digital aspects of nature photography and was released in 2006 to rave reviews. Arthur was one of the original Canon “Explorers of Light.” After using Canon gear for 35 years, he switched to Nikon early in 2018.
A popular speaker, he has conducted more than 400 slide programs and seminars over the past 30 years. He currently travels, photographs, teaches, and speaks his way across North America and the world while leading more than a dozen each year. To learn more about Artie, visit his amazing, nearly daily (he is on a streak of more than 260 days in a row in mid-April 2018) educational blog.
Questions? Artie will be checking back here regularly; if you have a question, please feel free to leave a comment.
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