Arthur Morris - Birds As Art : Instructional Photo-Tours
January 19, 1999;
A few years ago, I had the opportunity to go on an Instructional Photo Tour (IPT) with Arthur Morris, one of the best-known bird photographers in the world. His credits include the Stokes Nature Guide covers (most famously of the two Great Blue Herons, where one is passing the other a twig for the nest), but many other covers and centerfolds in Birding, Birder's World, and Outdoor Photographer. I chose the Birds As Art IPT because my main interest is in bird photography, and because of Arthur's reputation.
Among the reasons that Arthur's brochure lists for going on one of his IPTs is one that caught my eye: "I know where the birds are". Now, you may laugh when I tell you that my IPT was in the Everglades, since everybody knows "that's where the birds are". Arthur's perspective goes far beyond the ordinary, however. For example, while we were there, the double-crested cormorants were in prime breeding plumage, which causes them to have a cobalt-blue coloration around their eyes and inside their gullets. Arthur pointed this out to make sure that everyone recognized that these were not "just a cormorant" shot, but had a chance to be truly spectacular and to document an interesting aspect of bird biology. Arthur's expertise as a birder is yet another reason to tag along with him!
Of course, the IPT is about photography, so let's get to that. All IPTs are set up with a basic formula. The night before there is a slide show (ours was held in Arthur's room). Arthur shows some of his fabulous slides, but will then critique up to 20 slides for IPT participants. It is an enormous learning experience to have someone as knowledgeable as Arthur give you tips and suggestions for your photographs. The atmosphere was very laid back and any and all questions were welcome. The days of the IPT were set up as follows. The participants decided on a time to meet which would get us to one of the prime shooting sites before sunrise. This usually included a quick stop for coffee and a muffin at a local convenience store. After arriving at the site, everyone unloaded their gear and trekked off to a good spot to watch the sun rise and to look for birds. In the Everglades, we were at Anhinga Trail, all the way in the back. There were several branches, which were prime perching spots for a belted kingfisher, and we were able to get some nice sunrise shots. One of Arthur's kingfisher shots is the cover of the October 1998 Outdoor Photographer magazine. During these times, I asked Arthur lots of questions, which he patiently answered. Most of my questions had to do with exposure, and this is an area where Arthur's teaching experience came in handy. He gave the participants lots of handouts which explained his methods for determining exposure, especially for those tricky lighting situations such as a dark bird on a light background. Most of this information is presented more completely in his new book The Art of Bird Photography : The Complete Guide to Professional Field Techniques (Amphoto, 1998).
After a long morning of shooting, we usually broke for lunch around 11:30AM. After lunch we headed back to the hotel for what Arthur called "Instructor Nap Time". For me, it was "pool time". Usually around 3:00PM, everyone regrouped for the afternoon photo-shoot. Normally this was at a different location to take advantage of the sunset. After it started getting too dark, or when everyone was plain exhausted, we usually went back to our rooms and cleaned up to go to dinner. Of course, during dinner the talk was about photography. Arthur answered all manner of questions: equipment, locations, you name it, he does not "hold back" any professional secrets. After dinner there was sometimes another session of slides, usually covering some specific topic or point Arthur wanted to make.
IPTs typically run from between 3 to 7 days, and hit many of the hot-spots one might expect. Besides the Everglades, Arthur goes to Bosque Del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, "Ding Darling" NWR, and Point Pelee,Ontario to name a few. Trips cost between $399 and $699, with a repeat customer discount. Arthur will also rent one of his long lenses for a reasonable price. This is what I did and I would recommend it to anyone who would like to shoot with "big glass".
All in all, a Birds As Art IPT is a great way to learn more advanced bird photography, rekindle your photographic fires, or refine your technique. I would not necessarily recommend it for total beginners, but anyone who has some knowledge or at least strong interest will benefit. In most instances, about 400mm of total "lens power" (either fixed focal length or with a teleconverter) is the least I would bring on an IPT. Arthur is a patient teacher, but what I like to say about him is that "this man is serious about bird photography", and if you are too, you should try one of his Birds As Art Instructional Photo Tours.
Here is some contact information:
Website: www.birdsasart.com
Phone: 863-692-0906
Email: birdsasart@verizon.net