A Quick Update, Email Change, AI Comparison, Photo Tours
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck Perched in Golden Swamp Light
Email Update
Just a quick heads-up — I’m retiring my decades-old bushfoto@bellsouth.net email address. If you’ve contacted me in the past, you might still have that one saved. For a while now, I’ve been using charlie@charlesbushphoto.com for newsletters and group emails, and that’s now the official address moving forward.
Why the change? AT&T/Yahoo migrated the account and broke quite a few things in the process. I recently stopped receiving mail on my phone, and the fix involved upgrading to a paid plan. That was the last straw. So please take a second to update your contacts.
Spring and Fall Photo Tours
If you're hoping to get out this spring:
👉 There’s space available for the May 18th tour – grab your spot here.
Looking ahead:
🍁 Fall tours are also open – check availability and details here.
AI Captioning and Keywording: Perplexity vs. ChatGPT
A recent client suggestion led me to test Perplexity, an AI chatbot, for generating image metadata. I started by feeding it this basic description:
"A photograph of a Black-bellied Whistling-Duck in a cypress tree with an out-of-focus green background. Provide keywords, captions, and titles."
Perplexity’s Output
Keywords:
Black-bellied Whistling Duck
Dendrocygna autumnalis
Whistling duck
Cypress tree
Bird perched
Out-of-focus green background
Wetland bird
Pink bill
Black belly
Chestnut body
Gray face
Long-legged duck
Nature photography
Wildlife
Birdwatching
Waterfowl
Tree perch
Louisiana swamp (if location relevant)
Quiet natural setting
Captions:
A Black-bellied Whistling Duck perched gracefully in a cypress tree against a soft, green blurred background.
The striking Black-bellied Whistling Duck rests in a cypress tree, showcasing its distinctive black belly and pink bill.
Perched high in a cypress tree, this Black-bellied Whistling Duck stands out with its vibrant plumage and long legs.
A serene moment captured of a Black-bellied Whistling Duck in its natural habitat, framed by the lush greenery of the cypress swamp.
Titles:
"Black-bellied Whistling Duck in Cypress Tree"
"Perched Beauty: Black-bellied Whistling Duck Among Cypress"
"Whistling Duck in the Green: A Cypress Tree Perch"
"Nature's Whistler: Black-bellied Whistling Duck in Cypress Habitat"
Overall, it’s a good result — clean and descriptive, but limited. Since it lacks memory of my formatting or preferences, I’d still need to rework the output for Lightroom Classic, Photo Mechanic, or my stock site.
Why ChatGPT Still Wins for My Workflow
Then I tried dropping the same image into ChatGPT — where it already had context from our previous work. Here’s what came back:
🖼️ Image Metadata – ChatGPT Result
Title / Headline:
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck Perched in Golden Swamp Light
Caption (Alamy/Stock-style, 150 characters):
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis) perched on a cypress branch in spring light, Louisiana wetlands, with fresh green foliage.
Keywords (50, comma-delimited):
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck,Dendrocygna autumnalis,whistling duck,perched duck,wading bird,waterfowl,cypress branch,Louisiana bird,spring foliage,wetland bird,swamp bird,duck species,nature photography,birdwatching,bird on branch,profile view,bird portrait,South Louisiana,ornithology,duck habitat,tropical bird,subtropical wetlands,marsh bird,wetland wildlife,forest bird,bright plumage,colorful bird,long-legged duck,branch perch,cypress swamp,green foliage,bird closeup,feather texture,pink legs,natural light,early morning light,wildlife photograph,swamp environment,springtime bird,American duck,wetland ecosystem,southern wildlife,quiet pose,tree limb,avian species,non-migratory bird,stillness,native duck,nature scene
Hashtag Keywords (for social/blog use):
#BlackBelliedWhistlingDuck #WhistlingDuck #DendrocygnaAutumnalis #LouisianaBird #CypressSwamp #BirdPhotography #WetlandWildlife #SpringBird #PerchedDuck #AvianPortrait
This version fits directly into my Lightroom metadata panel or Photo Mechanic presets with no cleanup needed. The keyword format, the precision, and the match to my style makes this a much better fit.
While Perplexity has potential, particularly for quick keywording, ChatGPT still delivers the better, more integrated result — especially when it already knows my workflow. And in addition, I simply needed to drop in the image to get the result.
April 2025 Charles Bush Photography Newsletter
April 2025 Tour Report
We Had a Great Spring Tour!
A Black-Bellied Whistling Duck in a Cypress Tree at Lake Martin
In mid-April, we had an incredible time photographing Louisiana’s spring birds. The weather cooperated, the birds were active, and the results were outstanding. Full trip highlights are in the report, along with a gallery of some of my favorite images. "One of my favorite moments was photographing the Roseate Spoonbills as they flew overhead, near sunset. The soft evening light was perfect for capturing natural behavior shots. It’s experiences like this that remind me why spring in Louisiana is truly special for bird photographers."
May Tour Openings
Roseate Spoonbill in Cypress at Cazan Lake–May 2024
Spots are filling up, but there's still time to join us!
Reserve Your Place:
May Louisiana Bird Photography Tour
Come experience prime spring action in the cypress swamps and rookeries. Perfect for capturing nesting behavior, dramatic landscapes, and more.
Learn more here: Louisiana Bird Photo Tours
Fall 2025 Tour Sign-ups Are Open!
At Lake Martin in November 2024, golden swamp sunflowers brighten the shoreline, with cypress trees in vibrant fall foliage reflected in the clear brown water under a blue sky dotted with clouds.
If you're dreaming of misty mornings, colorful cypress trees, and dramatic autumn light, now's the time to reserve your spot for the Fall 2025 tours. Fall is one of the most magical times to photograph Louisiana's swamps and landscapes. "Fall photography in Louisiana is unlike anywhere else. Mist hangs over the cypress swamps in the early morning, turning the water into a silver mirror. The vibrant orange and red cypress leaves provide a stunning backdrop for photographing migrating birds and dramatic landscapes. I time my fall tours to catch peak color and morning fog."
Check out the details here: Fall Photo Tours
"Thanks again for following along. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just getting started, I hope these updates, tips, and tours help you capture your best work yet. If you ever have questions about gear, technique, or destinations, feel free to contact me by email or phone, love hearing from fellow photographers!"See you out there,
Charlie
Trip Report for My April 13–16, 2025 Photo Tour
Every photo shoot on this trip delivered a wealth of strong images. We were fortunate to have ideal weather and plenty of cooperative birds. I've created a gallery of highlights from the tour, which you can view here.
Note, there is still time to join the May 18th Tour. Click here to read more and to reserve your spot.
April 13: Rip's Rookery Warm-Up
Roseate Spoonbill in Flight at Rips Rookery
As is my custom, I began the tour by scouting Rip's Rookery in New Iberia on my way to meet the group. I left at 9:30 AM and arrived at the rookery by 11:00 AM, walking the path around the ponds to check activity. Birds were nesting on both the large and small islands.
That afternoon, after gathering the group at the Holiday Inn Express, we returned to Rip's Rookery together. Most of our time was spent at the small island where we photographed:
Little Blue Herons
Cattle Egrets
An Anhinga perched above the water (the pond itself wasn’t visible)
Roseate Spoonbills in flight over the area
April 14: Cazan Lake and Lake Martin
Great Egret in Flight at Cazan Lake
We began the day early with a drive to PJF Farms near Ville Platte to photograph at the Cazan Lake Rookery. Nesting activity was high, with many Great Egrets and some Roseate Spoonbills.
The egrets were in various nesting stages:
Courtship and display
Sitting on eggs
Feeding tiny chicks
Tending to nearly fledged young
My best images here were of Great Egrets in flight, coming and going from the rookery.
The birds nest in Cypress Trees, giving us beautiful natural settings to work with.
After a midday break to download photos and recharge, we headed out to Lake Martin for a boat shoot. Highlights from that trip included:
Prothonotary Warbler Taking Flight at Lake Martin
A close encounter with a Prothonotary Warbler
A Green Heron front-lit in the brush
An Anhinga drying its wings
A Black-bellied Whistling Duck
An Alligator with hyacinth foliage draped across its back
April 15: Overcast Magic at Cazan and Golden Light at Miller's Lake
A Green Heron in Flight at Miller’s Lake
With soft, overcast skies in the morning, we adjusted our schedule and arrived at Cazan Lake around 9:30 AM. The diffused light allowed us to work within the rookery, photographing:
Great Egrets nesting deep in the trees
Birds interacting among the Cypress branches
The light was perfect for preserving detail without harsh shadows or blown highlights.
That afternoon, we traveled to Miller's Lake for a 3:30 PM boat departure. The bird activity and light were both exceptional. We photographed:
Roseate Spoonbills in flight
A Least Bittern tucked into the reeds
A White-faced Ibis with iridescent feathers
A Green Heron captured in flight
Glowing evening light on the Tupelo Forest by the lake
April 16: Ospreys at Henderson Swamp
Osprey with Fight at Henderson Swamp
For our final morning, we headed to Henderson Swamp to focus on Osprey in flight. Using the Windy iPhone app, I had selected the day and time for optimal wind direction—ensuring head-on, front-lit flight shots.
And it worked!
We had:
An Osprey delivering a fish to its nest
Another bringing nesting material
Perfectly front-lit shots with great wing position, captured at 20 FPS
Final Thoughts and May Tour Preview
This tour had it all—great weather, fantastic birds, and a truly enjoyable group of photographers. I’m expecting more excellent opportunities on my May 11 and May 18 tours. By then, more Roseate Spoonbills should have established nests, and we’ll likely see Egret and Heron chicks being fed by their parents.
The May 11 tour is full, but spots are still available for the May 18 tour. Click here to read more and to reserve your space while there's still time.