An A-6 Intruder blurs by the catapault officer as he gives the go signal for launch

Again a great shot! How much pics did you do to get this ONE?

Daniel - I think your work is tops, but I can't give this one more than a 3 and 3. The blur of the a/c just doesn't do it for me. I would have rather seen it just a second before when the pilot saluted or else when the CAT signaled and the pilot's head was slammed against the headrest. Or maybe panning with the plane as the wing passed over CAT's head. Understand, though, one doesn't get on a flight deck every day unless you work there.

As a former ship's photographer in the Navy, I can appreciate the difficulty in getting this shot. I don't know how many helo or missile shots I had to take in order to get the right image. Great presentation!

Hey. does this look familiar?

 

I love the blur effect! I would have tryed to do it intentionally, and judging by the capabilities of your equipment, you probably did too. The alternative faster, clearer image would have been boreing. A picture where everything is blurred lacks a point of interest too. You managed to combine both options in what I consider a VERY dramatic image! Nice job!

 

Everybody lives a differant life and confronts very differant situation. It seems that you are doing an AWESOME job of documenting yours.

I looked at the picture and found it very intriguing. Every time I look at it I feel that aircraft is actually GOING BACK!! Nobody has commented on it but I will stick my neck out. The shadows at the tip and at the edge of engine seem to suggest that aircraft was going back. Clearly that is not possible but then how? Case of 2nd curtain syncronisation issue, but then whatever little I know of photography, that is only a issue for flash photography, which this shot must not be.

 

Nothing to take away from the merit of the shot, though. Great work!

I'm just jealous of your whole folder :o) but this one is my favourite... great great work... good luck (if you need anymore)

the jet is accelerrating so 1/30th will show evidence of that. it is not moving as fast when the shutter opens as it is when the shutter closes

therefor, there is less exposure for the tip and you don't get trailing streaks

Excellent photo. In my opinion you captured just the right amount of movement in the plane while keeping the person relatively sharp. Very well done.

Great shot in dangerous, cramped quarters. Someone scored it a 3/3? Panning under these circumstances? oh, please be real!

I like this picture. The contrast between the blues and yellow look nice, I also like how sharp the person is, while the intruder is blurred, but I think it should have been blurred a little longer. The blur as it is is just is very little... maybe 1/15 more exposure would create a little larger streak. Overall a nice shot

Great shot. The blur appears to be caused by the combination of the surge that the "protruder" gets from the cat and the immediately following nose gear extension caused by it. It makes the plane appear to "bob" then take off. The "yellow shirt" in focus makes the shot really great. These guys cheat the reaper daily---12 on/12 off 7 days a week and most of them make around $175 a week. This plane is the 2nd noisiest (EA6B is 1st) on the boat and it pukes fuel from the fuel dump tube when it is moving on the flight deck.

 

I don't know how you kept from getting junk on the lens. I wish that I could have taken some shots like this when I was a "deck rat".

 

Andy

Theres something about the blur of that plane

Vile acid flashbacks induced by visual cues.

Well, I think this photo is almost perfect!. Blur gives the image difference between good picture and excellent. Regards

All this talk of the plane being blurred. With the violent push of the cat it's going to blur. That's what gives this photo it's character

good motion work :).

Excellent image. That "backward" motion one critic notices is not an aberration -- it's what happens when an aircraft is catapulted from an aircraft carrier. The shuttle (the part connected to the catapult on the flight deck) is pulling on the nosegear of the aircraft at the instant it's launched. You're seeing the recoil of this downward motion as the aircraft is just beginning it's forward motion. It's a pretty noticeable "phenomenon" if you watch enough cat shots.

I'm not as smart as the rest of the people but I think it is a great shot under the conditions it was taken. There are millions of photographers out there who would love to call this image theirs.