Flightless Birds

Ominous sky and dramatic perspective, nice combination. Perfect choice of camera position, good idea the B&W (maybe a blue toning would be even more effective). The vignette from the polarizer works nicely here.

i agree with what everyone else has said. excellent eye in converting it to b&w. beautifully dramatic angles and a unique shot.

The b&w was a good choice but I kind of like Carsten's idea about some blue toning; the composition is well thought-out. Congratulations.

Hello Colin, it's a very nice collection of old British aircraft. Another comment about the Shack was that you sat on leather seats and was powered by Rolls Royce, so you couldn't get anything better. I had the privilege of going in one, as a youth.

 

I keep thinking I must go back to Duxford. Just as soon as cricket is over.

 

The photo is very good, by the way and I like the use of BW with these old birds.

 

Very best wishes. P

Thanks Sondea!

 

Sam, good memories eh?

 

Thanks Carsten! I am not sure about toning, mostly because it is not a technique I feel 'naturally' happens with me and so I am not confident about using it Maybe I'll give it a try!

 

Thanks Victor!

 

Thanks Richard!

 

Peter, thanks! I tend to visit Duxford during school holidays like lots of other people. It is a rematkable collection of aircraft and the restoration work is interesting too. There is a new hangar being built so some of the main exhibition stuff is not there at present.

 

I got the '10,000 rivets' tag from a guy I knew who flew Shackletons right at the end of their service life. Rattly by then I imagine!

Colin, planes are planes, but, MY, you shot an angle with the plane pushing away the threatening sky that does make the difference. Strong effect and great choice of B&W

I love your angle & perspective, Colin. The composition from gigantic to "dwarflike" planes gives one a sense of the space. I love the sweeping sky too.

Colin, another great use of the wide angle lens I keep ignoring in my lens collection. Well done.

Having lived near military aircraft establishments for many years, I thought I'd had my fill of looking at planes, but this does bring back some good memories Colin. I like your angle of shooting. I wish I'd been interested in photography when my husband flew the spitfire at the airshows. I only ever got one very bad shot on a camera I didn't know how to use. Hope you've got more to come.

The wonders of super-wides.... intimidating image.

Here you make true that classy comment of a friend of mine regarding B&W:

'Don't make colour distract you from the essential!'

The sky is impressive, true, but what really makes this picture is the perfect positioning of the foreground element whith incredible force

Hi Colin. Nice photograph; works very well in monochrome. I like the prominence that you have given to the sky here because of its relevancy to the subject. The dominance of that massive horizontal stabilizer makes a bold statement for the power of flight.

We have an Air Force museum in Ohio at Dayton. I have not been there since I was a kid with my Dad. Your "In the Air Museum I" photograph reminded me how much in awe I was when we made that visit. It was an enjoyable reminiscence. Regards.

Thanks everyone!

 

Hanna, I imagine if your husband flew a Spitfire at airshows you must have seen enough to satisfy most people!

 

Alberto, yes, I think the main functions of b&w are to reduce the shot to its compositional essentials and also to give a more 'documentary' feel.

 

Walter, thanks, I am pleased you understood the image and I hope the memories are good.

 

 

 

Being away, I have missed this wonderful series. This is my favorite. Dynamism and power in the composition as it is ought to them.