gnashings

Its not often that one gets to see an aircraft that works for a living in such a scenic setting! Great shot, and it would probably not be out of place under "landscapes":)

That is my take on it... but you have to remember I am a bit of Luddite:)

Thanks, Dave. I like what you did. I am a very strictly traditional film guy, so I just scan 'em in, and hope people comment. But you're right - for the purpose of web presentation, I should remember to take a few steps before I even scan, since I don't have any photo-processing software and a very rudimentary scanner. What I think I will have to remember is:

 

a) the warmtone paper this was printed on scans into some kind of putrid, puke colour!(too bad so much people shooting I do goes onto this paper - it looks great "person" for this kind of subject)

b) its a pearl finish, and that seems to really confuse the scanner too...

c) without your magic touch, this looks like an 8x10 print from Delta 3200 shot at 3200, not a 5x7 print from Trix at box speed! The loss of shadow detail alone is appalling...

 

And finally, it was not hard to catch a little magic with this kid - she is not only cute as a button, but very outgoing definitely full of her very own personality! Give her ten years and there will be a trail of broken hearts, I just know it! As such, I almost feel like a cheat for taking any credit for this - she really did all the work just by being herself!

great capture of a fast mover! They just don't do us any favors with the paint schemes these days, do they? WWI - now there was a photographers dream - and no colour film to capture it!!!

And true enough about that mig... I bet the f18 didn't do a cobra...

What can I say - you are a very fortunate man :)

I like the shot.

Actually, a friend of mine and I sat there, looking at some books filled with photos from the WWII period, and trying to decipher from the tonality, grain, and (what we could guess from the images) would be the best spectral response curve to render images that look just like those. Then we spend hours pouring over various spec sheets for just about every film available trying to match one up to (what we thought) would render the most believeable rendition. Of course, this was a lot, a lot of best guesses and extrapolation - only the print will tell... The big trial came at Geneseo - for North America it was a pretty good showing of WWII birds, and they were on grass. Of course the only Spitfire was rather woefully improperly painted... but oh well, it was a Spitfire none the less...

Of course all our prep work may prove useless - but that is part of the fun.

Priceless.

So... now you do your own stunts, too!? ;)

The lamp is supposed to be blown out - otherwise it would look artificial. I love this shot.

You're gonna hate me - but it shows, in my opinion. I am a bit of a purist, and as much as I want to see that blurr, photoshop really turns me off...

Still, a nice capture - I especially like the gear going up. There is something about that transformation of a warbird pulling up its gear - as though shedding some un-natural blemish of an earth-bound necessity...

Absolutely perfect - love it!

Nice shot - I quite like it. Can't really contribute any tips or critiques, other than to say this is not the type of photo that usually intereste me - but this one cought my eye. In my book that's a strong point.

Great job! I saw some photos of this car at the Penske web-site, and I dare say yours gives away very little, if anything to those. Perhaps a creative angle and crop would make it more striking, but then again, it would also look like every other photo of this type. I think I may like it better this way for that very reason.

You're right! It does! Being a modeler I kind of find it amusing, I like it. Now if any of my models looked this much like a real airplane...

 

But I have to mention to you what I saw at the last airshow I was at:

An impressively camera-laden gentleman (either a pro or a very well-to-do amateur!) walking around with... a ladder! It certainly gave him composition options that being ground-bound eliminates. I don't know how I would like to carry a hunk of sun super-heated aluminium around for several hours along with all my gear - but it may worth it. Again, just thinking out loud - the perspective of this photo reminded me of that (obviously, a latter would not get me this high up!).

I hope you took my comments the way they were intended - I sincerely enjoyed the image, first and foremost. But, I try to include things that I picked up as I looked at it, simply because I like to hear them about my photos for future occasions - they are usually little things, nit-picking really, that are small but take a long time and lots of room to write out :) I wouldn't even take them as "advice" or "criticism" per se, more of a brain storming session. Its certainly easy to sit here in my comfy chair, with nothing but time, enjoying some beautiful airplane photos and pointing my fat finger at this that or the other! I just do this with my own shots and try to make mental notes for "the next time" - God knows I forget 99% of them by the time I press the shutter on my next air-show, but its nice thought:D

I definitely know what you mean about the "didn't have time", and after all is said and done, I firmly believe that any image one manages to capture is an infinitely better photo than one that was not taken at all! And this (and most of yours) are certainly strong images in their own right.

I like the shot, if there is anything I could suggest is a slower shutter next time - it would have been nice to see the prop moving. As is its moved just enough that it looks a touch unsharp. Either that or freeze it all together - which in this case would have worked.

Gorgeous. I have tried so many times - the idea of the smoke being a strong, dominant part of the composition has been on my mind - but I have never executed it this well! Hats off to you, sir!

August is someone I always listen to in these cases!!!

Myself, I didn't even notice the TBM! I know, shame on me - but I think it can be seen as a compliment to the image - it took my eye where the photographer wanted me to look. Perhaps without the TBM it would be stronger - I have a hard time questioning August's advice most of the time - but that would also mean losing the tapered end of the wonderful colour filled cloud. I'd have a hard time deciding!

I think you're onto something here, you have a lovely series - I haven't stopped to comment on each and every one, but I really enjoyed the shots of the planes in front of the dramatic skies. Great work, would make a lovely portfolio - I see them framed creatively as a group perhaps?

Simply gorgeous! Awesome panning job, lovely colour rendition - and a gorgeous Mk VIII... you have more different Spit marks in your portfolio than I have seen in person in my life! I am very jelous, very, very jelous!

Wow. There is a tear in my eye. This touches me on so many levels... Thanks for sharing this image! You wouldn't be selling a print?

Personally, I think that the most beautiful shape ever made by human hands is best left uninterrupted - left to rule its natural element :)

Judging from the amount of prop blurr this was shot at about 1/250, maybe a bit more, and panned - its pretty remarkably sharp given those circuimstances. Faster shutter may have given a bit more sharpness, but would have frozen the props, making of an artificial look. I don't know how much sharper it would be possible to make a panned shot of an airplane in flight without falling into that trap.

Of course, I can't speak for the photographer, but that's my impression.

 

I agree, it makes the image even stronger, really makes it pop - without going overboard and starting to lose detail or getting artificial looking colour rendition. Seems to accentuate the smoke in the back by (looks like) cutting through the haze in the front. Subtle but effective.

Well, you certainly have the eye for expression and good composition. Everything else can be learned. My first suggestion would be to invest in a reflector (or make one out something either white or silver, some like gold for certain "warming" effect). A reflector would "fill" out the harsh shadows around the eyes, mouth and nose if used properly.

Another idea which can be used instead or (less commonly) with a reflector would be to use fill flash. Basically using your flash to do what the reflector would do, I don't know if your camera allows for that level of control.

Oanother idea, one requiring no equipment purchases, is to shoot in the shade instead of direct sunlight.

Just a few suggestions, hope they help!

Very, very interesting. Aside from a time-machine experiment (which I find fascinating, personally) this photo has wonderful, surreal quality about it that I think can be used as a creative tool - and this photo is a great example of how! I think its a lovely image, optical anomalies et al!