gnashings

This shot really cought my eye. I would have never thought that including only a third of the car would actually make the composition stronger - but it does! Great idea, me thinks.

I have one suggestion: slightly slower shutter speed. The props (especially the starboard) are frozen still. Would be nice to see a little motion. Otherwise, nice shot!

One of these makes me a mumbling, incoherent mass... Two... WOW... Lovely capture, too - the clouds really add to the mood. I know there are fans of the full prop-circle out there, but I like being able to see individual blades with just enough movement to make the prop obviously in motion.

Not a comment on the photo, but I really wish the owner of the MkIX would find a way to mount his little modern antena in a way that wasn't so intrusive to the airplane's sacred silhouette... Can't be that hard to do (hell, I know its not)!

In the and, I am just very, very jelous - your airshows blow the ones I have access to away by a long, long shot.

Its so rare to see one of these to begin with, but even though I have one near by, seeing it actually in the process of taxi-ing with wings folded is truly a treat! Also, the folded wings allow a whole new approach to photographing an airplane, I find! Great capture!

I know that these belong on a carrier deck, but I always feel that a vast, grass field is the right setting for a prop-driven fighter!

By the way, I saw your Corsairs below - some lovely work there! You really cought them in interesting postions (much like the two Corsairs in your portfolio). But enough out of me - pleasure to look at these, as always!

Ditto here! I was just amazed to see this plane! Do you have any information on this particular example (like who flies it/owns it, etc)?

As far as the photo, I like some of your other shots a lot more, but I suspect this mainly due to the fact that you didn't have much room for more "creative" composition that I so liked about yourother shots. As it is, a proper shot of such a rare bird is really more than anyone could ask for - and you got it!

this is priceless - its also entirely unfair, as it is universally known that puppies transcend any kind of ability for un-biased or logical judgement. Anyone not completely disarmed by this little guy has no hearbeat :)

Oh yeah... there IS a plane in this photo! :)

Seriously, I like this shot very much, but find the ankle-chop distracting. Otherwise, its perfect!

This is a wonderful shot - I think its perfect! Perhaps I am a little biased after chasing a over-active dog with a camera many, many times and usually coming away with nothing but sum shots of the dogs ear, tail and maybe some slobber on the lens:) I think its a perfect portrait!

Certainly doe capture the moment! No arguments there! Well done - in my humble opinion, its perfect the way it is. I love the composition and the feeling of overwhelming SPEED!

I like the effect of the vignetting as well. I understand the difficulties of capturing aircraft n flight, but I have to say that composition-wise, you have posted shots that appealed to me more than this one. Still, an interesting and rarely seen subject shown in an interesting and as usual, well executed manner!

yes, its simple. its also perfectly composed and flawlessly executed. Good things, all!

Very nice image, if a little artificial looking. I think it works so well that as an image, I find I easily look past that and find it very pleasing. I fail to see what this has to do with photography. Great bit of graphic design and digital imaging, though.

Lovely bit of time travel! I like how you managed teh next to impossible: no modern conatmination, hehehehe!

I think this photo just makes this little gem come to life - you almost expect it to say something! I hate to use the word cute... but DAMN ITS CUTE! Doesn't it look like its looking to its right and up, smiling? Great shot!

Graham, I was going for understament with my adjective "farily" - I am well aware of this airplanes rarity!

In essence, I have to say I agree with Gromoslaw as to the "ideology" of shooting and the amount of prop blurr.

Ah, I was hoping August would chime in - I really wanted to direct Jan to your pictures, but I didn't know how approporiate that would be. I am glad you joined - I know how much I learned from just one of your posts about my airplane pics, and I know Jan will find you a well of wisdom on the subject much as I have!

Its called a SILHOUETTE. Tell those people to look the term up - and then show them this picture, an excellent example of one, and very approporiate, I think! Good work - and in the end, remember - ITS YOUR PHOTO!

I saw your portfolio - wow! I have no idea why this little blue meanie was giving you so much trouble! Your photos blew me away!

The best of your "Vultee" pics - I see now that you were probably trying to get around the chain in the other pictures - but this is obviously a plane in a museum, so the chain is not out of place and personally (while not ideal) I don't find it all that bad. Good work. I would still try to do something with the depth of field - bigger appertures, perhaps a less wide angle lens (although I know the composition becomes difficult), just to cut out some of that background. I like this one!

Me again - I had a look at your other photos, and I think you will see what I mean by just looking at them side by side. The other shot of this airplane is better composed... but that photoshop stuff... looks horrible - its so artificial and out of place it ruins the photo.

Then you have the two bombers - the B29 and the B52. Have a look at those two and tell me if you see what I mean. The B29 photo doesn't show the whole plane either - but its a strong composition because it shows off some complete combination of shapes ( I think its your strongest airplane image) - proves that you do NOT need to show the whole airplane to have an effective photo, as long as you establish some visual continuity, which you obviously did. Same goes for the B52 - here you have pretty much the whole airplane - different approach, same result. The lines work, the picture works as a graphic image as well as an illustration, the composition is just stronger in every way. You don't even have to look at other people's photos - you are onto something in your own images posted right here. Just study them critically and you will see what works, what makes an image stronger - and what does the opposite.

 

By the way, I also loved the airplane in the cloud formation - great shot, very strong. really captures the majesty of the sky and how small our little flying machines really are when up against nature!

This is a very interesting and rare subject - I envy the opportunity to shoot it!

 

I hope you will take what I am about to write as it is intended: constructive suggestions and honest reaction to this photo.

 

I think you need to re-think composition, as this picture simply doesn't show... well... anything in particular. It does not show little enough to be a detail shot, and not nearly enough to show the actual shape of the plane, or to use its shape to draw the viewer's eye to anything. I would suggest either a step backwards or a step forward - either shoot a real close up of detail, or shoot enough of the plane to make at least one of its main forms (wing, fuselage, empanange - or any combination of those) play a role in the picture.

 

Second thing I would suggest is giving some thought to depth of field control - I am not familiar with you camera, so I don't know how much you can do about this - but the background is every bit as sharp as the airplane, nothing is emphasized. try larger appertures for a shallower DOF. This may be an area that is limited by your equipment - I don't know.

 

Of course, you may love it the way it is - you may have wanted it exactly the way you shot it - in which case, all my rambling is irrelevant, as this is your photo!

You know, I have been looking through the photos here a few times and this picture captures my eye every time - that's my personal test for a good image! I like it - the old DKW was pretty futuristic looking for its time, and your choice of background really works with its shape. Even the B&W conversion looks ok.

Graham,

 

This is a very nice capture, very well executed - foreboding sky and all! Prop blurr has to be there - otherwise its just... awkward. But I prefer just enough blurr to show motion nicely (like you did here), than Photoshop alterations, which always look artificial in my eye. I think you can be justifiably proud of this picture. Fairly rare bird, too!

I don't know if this is a good example of 'car photography' because this image is so strong from a graphic stand point that the subject matter is of no relevance - this is simply a great photo, whatever the subject! If anything, I would suggest a little more shadow detail if it can be coaxed out. Good work!

I guess I just got the wrong infor from the people handling the plane here in Oshawa - it is the SH-L MkIX. The people who own the hangar that the Spit was housed in during the show in Oshawa said it was from St. Catherines, thats why I went on with wrong information:)