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Let's take in the shuttle launch

HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
edited June 23, 2007 in Journeys
Hi y'all,

My good friend Gale kept bugging me about going up to see the shuttle launch. I wasn't thrilled because my 3 prior attempts to see one were wash outs. It was going to be a hot day and wasn't thrilled to be hanging out in the heat for a few hours. Gale was really persistent so I decided to give it a try.

The locals love a shuttle launch because thousand of visitors flock in an they get to soak (provide services?) them for their every need. Traffic is a horror and every parking spot that was free yesterday costs $10 on the day of a launch. Motel room rates are at their highest also.

Anyhow I got to our usual spot on the river, The New York, New York Restaurant and Tiki Bar. If you are wiling to wait an hour you will get a cold beer and a fine burger.

A shuttle launch is basically an excuse to have a party.

The first thing to do is find a spot for your equipment
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If you have anything larger than a P&S folks will come over to ask you questions
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everyone finds a spot to wait out the time before the scheduled launch
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some take advantage of the river to take a dip
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a few minutes before launch and folks are gettin excited and checking out their gear
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then it happens
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in the end there are only vapor trails in the sky
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With the launch out of the way folks got down to some serious drinking while waiting for the traffic jams to abate. :slurp :beer
Harry
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"

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    TommyboyTommyboy Registered Users Posts: 590 Major grins
    edited June 11, 2007
    Really cool shots, Harry. I like some of the crowd shots as much as the launch shots. The man with his three boys is nice.

    Glad the 4th time was the charm!
    "Press the shutter when you are sure of success." —Kim Jong-il

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    HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited June 11, 2007
    Tommyboy wrote:
    Really cool shots, Harry. I like some of the crowd shots as much as the launch shots. The man with his three boys is nice.

    Glad the 4th time was the charm!

    Thanks Tom. I was glad I got this one because the next one is In August and that's really in the middle of the hot season down here.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
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    cwphotoscwphotos Registered Users Posts: 763 Major grins
    edited June 11, 2007
    Great pics Harry. Im not sure if its my crappy work monitor or what but the colors look a bit wonky in some of these....to saturated of sorts... headscratch.gif
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    HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited June 11, 2007
    cwphotos wrote:
    Great pics Harry. Im not sure if its my crappy work monitor or what but the colors look a bit wonky in some of these....to saturated of sorts... headscratch.gif

    Depends on which shots you're talking about. The crowd shots were in bright light and the shuttle shots were under entirely different lighting. No saturation was done in the post work of the crowd shots or the shuttle shots. I did play around with the WB on the shuttle shots.

    The crowd shots were a tad glaring and I considered toning it down but opted against it because it was darn hot out there and that communicated the moment more accurately.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
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    pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,696 moderator
    edited June 11, 2007
    I saw your earlier frames on your forum, and forgot to ask.

    Did you shoot the launch shots in Manual mode, or Av or just how? Did you use any EC also?

    I knew Gale had you back to the NY,NY. Looks like you had a great time.thumb.gif
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

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    digismiledigismile Registered Users Posts: 955 Major grins
    edited June 12, 2007
    That must have been fun! It's something I've wanted to see for a very long time.

    So what was the sound like? From the distance you were at, I assume it was still a roar. Great series of images!
    Brad

    www.digismile.ca
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    HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited June 12, 2007
    pathfinder wrote:
    I saw your earlier frames on your forum, and forgot to ask.

    Did you shoot the launch shots in Manual mode, or Av or just how? Did you use any EC also?

    I knew Gale had you back to the NY,NY. Looks like you had a great time.thumb.gif

    I shot in aperture priority, ISO 200 and I used a -0.3 and -0.7 EV adjustments on the shots. The EV adjustments were off and I should have gone neutral or maybe even positive by a third. The shuttle was underexpsoed and teh fuel trail is going to be blown no matter what you do.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
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    ChrisJChrisJ Registered Users Posts: 2,164 Major grins
    edited June 13, 2007
    Wow, these are great Harry! I didn't realize you could get that nice of a view without going to the official Kennedy launch viewing location. And cold beer and a burger are definitely not options there! I love the vapor trails... not something I got to see at the night launch I saw.
    Chris
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    HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited June 13, 2007
    digismile wrote:
    That must have been fun! It's something I've wanted to see for a very long time.

    So what was the sound like? From the distance you were at, I assume it was still a roar. Great series of images!

    The sound was quite impressive. I was closer to another launch and the ground rumbled. No matter where you view it from its damn impressive.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
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    HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited June 14, 2007
    ChrisJ wrote:
    Wow, these are great Harry! I didn't realize you could get that nice of a view without going to the official Kennedy launch viewing location. And cold beer and a burger are definitely not options there! I love the vapor trails... not something I got to see at the night launch I saw.

    Thanks Chris. There are lots of spots along the river that give you a good view of the launch. A 500mm lens helps to get you closer to the launch.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
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    k2butterk2butter Registered Users Posts: 259 Major grins
    edited June 14, 2007
    Great shots, I enjoyed the "play by play" I got to watch it, but only on the NASA channel as I live in Maine... :( I grew up in the general area though, it is a fun party to attend! (night launches were my fave)
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    HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited June 14, 2007
    k2butter wrote:
    Great shots, I enjoyed the "play by play" I got to watch it, but only on the NASA channel as I live in Maine... :( I grew up in the general area though, it is a fun party to attend! (night launches were my fave)

    Thanks. I'm glad you enjoyed the shots. It is a party on launch day. I definitely want to shoot a nite launch in the future.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
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    MrPartsMrParts Registered Users Posts: 87 Big grins
    edited June 21, 2007
    SSOOO CCOOOLLLL!!!!

    I'm hoping to, some day, go to my sister-in-laws condo and shoot from her balcony. Of course I'm going to have to get a real camera Laughing.gif!
    Enjoy your life, it's the only one you get.
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    SeamusSeamus Registered Users Posts: 1,573 Major grins
    edited June 22, 2007
    spectacular Harry, Going to a shuttle launch has been added to my wish list.
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    photo*smurfphoto*smurf Registered Users Posts: 23 Big grins
    edited June 23, 2007
    Great shots! I'd love to witness a shuttle launch in person, but since I live across the country I imagine it would be difficult to plan. My luck, the mission would get postponed because of weather the entire time I was there. hahahaha.

    Your pictures are the best I've seen ever (no joke) and they really made me feel like I was there. I could almost feel the heat from the engines/boosters.
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