Night launch of the space shuttle

Night launch of the space shuttle · 08:44 PM

Attended the launch of STS-123 last week in Florida. I fully intended to use my Bigma on my K20, but then I drove off and left the Bigma back in Texas. I had to use the DA*50-135, but I thought it did a nice job.

There are some more posted on my Flickr stream, including an extreme crop of the shuttle on the pad, and it shows the value of the 14.6MP.

Matthew Roberts · 03-18-2008, 08:52 PM

Ooooh, pretty...

...words cannot describe it. And can only imagine the sound.

Kudos Russ!

rmtagg · 03-18-2008, 09:40 PM

WOW! About describes it!

daacon · 03-19-2008, 04:53 AM

Great shot Russ would love to see that. Was it very loud ? Did you use burst mode ? I looked at the ones on flickr as well, very well done that crop is good .

vievetrick · 03-19-2008, 05:05 AM

Great job. On my bucket list of things to do and photograph.

Lilly · 03-19-2008, 05:42 AM

WOW indeed, excellent color and composition and zero noise, what iso were you using BTW?

Photo Tramp · 03-19-2008, 05:47 AM

Add my WOW to the list. I have been to the CAPE many times and have past it while a launch is taking place. I can't tell you how many times I have wished I had my camera available. You did a fantastic job. The K20 and the 50-135mm seems up for the job. Congrats all the way around.

mtnbearhug · 03-19-2008, 06:00 AM

Russ,

This is a GREAT Pic!!!! It must of been an awesome site and you captured it well..

Thanks for sharin!!! Kim

lost · 03-19-2008, 06:50 AM

Nice! I love watching the shuttle launches. I was a teen in Fla when the shuttle program started and remember the excitement that I felt watching the first launch. I would love to take my kids to see one soon.

rfortson · 03-19-2008, 08:06 AM

Originally posted by Matthew Roberts

Ooooh, pretty...

...words cannot describe it. And can only imagine the sound.

Kudos Russ!

Thanks Matthew! It was loud, but after the shuttle entered the clouds it seemed to muffle the sound some. I've definitely heard louder launches, though this one still rattled your chest.

Originally posted by rmtagg

WOW! About describes it!

Thanks!

Originally posted by daacon

Great shot Russ would love to see that. Was it very loud ? Did you use burst mode ? I looked at the ones on flickr as well, very well done that crop is good .

Thanks! See my note above about the sound. All shuttle launches are loud, but this one wasn't as loud as some. I didn't use burst mode, just took multiple single shots. My only problem was when the engines first ignited it briefly confused the AF, but once it refocused everything was fine.

Originally posted by vievetrick

Great job. On my bucket list of things to do and photograph.

Thanks Pat. You should definitely get down there to see a launch.

Originally posted by Lilly

WOW indeed, excellent color and composition and zero noise, what iso were you using BTW?

Thank you! I shot this at ISO200.

Originally posted by Photo Tramp

Add my WOW to the list. I have been to the CAPE many times and have past it while a launch is taking place. I can't tell you how many times I have wished I had my camera available. You did a fantastic job. The K20 and the 50-135mm seems up for the job. Congrats all the way around.

Thanks! As I said, I meant to take my Bigma, but after bumming about it for about 50 miles (we drove over from Texas), I decided to just enjoy the opportunities the 50-135 gave me. As it turns out, one of my favorite shots (the one with the people in the foreground) was shot at around 50mm. Now, I could've done that with the Bigma, but I'm not sure I would've thought of it in the heat of the moment. The 50-135 forced me to look at the surrounding scene as well.

There's also a shot of the shuttle on the pad, and then my extreme crop of the same scene. While I don't think it's as good as the Bigma would do at 500mm, I was really surprised at how well the shot held up. I'll try to post an example of it, but you can see it in my Flickr stream.

Originally posted by mtnbearhug

Russ,

This is a GREAT Pic!!!! It must of been an awesome site and you captured it well..

Thanks for sharin!!! Kim

Thanks, Kim! It's the first launch I've seen in a few years (the first since I've entered the dSLR age). They are always awesome sights.

Originally posted by lost

Nice! I love watching the shuttle launches. I was a teen in Fla when the shuttle program started and remember the excitement that I felt watching the first launch. I would love to take my kids to see one soon.

Thanks! This was the first launch for my 5 year old daughter. Unfortunately it was at 2:30 a.m. so I'm not sure she really remembers much about it. She was sleeping in the car until L-5 minutes. She enjoyed the beach the next day, though.

m8o · 03-19-2008, 08:49 AM

Very kewl. I -really- love the 1st shot in your flickr gallery of just the smoke trail up to the clouds above. great display of the camera detail with that crop.

barbosas · 03-19-2008, 09:29 AM

Awesome photo!

great capture.

Mechan1k · 03-19-2008, 05:59 PM

Wow is all i can say ... that's a cool shot indeed.
I'd love to witness a shuttle launch in real life.

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03-19-2008, 06:00 AM	#8
mtnbearhug Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Emmett, Idaho Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,351	Great pic.. Russ, This is a GREAT Pic!!!! It must of been an awesome site and you captured it well.. Thanks for sharin!!! Kim

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03-18-2008, 08:52 PM	#2
Matthew Roberts Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bertram Texas Photos: Gallery Posts: 584	Ooooh, pretty... ...words cannot describe it. And can only imagine the sound. Kudos Russ!

03-18-2008, 09:40 PM	#3
rmtagg Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Warrington, PA Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,271	WOW! About describes it!

03-19-2008, 04:53 AM	#4
daacon Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Alberta,Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 20,914	Great shot Russ would love to see that. Was it very loud ? Did you use burst mode ? I looked at the ones on flickr as well, very well done that crop is good .

03-19-2008, 05:05 AM	#5
vievetrick Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Easthampton - Massachusetts - USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,183	Great job. On my bucket list of things to do and photograph.

03-19-2008, 05:42 AM	#6
Lilly Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Cornwall UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 29	WOW indeed, excellent color and composition and zero noise, what iso were you using BTW?

03-19-2008, 05:47 AM	#7
Photo Tramp Inactive Account Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Lancaster, PA. Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,041	Add my WOW to the list. I have been to the CAPE many times and have past it while a launch is taking place. I can't tell you how many times I have wished I had my camera available. You did a fantastic job. The K20 and the 50-135mm seems up for the job. Congrats all the way around.

03-19-2008, 06:50 AM	#9
lost Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: central Louisiana Posts: 161	Nice! I love watching the shuttle launches. I was a teen in Fla when the shuttle program started and remember the excitement that I felt watching the first launch. I would love to take my kids to see one soon.

03-19-2008, 08:06 AM	#10
rfortson Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Houston TX Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,129 Original Poster	Originally posted by Matthew Roberts Ooooh, pretty... ...words cannot describe it. And can only imagine the sound. Kudos Russ! Thanks Matthew! It was loud, but after the shuttle entered the clouds it seemed to muffle the sound some. I've definitely heard louder launches, though this one still rattled your chest. Originally posted by rmtagg WOW! About describes it! Thanks! Originally posted by daacon Great shot Russ would love to see that. Was it very loud ? Did you use burst mode ? I looked at the ones on flickr as well, very well done that crop is good . Thanks! See my note above about the sound. All shuttle launches are loud, but this one wasn't as loud as some. I didn't use burst mode, just took multiple single shots. My only problem was when the engines first ignited it briefly confused the AF, but once it refocused everything was fine. Originally posted by vievetrick Great job. On my bucket list of things to do and photograph. Thanks Pat. You should definitely get down there to see a launch. Originally posted by Lilly WOW indeed, excellent color and composition and zero noise, what iso were you using BTW? Thank you! I shot this at ISO200. Originally posted by Photo Tramp Add my WOW to the list. I have been to the CAPE many times and have past it while a launch is taking place. I can't tell you how many times I have wished I had my camera available. You did a fantastic job. The K20 and the 50-135mm seems up for the job. Congrats all the way around. Thanks! As I said, I meant to take my Bigma, but after bumming about it for about 50 miles (we drove over from Texas), I decided to just enjoy the opportunities the 50-135 gave me. As it turns out, one of my favorite shots (the one with the people in the foreground) was shot at around 50mm. Now, I could've done that with the Bigma, but I'm not sure I would've thought of it in the heat of the moment. The 50-135 forced me to look at the surrounding scene as well. There's also a shot of the shuttle on the pad, and then my extreme crop of the same scene. While I don't think it's as good as the Bigma would do at 500mm, I was really surprised at how well the shot held up. I'll try to post an example of it, but you can see it in my Flickr stream. Originally posted by mtnbearhug Russ, This is a GREAT Pic!!!! It must of been an awesome site and you captured it well.. Thanks for sharin!!! Kim Thanks, Kim! It's the first launch I've seen in a few years (the first since I've entered the dSLR age). They are always awesome sights. Originally posted by lost Nice! I love watching the shuttle launches. I was a teen in Fla when the shuttle program started and remember the excitement that I felt watching the first launch. I would love to take my kids to see one soon. Thanks! This was the first launch for my 5 year old daughter. Unfortunately it was at 2:30 a.m. so I'm not sure she really remembers much about it. She was sleeping in the car until L-5 minutes. She enjoyed the beach the next day, though.

03-19-2008, 08:49 AM	#11
m8o Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: 40°-55'-44" N / 73°-24'-07" W [on LI] Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,092	Very kewl. I -really- love the 1st shot in your flickr gallery of just the smoke trail up to the clouds above. great display of the camera detail with that crop.

03-19-2008, 09:29 AM	#12
barbosas Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Lisbon Photos: Gallery Posts: 683	Awesome photo! great capture.

03-19-2008, 05:59 PM	#13
Mechan1k Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 2,891	Wow is all i can say ... that's a cool shot indeed. I'd love to witness a shuttle launch in real life.