Space Shuttle

[TitusvilleSurfer]

As long as Atlantis goes today, I will have a great shot of it from the Vehicle Assembly Building! (a little over 3 miles) Should it scrub, I will still be @ NASA but clocked in without a camera. :( How do I meter a rocket launch? Off the blue sky then -2/3? The flames spitting out the back of this thing should be pretty intense, and I don't want to wash them out...but don't exactly have time for a test shot!

[Desertraptor]

Fingers crossed.
I was in Orlando in March last year for sts117 but is was scrubbed after the hail damage. I wanted to see her launch before they are retired. I hope to get back again soon

[TitusvilleSurfer]

Well I really dropped the ball. I sent the above message from school and didn't get out untill 2:00, the launch was at 2:45. When I got there, I didn't have time to change any settings, just pull the camera out of the bag and start firing at the nick of time. Don't you love that INSTANT ready on the 40D? I was using my 70-200 but the lens was set at 70mm ISO 800...it just makes me SICK! Just imagine would it would have been with almost 1.5x the focal length, not to mention portrait position!!!! ahhhhhhh I planned of course on 200mm on manual mode to keep the exposure constant, but it was pre-set on AV with spot metering, so this is what I got. :( There is always next time I guess...but having they day off at launch time when you work at NASA is VERY rare.
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r236/TitusvileSurfer/Transportation/Space%20Shuttle/_MG_5720.jpg
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r236/TitusvileSurfer/Transportation/Space%20Shuttle/_MG_5725.jpg
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r236/TitusvileSurfer/Transportation/Space%20Shuttle/_MG_5728.jpg
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r236/TitusvileSurfer/Transportation/Space%20Shuttle/_MG_5732.jpg
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r236/TitusvileSurfer/Transportation/Space%20Shuttle/_MG_5772.jpg

[PhotosGuy]

Everything considered, it's a pretty good job!

[RCoulter]

Yea, they aren't bad at all! Just use a slower shutter speed for the helicopters :)

[Woolburr]

Any photos of a shuttle launch are better than the ones I have....ones that are in focus and fairly sharp like these are even better yet!

[Jim G]

Man, #4 is great! I think you did a good job given the situation!

[Maureen Souza]

Love #4!! I would love to see a launch one day. About 25-26 years ago I saw a landing at Edwards AF base.....it was amazing!

[Merlin Driver]

Well done. I heard then saw a missile launch back in the 90's out by Santa Maria, CA. I bet this is even louder. Thanks for the captures....

Lynn

[FlyingPhotog]

You got a much better look at the launch than we did from the top of the Daytona grandstand. Our TV cameras were able to see about 7 seconds of flames before it all disapeard into the clouds. Oh well... Good shots by you!

[TitusvilleSurfer]

Those before all have exif, I played in photoshop with this one (3) a little bit. The next launch is at 2:30AM on a school day, so who knows - maybe I will get lucky? I will probably have to work it though. I only got off today because I couldn't be any help and still make math class.
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r236/TitusvileSurfer/Transportation/Space%20Shuttle/_MG_5732-1.jpg

[JawsofLife252]

This last image. Fantastic. I would buy a poster size for my room.

Very good.

P.S. you might need to clean your sensor, I'm seeing what looks to be dust in 2 places in this last image.

[aridan]

Wow, definitely beats my circus job... :confused:

[TitusvilleSurfer]

Thanks for the compliments, I noticed the dust myself. :( Now that I have 2 lenses I suppose it is becoming an issue! If I do get next launch off, I can do a bulb mode exposure of the whole flight path.

[Chet]

Cool, I was in Florida in November was really hoping to be able to catch a launch.

Great captures!

[Mike Reynolds]

good job considering....your edited shot is just fine. I love the rocket smoke as it pierces that cloud