Speaking of Pictures

Len Lanetti

Len Lanetti

Cleared for Takeoff
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Feb 23, 2005
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Malvern, PA
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Lenny
If you get the quarterly magazine "Air and Space" or even if you don't...there is a picture of a multi engine amphibious aircraft that is worth the cost of the most recent edition.

The crowds during the day prevented the pictured from being taken during daylight so the picture was taken at night (11pm if I remember right)...without the use of a flash....from what the caption said...long duration exposure...it must have been several minutes as the photographer used a flashlight to light the aircraft from close up a section of the aircraft at a time...because it was so dark and the photographer was not lighted the photographer does not appear in the picture even though he was standing in the shot. The picture is truly stunning...the aircraft is aluminum and it shines without the bounce back glare from a flash...you can clearly see the red in the clouds above and other vivid colors throughout the picture, there is very good depth of field.

The caption or brief discussion of the picture mentions that the flashlight technique used is very old...I wonder if it took a lot of trial and error to determine duration to shine the flashlight, aperture setting, length of exposure, etc.

Len
 
Len Lanetti said:
If you get the quarterly magazine "Air and Space" or even if you don't...there is a picture of a multi engine amphibious aircraft that is worth the cost of the most recent edition.

The crowds during the day prevented the pictured from being taken during daylight so the picture was taken at night (11pm if I remember right)...without the use of a flash....from what the caption said...long duration exposure...it must have been several minutes as the photographer used a flashlight to light the aircraft from close up a section of the aircraft at a time...because it was so dark and the photographer was not lighted the photographer does not appear in the picture even though he was standing in the shot. The picture is truly stunning...the aircraft is aluminum and it shines without the bounce back glare from a flash...you can clearly see the red in the clouds above and other vivid colors throughout the picture, there is very good depth of field.
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Ok Len, post the picture. That's like saying, "Hey, there's a great centerfold in this month's "Playboy", but as I only get the magazine for the articles I didn't look at it, but trust me its really good."

LOL! :)
 
Anthony said:
Ok Len, post the picture. That's like saying, "Hey, there's a great centerfold in this month's "Playboy", but as I only get the magazine for the articles I didn't look at it, but trust me its really good."

LOL! :)
Click to expand...
It was particularly good and I DON'T get it for the articles. :D
 
Anthony said:
Ok Len, post the picture.
Click to expand...

Ah...technically (as in I have the technollogy) I could scan and post the picture but legally I don't think I can because of copyright laws.

Maybe a quick look to see if there is an Air & Space website or a Google search.

Stand by.

Len
 
Frank,

Close.

Anthony,

I couldn't find the exact picture on the 'net.

BTW - Toward the bottom of the page at this URL is a snippet from a story on Van Sant airport (you know, the grass field near the Deleware River and northeast of Lake Nockamixon) that also appears in the current edition.

http://www.airandspacemagazine.com/ASM/Mag/Latest.html

Len
 
Thanks Len. You're the best. I know Van Zant. I probably should subscribe to Air & Space anyway.
 
Anthony said:
Thanks Len. You're the best. I know Van Zant. I probably should subscribe to Air & Space anyway.
Click to expand...

I let my subscription lapse but when I stopped getting "Flying" I started it up again...well technically...I received it as a Christmas gift.

I really need to renew my EAA membership and start getting "Sport Pilot"...maybe this year for Christmas.

Len
 
Len Lanetti said:
The caption or brief discussion of the picture mentions that the flashlight technique used is very old...I wonder if it took a lot of trial and error to determine duration to shine the flashlight, aperture setting, length of exposure, etc.

Len
Click to expand...

You can bet a good photographer took that picture. I'm not sure what he did but If I was doing it I would use a slow speed film/iso and an aperture of around f16-f22 depending on the light available. Then I would set the exposure to the background clouds. Then I would run tests with the flashlight on one spot of the aircraft and see how it takes to properly expose the plane. I would use that time and try to give each part of the plane the same amount of time. Also it would be important to use the flashlight from different angles and not from where the camera was placed.

Chris
 
I reread the short article with the picture last night...exposure time was 30 seconds...photographer "ran" along the plane shinning the flashlight.

I now think the red in the clouds is from underexposure as the tarmac is reddish as well. I say this only to clarify not to diminish the picture as it is very striking. I would consider hanging a print of this picture even though I'm really not one to have pictures of airplanes in the house or office (OK, well, I do have two drawings of the Wright Flyer in my office and a commerative of 100 years of flight in my family room).

Len
 
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