Color of Afghanistan
Taken on a flight out of Qali-i-Naw, Baghdis, Afghanistan - largely interesting because everyone assumes AFG is all desert or mountains and desolation....
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Taken on a flight out of Qali-i-Naw, Baghdis, Afghanistan - largely interesting because everyone assumes AFG is all desert or mountains and desolation.
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Sep, 2016Views
1543
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Awards
Winner in From An Airplane Window Photo Challenge
Peer Award
Superb Composition
Absolute Masterpiece
Top Choice
Outstanding Creativity
Genius
Magnificent Capture
Superior Skill
Virtuoso
All Star
Top Ranks
Top 20 rankTop 20 rank week 1
Top 20 rank week 1
Top 20 rank week 1
Top 20 rank
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Mary18
March 19, 2017
Congratulations on winning my From An Airplane Window photo challenge! I had many entries, but picked yours because of the vibrant colors and unique landscape. Once again congrats on winning my challenge, I can't wait to see more from you in the future!
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
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Behind The Lens
Location
I took this shot while on board a US Army Blackhawk en route to Qali-i-Naw in the Baghdis region of Western Afghanistan. Spring in Afghanistan can create short-lived vibrant colors on the ground, and this was a sight I rarely encountered during more than five years in country.Time
This was taken around noon, as I recall. I do remember it was unusually pleasant after just enough rain to keep the constant dust cover from the air for a time.Lighting
Nothing was special about the lighting, just the sheer joy of being in the air on a partly cloudy, bright, colorful day.Equipment
This was shot on my battered Sony a77 with my favorite 18-250mm Sony "walking lens".Inspiration
I love being in the air and this was a perfect day for it. Most of my aerials in Afghanistan are brown; brown dirt, brown sand, brown mountains, brown dusty skies; seeing splashes of color is good, but having the entire landscape in vibrant greens with the beautiful blue in the sky, I just had to take (way too many!) shots.Editing
I did increase the clarity and boost the vibrance a bit in Lightroom as well as cropping out a bit of the window frame from the chopper.In my camera bag
As little as I think I can get away with. Extra batteries, usually an extra memory card, and sometimes a prime lens and flash; but I usually tried to travel as light as possible. Body armor and professional kit weighed enough, and there's not a huge amount of space for extras in most helicopters.Feedback
Simply keep eyes out at all times and be ready for anything. I had done this flight many times and it was always drab; this one time for a short distance, everything was different. If I had taken a combat nap like my partner, I would have missed it all. And, don't be afraid to keep shooting. When you aren't really in control of anything (lighting, position, speed), it can pay off to just rip off constant bursts and then take the best of the bunch.
