Saturn V first stage engines
PENTAX *ist DS 
Aperture 80/10 ISO 3200 Shutter 1/350 Focal Length 18/1 
Cape Canaveral, Florida, US
Nov, 2016Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken inside the Apollo/Saturn V Center at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. These are the first stage engines on the Saturn V rocket that is on display inside this huge building.Time
Our day had started north of Jacksonville, and we drove straight to the Kennedy Space Center. This facility is the final stop on the bus tour of the Space Center, so it was probably early or mid-afternoon when this photo was taken.Lighting
This is actually shot with natural ambient light. The entire end of the building is glass, allowing ample sunlight into the facility. Even so, it took several shots to get a good, clear photo.Equipment
This was shot with my Pentax *ist DS camera, using a Pentax DA 15-55 mm zoom lens. Because I was on a tour, I didn't have a tripod with me, so this had to be shot handheld.Inspiration
The Saturn V rocket is almost unimaginably huge, and there is no way to capture the entire thing in a single shot now that it is displayed indoors. I was looking for a shot that would convey some sense of the magnitude of the rocket, and the first stage engines were the most clearly visible. Even so, it took all of my wide angle capability to frame the shot, and it still doesn't really capture the full scale of this machine.Editing
No post processing. This is straight from the camera.In my camera bag
I normally carry my camera and at least a couple of lenses, to give me a range of focal lengths from wide angle to telephoto. I also try to always have extra batteries, because you never know when you'll need them. Depending on what I'm planning to shoot, I might also carry a tripod or monopod, but most of my photography is done handheld.Feedback
Composing a unique shot in a popular tourist destination can be a challenge, and I'm not sure I succeeded here. I always try to look for unique perspectives or unusual framing elements when composing such shots. Sites such as this can present additional challenges, because tours inside secure facilities can have rules that limit the equipment you are allowed to carry. A willingness to be flexible and adapt to circumstances will serve you well, as well as a creative imagination that allows you to see things a bit differently from the way others see them.
