B-17 "Madras Maiden" #5
B-17 "Madras Maiden" during a visit to Rocky Mountain Metro Airport in Broomfield, Colorado.
B-17 "Madras Maiden" during a visit to Rocky Mountain Metro Airport in Broomfield, Colorado.
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May, 2017Views
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Awards
Peer Choice Award
Contest Finalist in Airplanes Photo Contest
Peer Award
Outstanding Creativity
Absolute Masterpiece
Superb Composition
Top Choice
Magnificent Capture
All Star
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JonBerndtPhotography
May 21, 2017
Thank you. I was mowing my lawn yesterday and saw this aircraft fly over. I ran in to get my camera and mount my telephoto lens but I was too late. I searched the web to see if there was something going on and found that this aircraft was giving tours and rides ($$$) at an airport ten minutes away. I had been looking for an opportunity such as this one presented for a long time. Was glad to get over there and have the chance to photograph this lovely "bird".
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Behind The Lens
Location
This B-17G named "Madras Maiden" visited Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport earlier this year. I was grateful to the ground crew who let me stay a little bit after the exhibition closed to the public so I could make a few photographs without people around.Time
I had been mowing my lawn not too far from the airport when I saw this aluminum aircraft fly overhead in the afternoon Sun. On a hunch I ran inside to do an Internet search and see if there was something going on and found this aircraft was on exhibit the whole weekend at the nearby airport. I threw my equipment (gently!) into my truck and headed over. I stayed for the rest of the day, and got up early to visit the aircraft the next morning.Lighting
The aircraft was illuminated with late afternoon sunlight. I shot roughly into the Sun, and that gave me some nice highlights on some parts of the aircraft. I was very careful, however, not to blow out the sensor, so the shaded parts of the aircraft were slightly underexposed.Equipment
This was photographed with a Nikon D810, Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 lens (at 24mm). The shot was made handheld.Inspiration
I'm an aerospace engineer by day and have a natural interest in aircraft. The B-17G and P-51D are of particular interest to me. The stories of the brave flight crews that served aboard these aircraft in WWII are riveting, and the fact that some of these aircraft are still flying at the age they are (thanks to the efforts of many volunteers) is inspiring. There was no way I was going to miss the opportunity to photograph this aircraft. Next time, perhaps I'll pay for a ride!Editing
I brought up the shadows a bit because I had to reduce the exposure so much in trying to not blow out the highlights. I also increased the clarity to give the metal a nice look. Finally, I converted this one to a black and white image because I wanted to both present a retro look and because the tones were so nice and color was, in my view, not needed.In my camera bag
I largely do landscape photography in the Colorado and Wyoming areas - particularly in the Rockies. So there is often some hiking involved, but I still carry almost all of my equipment with me each time I venture into the mountains. That includes the following Nikkor lenses: 200-500mm f/5.6 zoom, 105mm f/2.8 macro, 24-70mm f/2.8 zoom, a 1.7x extender, and a GND filter and holder from Lee. I also sometimes carry a Graflex 22 Model 200 with film. :-)Feedback
As is usually the case, early morning or later in the evening provides wonderful (and preferred) lighting. Keep an eye on your local airport's Facebook page if there is one. Visit Commemorative Air Force web pages for touring information for various aircraft. If you manage to arrive outside of normal public viewing times, if you are lucky, the crowds will be small. Another approach would be to shoot using a very dark ND filter and make a long exposure, which would tend to blur or even erase the people.
