Today's photo is another shot of the SR-71 Blackbird, the centerpiece of various aircraft on display in the main hangar of the Udvar-Hazy Center, Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, located in Chantilly, Virginia (near Dulles International Airport). I took this shot during my last visit to the East Coast during the beginning of December with my old camera, a Canon T1i, and the Canon 17-40mm f/4 L lens. The lens makes a huge difference, but I also have quite a bit more experience in processing photos and trying to highlight details in photos while learning more and more that lighting in an HDR photo is the most important thing, not color. I also now have access to a newer version of noise reduction program than what I originally used, which helps give the original a very smooth and almost "painterly" look. I attached one of the "original" photos that I took with the T1i and the default 18-55mm lens, which I processed using some different tools and processing techniques.
I think the new shot is MUCH better and more realistic and am quite pleased with how it came out. The SR-71 is without a doubt my favorite aircraft ever made, and the Udvar-Hazy Center is my favorite spot that I have visited to take photos (
St. Matthews Cathedral is 2nd, but that might be replaced during my trip to Orlando and Cape Canaveral next month!).
SR-71 Blackbird
Original shot
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Awesome shot, much improved over your first one, which in itself isn't bad.And what an awesome plane.
ReplyDeleteExcellent processing and capture. You are right about lighting part on HDR processing. I took similar picture last month during my visit but I cannot remember being it so black. I like the newer version a lot.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/hitchhikersguidetotheoutdoors/5472057694/in/set-72157626081691484/
Nice work! The new version Rocks, makes me wanna go back!
ReplyDeleteLove the perspective! Great Shot Brian!
ReplyDeleteNice shot.
ReplyDeleteHow did you get it? I have been there and they do not allow tripods. How many shots did you take? I know there is a railing int he area you took that shot from, did you steady the camera on the railing?
I am a huge fan of airplanes and the SR71 Blackbird is near the top of my list! GREAT shot here, Brian, you've composed it just perfectly! Great processing, love the textures and details of the plane and the facility.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments everyone, I appreciate it!
ReplyDeleteT.J:
This time I was allowed to have my tripod, but had to take care not to extend the legs any wider than my body so it was more like a three legged monopod than anything else. The time that I visited prior to this the guards were nice and let me take shots of just about everything with my tripod (on the way out one of the "security" people (not one of the actual guards) said something to me, but that was it). I think a lot of it depends on who is working that day and the amount of people in there that day (a Wednesday afternoon in October is probably more likely to be allowed a little more leeway than a weekend in July for example).
I did purchase a gorillapod for future trips though so I can wrap it around the railing if I need to as well.
And yes, the middle section of the railing there is flat enough that you can press down on the camera to steady it enough to get the shots. You don't want to do 30 second exposures that way, but for a few seconds you can mostly isolate camera movement (unless people are walking up and down the stairs, that causes the whole thing to vibrate).