• Got the Contributing Memberships stuff finally worked out and made up a thread as a sort of "How-To" to help people figure out how to participate. So if you need help figuring it out, here's the thread you need to take a look at -> http://www.corvetteflorida.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3581 Thank you, everyone! Rich Z.

Space Shuttle Atlantis STS-129 pics

Z06 Rocket

Z06 Rocket

New member
I went to the launch Monday 11/16/09. It was a great weather day and a perfect launch. I took these pictures from SR50 and US1, which is along the coast of Titusville about 12 miles west of the launch pad. Not too bad considering the distance. I was no where as close as Madn3ss was for his pictures of STS-128 in his previous post. Some of the later pictures were better even though the Shuttle was much farther away (sometimes 35-45 miles downrange acording to the NASA announcer on the radio while I was taking the pics). I think the higher the Shuttle went the less of the ground haze I had to deal with. I am pretty stoked about getting the solid rocket booster seperation pictures.

SpaceShuttleSTS-129105.jpg


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SpaceShuttleSTS-129111.jpg
 
No matter how many times they take off and land, it never gets old...what an amazing feat we should all be proud of...it is time though that we start setting our sites on other planets besides the moon...
 
Rocket...........what kind of a camera and lens did you use to get those shots?
Fantastic pix no matter what!
Andy
 
WOW

Great shots!!! I went over for a night time launch and it has to be one of greatest thrills of all time!

What camera/lens did you use? Tripod? :thumbsup:
 
Great pictures Rocket. I have watched a few launches but never seen the booster rockets separate. I know exactly where you were. Great spot to see these babies go up.
 
navy2kcoupe said:
Rocket...........what kind of a camera and lens did you use to get those shots?
Fantastic pix no matter what!
Andy
Click to expand...

Pres712 said:
Great shots!!! I went over for a night time launch and it has to be one of greatest thrills of all time!

What camera/lens did you use? Tripod? :thumbsup:
Click to expand...


Thanks! I have a Nikon D5000 camera and purchased a Nikon "Nikkor AFS VR Zoom" lens thats rated at 70-300mm zoom. No tripod, just holding it up to my face over the shoulder of the guy standing in front of me. The guy was very kind and offered to let me stand in the bed of his truck to get over the heads of all the other people watching from the same area. Some of the pictures I further zoomed slightly with digital zoom in a photo viewing program before posting them on line. The pictures are something like 12 mega pixels or something similiar that so a digital zoom for a small increase doesn't bother them too much.
 
Z06 Rocket said:
Thanks! I have a Nikon D5000 camera and purchased a Nikon "Nikkor AFS VR Zoom" lens thats rated at 70-300mm zoom. No tripod, just holding it up to my face over the shoulder of the guy standing in front of me. The guy was very kind and offered to let me stand in the bed of his truck to get over the heads of all the other people watching from the same area. Some of the pictures I further zoomed slightly with digital zoom in a photo viewing program before posting them on line. The pictures are something like 12 mega pixels or something similiar that so a digital zoom for a small increase doesn't bother them too much.
Click to expand...
Nice setup! :thumbsup: I've got one of the original Nikon D70's with a 70-300 NON VR lens, and I like it a lot.
I've been thinking about getting a VR lens, but just haven't pulled the trigger yet. Maybe one of these
days I'll get the chance to see one of the launches and finally get to see what it is that all of you
have been saying.:yesnod:
Andy :wavey:
 
navy2kcoupe said:
Nice setup! :thumbsup: I've got one of the original Nikon D70's with a 70-300 NON VR lens, and I like it a lot.
I've been thinking about getting a VR lens, but just haven't pulled the trigger yet. Maybe one of these days I'll get the chance to see one of the launches and finally get to see what it is that all of you
have been saying. :yesnod:
Andy :wavey:
Click to expand...


It's very very cool. It makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up to see it and hear the rumble of the rocket engines (could feel it too). This time was a little louder than the last time. I noticed the pictures look a slight bit different in the angle too. The Shuttle may have taken a slightly different angle away from the launch pad and more of the sound made it to the Tittusville coast line area.
 
Great shots Alan (or Allan, can't remember..getting old!) I wish I could've made it over for the launch. Monday is just so difficult. There's 5 or 6 launches left, and 4 or 5 of them are on Wednesday's through Friday's, which are my days off.

Andy, here's a great tip for you. RENT a lens! So far for my D300, I've rented a Sigma 50-500 (no stabilization, Sigma calls it OS) and a Nikon 80-400VR. I loved the Nikon lens. Here's a couple of sites. I've rented from LensRentals both times.

http://www.lensrentals.com/

http://www.borrowlenses.com/

I really like the 80-400VR but wish it went to 500mm. The Sigma zoomed in the barrel and the Nikon extends the barrel. I wish the Sigma had OS because I like that it went a little wider. Sigma does have a 120-400mm OS and a 150-500mm OS, I just wish they went wider. Cost is definitely an issue when you're buying a super zoom. The Sigma 50-500mm is about $1100, the Sigma 120-400mm OS is $900, the Sigma 150-500mm OS is $1000 and the Nikon 80-400VR is...are you ready for it? $1650! You can get a used one for around $1200. I have a Sigma 70-200mm 2.8 and I could add a Sigma 2X Teleconverter for $249. That would get me to 400mm with no OS pretty cheap, plus my D300 has a 1.5X crop factor, which effectively puts me at 600mm.

My wife and I went to Kennedy Space Center a couple of weeks ago. Did the NASA up close tour and got within a mile from the launch pad. Unfortunately the Rotating Service Structure was blocking any view of the shuttle except the bottom of the heat shield/underside of the wings. I'm behind on posting/processing pics. I'm considering starting a little photography business on the side. Not for hire or anything, just some of my best stuff on the side. So I'm getting my portfolio together.

Did you drive the Vette over? How cool would it be to have a picture of the Space Shuttle launch with the 2DR Rocket in the foreground?!

Sorry if I hijacked your thread a little.

Scott
 
My pics of STS 129 prior to launch, 16 Nov 09

I took these pics 12 hours prior to launch, Pad A.
 

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More of STS 129

Different angles of Atlantis
 

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Just a bit more of STS 129

Enjoy!
 

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I'm extremely jealous Jack! I did the "Up Close" tour and my only complaint was that the rotating service structure was blocking the view of the shuttle. I completely understand why it's there though. Nice pics.
 
MADN3SS said:
Great shots Alan (or Allan, can't remember..getting old!) I wish I could've made it over for the launch. Monday is just so difficult. There's 5 or 6 launches left, and 4 or 5 of them are on Wednesday's through Friday's, which are my days off.

Andy, here's a great tip for you. RENT a lens! So far for my D300, I've rented a Sigma 50-500 (no stabilization, Sigma calls it OS) and a Nikon 80-400VR. I loved the Nikon lens. Here's a couple of sites. I've rented from LensRentals both times.

http://www.lensrentals.com/

http://www.borrowlenses.com/

I really like the 80-400VR but wish it went to 500mm. The Sigma zoomed in the barrel and the Nikon extends the barrel. I wish the Sigma had OS because I like that it went a little wider. Sigma does have a 120-400mm OS and a 150-500mm OS, I just wish they went wider. Cost is definitely an issue when you're buying a super zoom. The Sigma 50-500mm is about $1100, the Sigma 120-400mm OS is $900, the Sigma 150-500mm OS is $1000 and the Nikon 80-400VR is...are you ready for it? $1650! You can get a used one for around $1200. I have a Sigma 70-200mm 2.8 and I could add a Sigma 2X Teleconverter for $249. That would get me to 400mm with no OS pretty cheap, plus my D300 has a 1.5X crop factor, which effectively puts me at 600mm.

My wife and I went to Kennedy Space Center a couple of weeks ago. Did the NASA up close tour and got within a mile from the launch pad. Unfortunately the Rotating Service Structure was blocking any view of the shuttle except the bottom of the heat shield/underside of the wings. I'm behind on posting/processing pics. I'm considering starting a little photography business on the side. Not for hire or anything, just some of my best stuff on the side. So I'm getting my portfolio together.

Did you drive the Vette over? How cool would it be to have a picture of the Space Shuttle launch with the 2DR Rocket in the foreground?!

Sorry if I hijacked your thread a little.

Scott
Click to expand...

MADN3SS said:
I'm extremely jealous Jack! I did the "Up Close" tour and my only complaint was that the rotating service structure was blocking the view of the shuttle. I completely understand why it's there though. Nice pics.
Click to expand...

Here's your wish for a Corvette with a Shuttle launch in the background...I comply with most requests and/or wishes! :hehehe: How 'bout my '82 and '06, nose to nose!! :rofl1:
 

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