Please caption this image
St. Thomas, ON, June 2009
As we climb out and join up with friends who coincidentally arrived at the same time we did (quick aside: G-d bless the iPhone and the BlackBerry) we see a streak from the right. My jaw drops: It's an F-15. Make that three F-15s - F-15C models, the uncompromised definitions of the penultimate dogfighter for over a generation. It dawns on me I haven't seen Eagles fly since before we had kids. They are, frankly, soul-shattering to watch.
Unfortunately I'm stuck on the side of the road, on the outside looking in, in the middle of a wandering - and apparently unaware - crowd. I yank my camera out of the bag, adjust settings and start shooting. No planning, no anything...just wildly following these streaks in the sky and hoping I can stop them just long enough to get something.
They're flying so low that I end up with some neat juxtapositions. Telephone poles, hangars, and in this case, kids. As the Eagles light off their afterburners and turn for home, I think to myself that it just wouldn't have been the same had we already been patiently waiting for their arrival beside the flight line. Sometimes, outside looking in is the best place to be, even if it doesn't seem that way at first.
Your turn: Please suggest a snappy caption for this image. Enter as often as you wish and don't be afraid to involve friends and family members, too. We'll be taking suggestions all week. Click the comment link and go to town. If you're new to Caption This, click here for some background info.
About last week's smokestacks photo: The colder it gets, the better the smoke and steam, so I'm sure it'll be a while before I can capture anything remotely like this. As ever, you all rose to the occasion. Honorable menschens go to these great folks:
About this photo: It's aviation week all week long. To take off with Thematic Photographic, click here.The scene: Traffic into this year's airshow in St. Thomas is unbelievably heavy. It's taken over 2 hours to cover the final 5 km. By the time my daughter and I finally get to the airport entrance, Ontario Provincial Police wave us away from the parking area. I park the wondervan on the side of the main road in front of the airport, hoping quietly that no one will tow me away.
As we climb out and join up with friends who coincidentally arrived at the same time we did (quick aside: G-d bless the iPhone and the BlackBerry) we see a streak from the right. My jaw drops: It's an F-15. Make that three F-15s - F-15C models, the uncompromised definitions of the penultimate dogfighter for over a generation. It dawns on me I haven't seen Eagles fly since before we had kids. They are, frankly, soul-shattering to watch.
Unfortunately I'm stuck on the side of the road, on the outside looking in, in the middle of a wandering - and apparently unaware - crowd. I yank my camera out of the bag, adjust settings and start shooting. No planning, no anything...just wildly following these streaks in the sky and hoping I can stop them just long enough to get something.
They're flying so low that I end up with some neat juxtapositions. Telephone poles, hangars, and in this case, kids. As the Eagles light off their afterburners and turn for home, I think to myself that it just wouldn't have been the same had we already been patiently waiting for their arrival beside the flight line. Sometimes, outside looking in is the best place to be, even if it doesn't seem that way at first.
Your turn: Please suggest a snappy caption for this image. Enter as often as you wish and don't be afraid to involve friends and family members, too. We'll be taking suggestions all week. Click the comment link and go to town. If you're new to Caption This, click here for some background info.
About last week's smokestacks photo: The colder it gets, the better the smoke and steam, so I'm sure it'll be a while before I can capture anything remotely like this. As ever, you all rose to the occasion. Honorable menschens go to these great folks:
- Terri: "Clouded Judgement"
- Pamela: "Hackey Stack."
- Dana: "Fabricating Formations."
- Mojo: "Designated Smoking Area."
- Mel Fraase: "Three Stacks to the Wind!"
Here's mine:
ReplyDelete"Sarah I told you this isn't where we checked in for our flight. Now look, we've missed it."
"Off we go" is pretty lame, but it's all I've got.
ReplyDelete* Be right back after dropping a few bombs just over there!
ReplyDelete* What're you all oglin' at anyway?
I remember watching a flight demo of the F-15E Strike Eagles at Seymour Johnson AFB years ago. The E-models were almost discontinued until their performance in Gulf War I turned out to be so surprisingly superior. Basically, this is a C-model with an extra seat equipped for ground attack missions in addition to air superiority. Sort of like a two-seater Hornet, only land based. And bigger. And probably faster.
ReplyDeleteAnd very, very frightening if you're on the other side of the engagement.
I somehow missed posting my last Aviation link, so you get a two-fer on this one. As for a caption... I'm sure something witty will come to me, but it isn't just this moment.
Thematic Photographic 56: "Aviation" v.6.0
Thematic Photographic 56: "Aviation" v.5.0
Oh, and...
If You Were Waiting For The Last Minute, It's Here. Most Inspiring Blog Award Voting Closes Today
Vrrrrrrrrrrrrmmmmmmmmmmmmm! I know,not quite the noise a plane makes, but it's late and I just couldn't put it into letters! :D
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing capture. I admire that you always seems ready with the camera to catch these ones, Carmi. You inspire me.
ReplyDeleteHere's my caption:
A fly-by shooting.
Out of formation.
ReplyDeleteWatch out for the clothesline!
Dogged Daredevils...
Great photo Carmi.... you always inspire and because of you, my little camera comes with me wherever i go.