From Crimson Clupidae:
Anyway, One of my favorite old dead trees (desert Juniper) from Madera canyon.The campfire picture is a fun study in contrasts. The only difference between the two shots is using the flash or not. I really like the look of the glowing/burning embers.
This particular aircraft (a 747-400) is converted into a firebomber, and I think is currently the largest firebomber in the world. You can read more about it here: http://fireaviation.com/tag/747/
Click for full size.
© Crimson Clupidae. All rights reserved.
That fiery charcoal shot really turned out well. I’ve tried various fire shots but have never been able to make them work.
That dead juniper is stunning.
I love the symmetry of the fire bomber shot.
Kengi
Fire is hard, it’s a bit hit-or-miss sometimes. I’ve had varying luck.
Speaking of firebombers, the local bay is one of the regional firefighting force(s?)’s favourite spots for their Canadair waterbombers to pick-up water. Hence, they also do a lot of practicing and training here (at times, it seems, every day!). Typically, when practicing pick-ups there are two or three of them in row, descending to the bay in a broad circle, doing the skimming scooper picker upper thing, and then, after starting to climb back up for another go-around, dumping the load. It’s intriguing to watch, and also (much to the mildly deranged penguin’s delight) rather LOUD!
A few days ago, as I was waiting for an evening bus, I heard the usual waterbomber roar, LOUD! Make that EXTRA LOOOOUUUUDDDDD!!!!1!! There were one, two, three, four, five of them arriving over the bay and commencing practicing. The bus I was waiting for just happened to be an open-top double-decker bus than ran along the beachfront, so sitting up top I got to watch attractive people sundrying on the beach, and in the water being eaten by kraken, with the waterbombers dumping loads of dekrakenated water in the background, LOUDLY!
But not the loudest waterbombers I ever heard…
Several years ago, early in the morning (I was still preparing(? eating?) breakfast) there a SUPPPPOOOOR EXTRAAAA LOOUUUUUDDDDD!!!!! waterbomber roar overhead, so loud I start vibrating (along with the breakfast, mildly deranged penguin, and so on). Ran outside, but couldn’t see anything. Weird. About ten minutes later, same thing, same result. Odd. And ten minutes later, again… Ok, must be a fire nearby, but why is it so loud?
Got my answer walking to the bus stop. Super loud, looked up, and there was the waterbomber at, or possibly just below, local tree-top level, at most ten metres overhead, and clearly coming in to do a pick-up. (Later found out the fire was near the motorway, which had been closed, causing rather massive traffic jams for kilometres around.)
blf:
Yeah, water bombers are fun to watch for sure. I used to work on these magnificent beasts. I’ve been lucky enough to get to ride one for about a week of test flights, which included multiple water drops.