On Aviation and Photography:
"You haven't seen a tree until you've seen its shadow from the sky." -- Amelia Earhart
“You don't take a photograph, you make it.” - - Ansel Adams
UPDATED: September 19, 2010
Hi, My name is Bill and I am updating my homepage to reflect a wonderful event in my life...marriage, September 18, 2010, to my best friend Tara...known to many of you as auntietk here on Renderosity.
We "met" shortly after I joined Renderosity in August 2008. We share a love for photography and indeed all types of art.
We live north of Seattle and enjoy getting to share photographic excursions and information with other Renderositians ( is "Renderositians" even a word? ). LOL
As for me, it seems like I've been taking pictures all my life but I didn't get serious enough to purchase my first Digital Single Lens Reflex (DSLR) camera until May 2008. In May 2009 I upgraded from an Olympus E-510 to an Olympus E-30 with a wide variety of lenses.
My subject areas of interest include absolutely everything but with a frequent return to airplanes, cars, tanks, etc., ...or as Tara says, machines that make lots of noise;-)
If you are curious, I am pictured above in a Grumman Corsair on a taxiway of the Kansas City Downtown Airport. I used to fly and train others to fly airplanes. That will explain my frequent forays into the world of aviation. Last but by no means least, thanks to Pannyhb for introducing me to Renderosity. The moment I saw it I was hooked.
Fine print: Yes, the photo above is a photo manipulation:-)
Hover over top left image to zoom.
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Comments (31)
MagikUnicorn
GOOD TITLE ;-) Love Copter SIR
auntietk
I clicked. You lost me at "reverse tricycle landing gear." Do helicopters have pitot tubes? I wonder about these things when nobody is looking. I love how nonchalantly the guys lounge on that thing. What's the pretty colored dealie up next to the rotor? (You like "dealie" next to "rotor?" Hey ... I know just enough to get me in trouble.)
goodoleboy
Whoa, lots of stark contrast in this fine shot of the AH-64 Apache, Bill. Looks like the stuff I see out on the JFTB airfield in Los Alamitos. I've taken a plethora of helicopter fotos from that scene over the years. And the kid looks like he can't wait to either get on board the copter or find the nearest little boy's room.
bazza
Nice shot of this helicopter Bill, and the kid does look like he needs the bathroom.. lol well captured...
Digitaleagle
Great capture of this awesome machine, very nice work!!
beachzz
I just want to meet the guys who fly these!! IS there a bathroom--must be VERY tiny!!
kansas
Great shot. It does look like the little boy is looking for the BR. Fantastic flying machine.
danapommet
Like the POV and openness of this Apache. Great shot. Dana
lyron
Very cool shot!!
Chipka
This is quite an impressive piece of machinery. One of my favorite SF authors, William Gibson, actually described 'copters like this as "Sleek black wasps with death slung beneath them" and that's always what I think of when I see rotor-driven military aircraft! They are wasp-like, and I'm sure that with bristling weapons appendages, they're more than casually shock-and-awe inspiring. The other thing is that they're just plain sexy in a way. I don't really know much about military aircraft (only as much as science fiction requires that I know) but I suspect that I can become as big a copter-geek as some guys are car geeks. Copters are so much more useful and they're just cooler! Cars are just those things that you drive around in. As for the photo itself, I love your POV and the fact that you include so many details, including what looks like a strange sort of communications enhancement--that multicolored cylindrical thing. Is that the little bit that receives satellite downloads or allows for some bizarre species of friend-or-foe recognition? Wonderful details...superb light! If I were there, I'd be crawling all over this thing, attempting to take pictures of its interior as well...I'd love to see the controls, but would the controls actually be listed as classified and thus un-photographable? Anyway, I'm rambling on and on, when all I really intend to say is that this is a fantastic shot! Great work!
Meisiekind
Very impressive flying machine Bill... But the star of the show if definitely the little boy "looking for the bathroom"... It brought back memories of my boys when they were little and wanted to pee at the most ungodly times... But I'm sure you can relate to that with the girls too... In a way boys are easy, because any old tree will do... LOL...
vkoontz
I don't know if the Apache has a relief tube or not,almost all WWII aircraft did. I wouldn't be surprised if some kind of container is kept for emergencies.
durleybeachbum
What fun! When my little brother was that age he couldn't pass a public toilet.
helanker
LOL ! Such an excellent capture and I like your title too :-D
jendellas
Bill you do make me chuckle, thankyou!!!! Very impressive pic, I was at a show the other day & the air ambulance arrived, dash I didn't have my camera!!!!!
flavia49
Fantastic title and capture!! Well in Italy we will say a lot of things about bathrooms that I can't say here!! Magnificent Apache!!!
Rainastorm
That little guy off to the side is to freakin cute Bill...looks exactly what he might be asking. lol Been there done that with my four kids! :-) Cool post, hope your doing well. Sorry I've been 'away'. Lot going on. Haven't forgotten you! :-)
drace68
Great contrast in what folks find important.
tennesseecowgirl
Too bad you didn't get a close up of the little boy looking up at the plane, he sort of steals the show in my opinion... Lovely image.
sandra46
gorgeous, fascinating shot! I especially like the little boy on the left...and if I remember well I heard of a guy hit by a frozen dropping falling from above!
blondeblurr
BOYS AND THEIR TOYS... well, on a more serious note, it's more likely to be weapons. It's certainly 'heavy metal stuff' and very impressive !!! I am amazed, that you can actually disclose some of that info on 'Click here' for details ? I would have thought, that most of it be 'secret-big-boys stuff'? well done BB
elfin14doaks
The boy with his hands on his head does look like the question could have been thrown out there and he is waiting for the answer. great capture.
npauling
Don't you love it when you hear that question out in the middle of nowhere and then have to make an urgent dash. I love the expression you have caught and the title certainly goes well.
Osper
Good caption to match the picture!
neiwil
Well this is a brilliant capture, a very relaxed scene, an awsome weapon and neat bit of humour.I am a huge fan of all things Apache.Thanks Bill....oh yeh, point the kid in the direction of the bottle behind the pilots head.Then get ready for another Kodak moment when he takes a slug :)
junge1
Great shot Bill. I had to laugh about the title. Brings back memories of when we landed somewhere (I am talking military flights) that after a long flight finding the nearest facility was often crucial, and, many times, especially when parked on the far side of the tower, going behind the plane was almost standard procedure. On an aside, I remember that they seemed to have had a lot of problems bringing this helicopter on line. Also, in the First Gulf War there were reports of damage from vibrations and of course vulnerability from dust and/or sand. They seemed to have worked out the kinks.
cfulton
Tee hee! It really does look like he places to go ... Great shot, Clive
Buffalo1
I would have asked for a ride, but yes, a kid would want to know. Cool Apache.
orig_buggy
wonderful!!!
debbielove
A really lovely...relaxed.. shot! Great one... WHY, Oh why, can't our people seem to understand that not every single person is a Terrorist or Vandal trying to cause trouble... Over my years at airshows, I've gone from Lightnings taking off over my head to everything being sooooo far away, I need my camera on 200mm zoom or more! But, in America! Different!, On Europe as a whole, different.. In the UK... we are SO pathetic we have now decided to CUT the RAF by 25% The excuse... If its not being used in Afghanistan.... We don't need it! And thats for real! Jaw drops! I'm going now... I love the picture... Memories! Rob