Robert Knight  


Bristol Boxkite by Robert Knight

July 2021 - Bristol Boxkite

July 2021 - Robert Knight

Original

About the Image(s)

There is a local aircraft museum called the Shuttleworth Collection. They have air displays from time to time and we went along to one recently. This is a 1910 Bristol Boxkite. There are no original ones left and this one is a replica that was used in the film "Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines". The film makers donated it to the Shuttleworth Collection. I was experimenting with shutter speeds to get the blur of the propellers. The propeller is behind the pilot and you can just see it if you look closely. I was attracted by the cloud formations. Image taken at ISO 400, f16, 1/500sec. I slightly desaturated the blues in the sky and brightened up the cab to bring out more detail.


This round’s discussion is now closed!
4 comments posted




Zina Mirsky   Zina Mirsky
(Group 55)
I like your edits and indeed can just about make out the prop blur. If this was hand-held I'm not sure you could have altered your shutter sufficiently to get the blur more visible without more blur of the whole flying machine! I also found this an optical puzzle as I was trying to figure out the spatial orientation of the plane to you! I'm still considering that.   Posted: 07/10/2021 12:45:26



Bob Wills   Bob Wills
Hi Robert,
Nothing like gray skies in England and Washington. I like your subject. It looks sharp to me, and your processing helps. I prefer the plane more towards the bottom of the image with more room at the top, as in the original. Color is good, just wish he'd been flying into the light. Where was your position? Excellent work.   Posted: 07/18/2021 16:28:18
Comment Image



Robert Knight   Robert Knight
(Group 45)
The plane was flying just above the tree line and I was on the ground. I took some images hand held and some using a monopod and I don't remember how I took this one. Bob's interpretation has drawn out some more colour in the cockpit which adds to the contrast with the sky. I wasn't sure how to crop the image and opted for the top third but Bob's idea is equally attractive to me.   Posted: 07/23/2021 17:57:26



Ian Chantler   Ian Chantler
(Groups 4 & 31)
Hi Robert
Great image of an aircraft I have photographed myself the Shuttleworth collection is a treasured gem in my eyes, you have captured the boxkite superbly wonderful lighting and great sky I know how slowly the aircraft moves in flight especially comapred to modern propeller aircraft you could have got away with a shutter speed of around 110/s to 125/s quite comfortably and got superb blur I have used around an 80/s on similar aircraft I hope this is help on future visits.
Again great image I so enjoyed seeing, as for the crop judges like a touch of space for a moving object to move into.   Posted: 07/30/2021 14:50:09