The Nikon 28-300VR – Beyond my Expectations!

Click Here

I was planning on taking the 70-200VR2 but at the last minute after the briefing I knew I needed a physically smaller lens. It’s then it occurred to me that my good friend and NPS boss Bill Pekala had the new 28-300VR. I’d seen some gorgeous shots he’d shot with it so I asked him if I could borrow it for the shoot of a lifetime. Yeah, I was trusting his opinion and this lens I’ve never shot with for a once in a lifetime opportunity. To say it delivered is pretty anticlimactic! Just click on the link above to see for yourself. Even in the slip stream the zoom stayed true and the sharpness, it’s what I come to expect from Nikon. Keep in mind you’re looking at a Zoomify image shot from the ramp of a C-130 at 1/250 and it’s tack sharp! Bottomline, the 28-300 freakin rocks!

Photo captured by D3x, 28-300VR on Lexar UDMA digital film

20min with 23 Skidoo

Some mornings we’d head out on the ramp early not knowing what we’d find. When we made the turn on the ramp and saw the P-38 23 Skidoo parked there, we didn’t have to go any further for a subject. This great plan which is hangered at Planes of Fame is one of the six flying P-38s. It was O-dark thirty when we arrived, we were actually a little early this morning. The sodium vapor lights were still on we were so early. I was curious what effect they might have on the 23 Skidoo. Well, now I know. Kind of a cool glow to the fuselage.

Then the light started to come up and equaling out with the sodium vapor so just before they went off, I made this nose shot. You can still see their influence in the front of the plane which without them would have all gone to shadow. First time I’ve ever done “light painting” for filled in shadows with sodium vapor, that’s for sure.

Then the lights went out and the sun was just about to pop out. I went around to the third side to make the last click. All the photos were made at 1/10 with the camera resting on the tarmac. They were all shot on Vivid with -2 comp. It was a real easy, very enjoyable 20 minutes with a fabulous plane and piece of our aviation history!

Photos captured by D3x, 24-70AFS on Lexar UDMA digital film

Simple Click – A Date with Glacier Girl

An evening I will never forget, the story to come; photo taken with new 28-300VR.