My father was an aviator in WWII. I made this image over Arizona while returning to California for his (and my mother's) memorial service. "High Flight", the unofficial aviator's hymn, was on my mind, I was photographing clouds for it, and was extremely fortunate that this other jet passed by so close to us. I don't expect much of a score, 'cuz nobody would ever use this as a cover shot for "Silence" magazine, but I don't care. Here's the entire text:
High Flight
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds - and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long delirious, burning blue,
I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew -
And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod
The high untresspassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand and touched the face of God.
RIP, my father. We will miss you.
********
From RAW to CS3, with considerable adjustment of contrast, clarity, highlight recovery, on the way.
IN CS3, shadow/highlight, curves, and levels applied, then a HEFTY dose of Neat Image 'cuz I grained it to bejaysus in transit.
Resize, border, save for web.
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Wonderfully composed and processed. I love the positioning of the jet and it's contrails coming into the frame. The black silhouette is perfect for this.
Honestly, the 'Silence' connection on this for me was there, but thin...I've never been on a jet that was quiet. Maybe an air glider? :-)
As for the 'Photographers Comments'...thanks for sharing. It is a beautifully written tribute to your father.
Nice shot of this jetliner streaking through some impressive looking clouds. Jetliners are pretty noisy though aren't they? But I do get the feeling of silence that you are trying to convey here. The way one sees the jetliner high above in the silent sky and then sometimes very faintly you can hear the sound of the jet long after it has disappeared from sight. 5
Did you place this in the correct challenge? I like the image. Taken from an airplane, I assume. Jet engines are one of the loudest things I can imagine, even from many miles away. Bumping this up on review, and fresh eyes context. 8
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