F-15 and the bike Photo

Photographer’s Note

F-15 and the bike.
Yesterday was the first ever Airfest held here in my small town of Chico,California.Our group of volunteers from the police department had the job of security of this entire event and thus I had the opportunity to take some pictures without any problem of security clearence. I also got to take picture of this awesome aircraft standing on the runway after it landed and as it was taxing down the runway.That is my patrol bike you see in this shot, I did not realize the fact long after the shot was taken and by that time I did not have a second chance because this whole area around the F-15 was cordoned off from public.
The F-15 is an all weather,extremely maneuverable,tactical designed to permit the U.S Air Force to gain and maintain air supremacy over the battlefield for the joint warfighter. Some of the F-15 Eagle's features include electronic systems and weapons to detect,track and attack enemy aircraft while operating in friendly or enemy - controlled airspace. The weapons and flight control systems are designed so one person can safely and effectively perform air-to-air combat.

FORJP001, urs0114, pablominto, ramesh_lalwani, zokakelt, syd1946, siolaw, berek, postvikram, anavazao, jassy has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

rafid76 (2611) 2006-09-03 20:09 [Comment]

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Vato_Law (11642) 2006-09-03 20:16

Hello Pranab,
Indeed an impressive machine! It's also remarcable how small your bike does look small side by side with it. Nice light handle and a great sky captured on this photo.
Rgds.
Paulo

FORJP001 (3819) 2006-09-03 21:04

Hi Pranab,

Very odd indeed this bike near the F-15 jet fighter.

I will not dare doing the same thing with my bike which is not a patrol bike but a tourism bike. Patrol men dont like tourism bike with a cameraman...

Jean-Pierre

barrufeto_77 (25619) 2006-09-04 1:14

Hi Pranab. Nice to see U again.

Unusuall place for a bike.... :P

Maybe the second F-15 should be out.

Rgs, Oscar

pablominto (40056) 2006-09-04 1:35

Hi Pranab,
An iteresting contrast my friend!
So you brought your own bike to make the picture, hehehehe....
This is a surprising contrast to your nature photography!
Greetings,
Pablo -

ahmetgedikli (21621) 2006-09-04 2:01

Hi Pranab,
Beautiful shot! Very interesting capture and composition.
Have a nice monday.
Greetings.
Ahmet

[2]

ramesh_lalwani (3209) 2006-09-04 2:35

Hi Parnab
Interesting composition.Sharp photo Nice colors.
ramesh

Angshu (33346) 2006-09-04 3:59

Dear Pranab
I'll restrict myself to the photograph...the compo. with the bike & the fighter is very good...the long shadows are a good effect in the picture
Regards
Angshu
PS : Asha kori ekhon thik achho

RADEEH (2762) 2006-09-04 11:38

Hi Pranab
After reading all the comments, I think i should restrict to the photographic value of the shot. A nice composition of an aircraft. I love the low angle PoV. Cycle is little distracting.The sky is awesome.The details are sharp and intersting. Congrats and TFS
Regards
Radeeh

zokakelt (1153) 2006-09-04 11:53

Very nice photo. I like bike very much.
Nice work.
Zoran

syd1946 (17825) 2006-09-04 12:51

Hi Pranab,
You composed an interesting scene here.The small bike against the big plane.David against Goliath!I like your idea for your shot my friend.Wellcome back!

Thomas

sufi (9568) 2006-09-04 19:29

Hi Pranab...
It's a very humorous composition and beautiful point of view... The details and the light are beautiful too...
TFS...
Stay well..
Salim.

siolaw (25702) 2006-09-05 0:38

Hi Pranab,
A funny one with strongtechological contrast!
Nice framing, good colors and sharpness
Well seen
Laurent

sabyasachi1212 (19528) 2006-09-05 4:14

Hi Pranab Da,
Now I really envy you...to get that close to those magnificent machines is really something! Excellent composition with the bike, you may not have realised then but without the bike this could have been just another of those publicity shots.
Regards
Sabyasachi

macondo (12991) 2006-09-05 4:16

Good to see you back on TE with some more shots, Pranab. Nice juxtaposition of the plane and your humble mode of transport. Good angle of view and nice long shadows. I'm not sure I'd call such a plane 'awesome', but at the same time I think one or two comments have gone beyond photographic aspects here, in one case completely ignored them. There are quite a few shots of military equipment and monuments on TE; I posted a warship recently. My only beef about the photo itself is that it is a tad oversharpened, which can be easily seen on the outlines of the bike. However, the other compositional elements are good. I would have emphasised the theme of brash over-expenditure on war macines compared to the need for simpler, less fuel-hungry technology. The irony is inherent in your shot. Anyway, hope you have time to do more uploading from now on!
Regards,
Andrew

berek (28792) 2006-09-05 4:22

Hi Pranab,
I love plane all the time .but I prefer bicycle in this picture. so interesting caught. well done. thanks. have a nice day.
Burak
my overall evaluation -> :-))

rewshearer (682) 2006-09-05 15:18

Hi Pranab
What an evil machine - and I don't mean the bike.
I am not comfortable reading the descriptions in your note; this plane's existence is a sad reflection on the greed and savagery of some men.
Notes aside I feel the photograph itself is worth commentary, a good idea to put the two together - which one has had the greater impact on our world? I would say the humble bicycle!

Rew

rosaline (0) 2006-09-06 4:14

Hi Pranab
Surprising that you can get this close to millitary equipment. In the UK it would be almost impossible in today's political climate. It's a good shot and one with a nice contrast show between the craft and the bicycle. A little humourous too. Nice shot and framing and good light.
Aubrey

Salil_B (737) 2006-09-06 11:26

No machine is evil or good by itself. The F-15 is aviation technology used for wrong purposes. However, you cannot blame lead because they make bullets from it. Scattering death from the sky, particularly on non-combatants, IS certainly an evil thing to do, but blaming the F-15 is simplifying the whole thing. However, I strongly believe that one has the right to make a statement about anything through photography as long as it is done artistically and not overtly without being called upon to show cause. I think you have just expressed your feeling that the contrast between two machines is worth taking a look at. I wouldn't try to find too many overtones here. And I certainly wouldn't call you an 'evil war-mongerer' because you went to an airshow and liked the classic lines of a misused machine.
Funnily enough, one photograph of mine was taken off TE beause it supposedly 'offended' some people and was dubbed 'insensitive'. It was a photograph of an obelisk that happened to be situated in the US. LOL.
Anyway, Pranab, I like your idea of contrasting simplicity and complexity.
Salilda

Davidwh (3652) 2006-09-08 15:33

Hi Pranab,
You have most certainly captured an image of contrasts with this one.The bike a simple, quiet and somewhat passive instrument and then the jet plane the peak of technology, fast, noisy and complex.The image is nicely balanced and composed with good light and sharp detail.
Well done.
Regards, David

postvikram (1199) 2006-09-15 6:45

Hello Pranab,
Nice timely capture.. one of the basic and groundbreaking invention the bicycle and one of the latest in technology side by side.
Great shot.
TFS- Vikram

dbp (2) 2006-09-17 10:41 [Comment]