Turns of life Photo

Photographer’s Note

Airbus A320 flight from Kuching to Sibu takes 35minutes and for such a short flight, reading or napping is normally the past time. But for me, a camera in hand is the best way to kill the time, and you will never know what comes up in the scenery below.

Just a few minutes after take off from Kuching airport, the coastline of Sarawak comes into view on the left side of the plane (flying easterly). Sarawak coastline is very much a flat land and river mouths are always twisting and turning to find the way out to the sea. Also giving rise to flood plains in times of heavy rainfall combined with rising tide. A little advice, do not sit at the back of the plane - it shakes and gives too much hand vibration! And shooting through the cabin window always produces a tint of bluish/greenish blur on photos, so I tried the polarizer here.

The meander of the river looks very much like the turns of life that we always face and sometimes when we are lost in the choice of which path to follow, we need to seek guidance and advice. Not to worry, in the end everything will work out fine and the river finds it outlet to the sea. When you are lost in the jungle, always follow the water flow! You might be thinking what I used to think as a boy. Why not dig a channel through the narrow strip of land and let the water flow through a shortcut? But if you mess around with nature, it may cause imbalance and upset the traits of nature?

jafadabret, papagolf21, TopGeo, s_lush, parbo, PaulVDV, Gerrit, Deepforest, saylan-cb, gracious, patdeph, cfreire, shevchenko, pablominto, riclopes, Charo, adores, Cretense, KevRyan, pierrefonds, ImageMaker, bakes888, fanni, al-Farrob, lucasgalodoido, gunbud, axiotea, mafegan, brano14, ymrk, Benedict, clio, degani, banyanman has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

TopGeo (21891) 2008-12-05 10:04

Hi Bill!Clouds, the street as snake a department from plane and a view from tally they give a composition impressive and a picture that has interest
Georgios

envisage (199) 2008-12-05 10:15

Hi Bill,

I haven't seen many live photos of meandering rivers. This is quite rare in my opinion, due to the fact that you can't get the shape of the river by standing next to it or being on a hill top. So an Ariel shot is ideal!

I really like this and the clarity and focus is very good inspite of being inflight... looks like you weren't in the back :)

Cheers,
Sreya

parbo (10970) 2008-12-05 10:30

Hello Bill,

You captured one of my favorite scenes already. Wonderful one. I like your way showing gorgeous contrasts between green and muddy river while adding its amazing S shapes too. The clouds are adding really third dimensions to your photo, congratulations. Have a nice weekend.

Best Regards,

Ertugrul

jemaflor (39465) 2008-12-05 10:35

Hi Bill,
great "snake" and landscape with this river, very interesting view from plane and good composition with the red color.

PaulVDV (5250) 2008-12-05 11:36

Hello Bill,
You had a fantastic view in your plane !
I really like the curves of this river, the slow change in colour before it runs into the sea and the colour contrasts between the river and the fields/forests and the sky.
I also think the few clouds are on the best place for this picture and I like the fact that you've included a wing of the plane.
BTW, I never got such a great view in a plane.
Best regards, Paul

Gerrit (35841) 2008-12-05 11:40

Wow Bill,
what a huge meanders.
Excellent photo with the scattered colouds, the fields and the brown river. Lot of details.
Regards, gerrit

wautersw (3603) 2008-12-05 13:13

Hi Bill,

great shot, with these great meanders. Unique sight. TFS

Wolf

Deepforest (8813) 2008-12-05 13:34

Hi Bill,
fantastic capture and bird-eye view of the meandering river. I like this view and nice contrasting colours both the water and the greenery. Interesting note, as usual.
Thanks for sharing.
Best regards,
Andrzej

siamesa (12985) 2008-12-05 14:00

Hello Bill
This is one the most beautiful aerial pictures that I have seen.Wonderful this meander of this river. Absolutely fantastic. Congratulations.
Regards
Maria

jonathan_hart (22578) 2008-12-05 14:20

beautiful meanders, always interesting to see the earth from the sky
regards
jc

wolf38 (12899) 2008-12-05 23:46

Hello Bill. A fantasic shot. During the hasty running over the TE pages I see your beautiful photo. It pleases me very well. With regards, Wolfgang.

rodgerg (24287) 2008-12-08 3:33

Hello Bill,

Superb! The landscape with the brown river is superb. The details are very well collected too.
I like too the goo framing with the parth of the plane in the image.
Congratulations,
Roger

Miha2ou7 (4915) 2008-12-08 5:08

Hey Bill,

I`ve guess you`ve been on this flight many times? On the other hand I bet you still don`t run out of motives. And speaking of it, this is an amazing one, along with fine PP making it a beautiful image.

Best regards.

saylan-cb (12726) 2008-12-08 5:16

Hi Bill,
Suberp image!Great atmosphere and good POV,colours,details are excellent.
TFS/Regards

gracious (20017) 2008-12-08 8:20

Hello Lau,
Good morning from NZ at 5.17am, and you still awake at 12.17am in the morning at your place!
From this image, brings back my memory when traveled from Kuching to Sibu with the F27 and now with A320! more comfortable indeed!
I loved this beautiful view especailly with spotted sunlight over the land!
thanks for the sharing
my warmest regards in this festive season!
cheers
Tony

patdeph (17982) 2008-12-08 9:33

hello Bill
I remember that I was fascinated by these nice and impressive curves of the river!I like the con,trats between the vivid lightened green of the foreground with the soft blue of the bachgroung!The light and transaprent clouds bring softness to the picture!Magnificent and very well done!
Cheers
Pascale

cfreire (11647) 2008-12-08 13:39

Hi Bill
This an interesting photograph took by a creative point of view, which has as main object these elliptical curves that present a beautiful graphical effects. Nice colors, contrasts and framing. Well done. Regards, Consuelo

shevchenko (9968) 2008-12-08 18:54

Hello Bill,
River, water, now I am affraid, Bukit Antarabangsa not so far from my house! This is a great bird view, nice to see greenery plain and sinuous river, good shoot.
Ally

pablominto (40824) 2008-12-09 0:06

Hello Bill,

Interesting point of view to show the winding river!
Airborne photography can offer the most amazing scenes, and if you're lucky you get the chance for a motif like this...
Well framed with good details!

Greetings,
Pablo -

riclopes (33011) 2008-12-09 0:26

Spectacular, Bill. That's why I love to go by the window when flying - for the view. In the thumbnails I thought this could be a scene under the water and the tail of the plane, a fish :)))) Actually I like that red tail here adding a nice touch of color. The 'snake' and the clouds make a fantastic picture. Congratulations.
ricardo

marietom (32018) 2008-12-09 12:43

hello Bill,

Jolie vue sur ce paysage. J'aime bien la composition avec ce bout d'aile d'avion que tu as laissé.
Bonne soirée
Marie

Charo (31671) 2008-12-09 14:08

Hello Bill,
Superb aerial perspective of this great river. Excellent graphics that make their big curves. Amazing scene.
Best regards,
Charo

adores (15597) 2008-12-09 14:39

Hi Bill!
Good idea to stay awake! The scenery is fabulous and you got a great capture, sharp and with good colours. I like those clouds and the river is fabulous. Very good work!

DragonAngel (280) 2008-12-09 17:04 [Comment]

Show Comment +

Cretense (56318) 2008-12-10 8:57

Hi Bill!

Amazing, very impressive aerial view, great capture of the river, twisting and turning like a snake, excellent quality for a photo taken through the window of a plane! Great composition, framing and light managment! Congratulations!

Hercules

KevRyan (22412) 2008-12-10 9:43

Hi - I looked at this one some days ago and was entranced by the meanders of the river but I think a little disappointed to see the wing tip - I don't know - perhaps it was an intrusion on the dreamy appreciation of the landscape - it was one of those images I filed away at the back of my mind to come back and consider later - but the way my life is moving later is so often never these days.....maybe that's why the slow meanders appealed so much and the temporary nature of the moment symbolised by the wing tip doesn't.....or perhaps it was a more objective photographic viewpoint.

I like to think about and spend time with the photographs I see here - I would prefer to be a river meandering through TE than a jet plane flying through it.

CMJC (3140) 2008-12-10 13:03

juste dommage qu'il y ait l'aile de l'avion
j'aime beaucoup ces méandres et l'eau qui s'éclaircie à l'approche de l'océan; j'aime aussi les quelques nuages qui flottent.
j'ai une formation de géographe alors les vues aériennes... je ne peux qu'aimer!

pierrefonds (26383) 2008-12-10 19:00

Hi Bill,

The curves of the river are assets to the composition. The point of view is showing the details and colors of the scenery through the clouds. The light is enhancing the colors and is giving a good contrast to them. Have a nice day.

Pierre

AiresSantos (42298) 2008-12-11 1:17

Hi Bill
Beautiful street as snake in this fine composition.
It's not easy to take picture from the plane but you did this well. Excellent colours and details
Greetings
Aires

ImageMaker (83) 2008-12-12 12:47

Fantastic view up there Bill looking downward. You captured it with great exposure and clarity beside the thick glass of the airplane. Eleven year ago, I tried to captured the same idea when I had to land the Hong Kong airport. Sad to say my negatives are worn out, only old faded pictured were remained :-)

Thanks for sharing it.
Dennis

stego (22360) 2008-12-12 15:07

Hi Bill,
We all know how difficult it is to compose and to cope with the haze and light while shoting from an airplane window, no matter how the scenery below can be picturesque like it is here, so I congratulate you for this one. The muddy river meandering to the sea through those verdant plains makes the image very very dynamic and interesting graphic wise. I like also the presence of the little clouds, the play of the sun light, the tip of the wing (you were lucky for that red) and the rainbow effect on the upper right.
Cheers, José.

bakes888 (18257) 2008-12-13 1:53

Hi Bill. The view from an aircraft is always a little surreal but I find it addictive also. Excellent capture, you have handled the tint well and the colours of river and jungle look natural. I love the little tufts of cloud floating below. Thanks for sharing.
Have a good Sunday, Paul.

ahmetgedikli (21938) 2008-12-13 15:19

Hi Bill,
A very well photo, beautiful atmosphere and wonderful POV. Well done.
Have a nice weekend.
Ahmet

serp2000 (9571) 2008-12-15 4:34

Wow! Excellent shot, Bill! Lovely landscape, I like colours and details here. Well done!
Serghei

fanni (8737) 2008-12-15 15:15

Hello Bill, aerial photos are my passion! I like taking them and seeing beautiful and interesting shots taken by others!
This one is very unusual because of the curves of the river down there... below the aircraft! with all these clouds looking like small soft cottom balls.
Indeed, incredible turns... of life. I also like the title which you chose for the photo. Very appropriate!
Excellent photo (I mean technical aspects), it was taken through the thick window glass.
I don't mind the inclusion of the aircraft wing in the photo. I even thought for a moment that it adds some peculiarity to the shot.
And I know that sometimes it's impossible to avoid including a wing in photos when you're on the plane and taking photos!
best regards,
Elena

al-Farrob (683) 2008-12-15 15:16

Excellent scene!
Thanks for sharing

lucasgalodoido (16605) 2008-12-15 17:29

Olá Bill,
gosto de imagens aéreas como essa, e o curso do rio abaixo é bem curioso também. Boa captura essa, mesmo com a dificuldade da sujeira das janelas dos aviões.
Parabéns e Abraço

gunbud (27955) 2008-12-15 17:54

Hi Bill,
Fantastic shot of the muddy river snaking through the lush green valley all the way out to the mystical blue sea.
The patchs of clouds have a lovely effect on this beautiful ariel image.
Regards, Tom

axiotea (16135) 2008-12-15 21:03

Hello Bill
This aerial view is quite attractive with the good capture of the river sinuosities and the 'relief' provided by the clouds. I might have cloned out the wing plane, but actually it doesn't disturb ;)
Thanks for your note as well!
Cheers
Marilyn

skippy007 (7141) 2008-12-15 21:03

Hello Bill, Not always this interesting looking out a plane window, this view is quite impressive & very well captured, the big snaking river being the main interest but the clouds & wing also good additions. My daughter & I were always fighting for the window position we took some but nowhere as interesting as this. Nature sometimes is best left alone, there are always consequences.
Well done, take care
Santo,
How is the new toy?
Congratulation

aadilj (17950) 2008-12-17 2:14

Woww Bill. This is fabulous. Its great. Astoundingly beautiful and very intelligently composed considering your speed up there

papagolf21 (56483) 2008-12-18 0:51

Bonjour, Bill,
Magnifique photographie aérienne. Votre réactivité est exemplaire pour réussir cette merveilleuse vue de la terre.
Le fleuve serpentant à travers la nature est superbe.
Félicitations pour votre album en général.
Amitiés.
Philippe

jafadabret (39777) 2008-12-19 23:23

Bonjour Bill.
C'est une très belle photo aérienne de ce fleuve aux beaux méandres qui forment comme un ruban entre la végétation. Les petits nuages sont également très appréciables et apportent une touche de légèreté. A mon tour je te souhaite :
Merry Xmas and Happy 2009 New Year to you.
Jacques

mafegan (4257) 2008-12-21 3:24

Hello Bill
An excellent aerial photo full of detail - but I especially like how you have compared the journey of this meandering river to life's journey. At various points along the way we all do get bogged down with problems and choices - but with time we flow forward. And you have thrown in an environmental message - well done. Marlene

brano14 (1886) 2008-12-22 14:01

Bill,
Great view,those small clouds have made it even better. The photo is very clear (many times the window is dirty).So everything has worked for you and of course you did your part very well. Also very nice story.
Thanks!
Brano

Waylim (10899) 2008-12-22 22:19

Absolutely the right thing to do. Napping is too short, reading too much interuption. Photographing, the best, since it's not flying too high and you can still get a really great details of the landscape like this one. Perfect in many ways.
Thanks and Happy Holidays to you Bill and your family.
Way

ymrk (8839) 2008-12-26 2:48

Hello Dear Bill!
This is miracle!Very nice perspective and good fish eye.Wonderful fly an aloft...
Good timing and shot!
HAPPY NEW YEARS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMİLY!
Have a nice everytime,my friend,

YAĞMUR

Benedict (7062) 2008-12-26 20:18

hi bill,
that a wonderful up-in-the-air capture, and very well said notes. i do the same when i fly...i always make it a point i get a window seat, and i don't pay attention to what the steward/stewardess say.
belated merry christmas!
Benedict

clio (22849) 2009-01-14 0:33

Hi Bill,
Very beautiful sight from plane. I like seeing appearing and disappearing the curves of this snake which wriggles between clouds. Even the line of the earth at the bottom seems curve there.
Great shot, congratulations!
Diane

degani (2876) 2009-01-20 22:07

hi Bill,
your Country is so nice that I want to come back soon, this image you give us is really beautiful and the river looks like a snake that goes deep in the earth, bravo
kind regards
franco

banyanman (7716) 2009-01-22 4:17

Surprisingly good quality for a shot through a plane window, Bill. It's a pity you weren't just a little higher so that you could have cropped out the wing and the corners of the window (but not an option here as you would have lost too much of the horseshoe bends). I was interested in your comment about using a polariser. I have stopped using a polariser for shots through an aircraft window because I found it accentuated those rainbow colours that you see in the top right hand corner. Perhaps your experience has been different to mine. Cheers . . . David

Photo Information

Copyright: Bill Laucp (trekks) (14320)
Genre: Places
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-11-28
Categories: Nature, Transportation
Camera: Nikon D80, 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6GED-IF AF-S DX Zoom-Ni, 2Gb SD, HOYA 67mm CIR-PL
Exposure: f/7.1, 1/125 seconds
More Photo Info: view
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-12-05 9:52