I'm still no fan of your elaborate bordering/framing Jim, but the colors and the composition of that number 57 really kick ass. The wing tip con trails are very nice details. The skyline gradient almost looks unreal, in its coloring.
(And you missed a spot of dust, or two )
Edited by Tentacle on Jul 29, 2007 at 07:33 PM GMT (Reason: sheesh, what a typo!)
While I agree wholeheartedly with your comments Jim, it may need to be added that our culture is enamored with death. We are desensitized to it through movies and TV and a long history of killing our most vulnerable humans - our offspring. Over 40 million to date since R-v-W.
Not trying to turn this into a discussion on other topics but the reality is that no one goes to NASCAR races to watch noisy stinky cars go round in circles for hours - they go to see the wrecks. Likewise - aviation/air shows still show precision and skill - but as you said, the pilots have gotten more and more daring in their routines - leaving the only question left to answer is "how close can they come to death before they land?"
People didn't go to see wing walkers walk wings - they went to see if they fell off - in that sense nothing has changed...or has it?
The really nice thing about this thread is that it shows the beauty of the mechanical designs in the greater setting of a beautiful and intelligently designed space, photographed through technical marvels of design called cameras, by the incredibly talented masterpiece of design - humans. In all that, we are most fortunate we have these photos to remind us of all that we have - and give thanks - for the good and the bad.
As CS Lewis said: "We ought to give thanks for all fortune: if it is 'good'. because it is good,
if it is 'bad' because it works in us patience, humility and the contempt of this world and the hope of our eternal country."
Well said! Really that's the thrill for the performers too. It would all get old if there was no risk, that feeling after you land that you performed this risky activity and once again cheated our inevitable exit from this world somehow gives one the illusion that we have some control over our mortality.
By the way, these are with the MKIII taken on Thursday. Either I was getting to know it better, or I was luckier as the week went on, because these are plenty sharp.
) 
