OOOHHHH YEAH!! <shudder>

BRD those are some incredible shots! Do you give photography lessons?

Bear, 4 points (and I'm not very good, really need to start playing with shutter speeds more)

1. Use good glass and camera. Cool thing is they are all getting better over time (low f-stop lens and the bigger the camera sensor the better. Full size sensors are starting to become more common now. Equal to old 35 mm standard)

2. Shoot in RAW not JPEG. RAW will capture all the pixels and information you are seeing, JPEG is a compression. RAW will allow you to use a good photo editing program and maximize the potential of the image.

3. Follow up to the above, use a good photo editing software. It will help you get rid of sensor spots (the bane of digital cameras), crop, draw the correct color out and help reduce noise and shadows. I use Photoshop CS6 - but Elements, Lightroom, GIMP and even just plain old iPhoto all do an acceptable job. Also, save your very best finished files in .tif (If you have room and may want to print them someday) and everything else in .jpg
I then generally reduce the images to 1200 pixels and also reduce quality for those I plan to e-mail or put online. Save space and time.

4. Have more than 1 battery and shoot lots. Throw away lots...

I have a good Nikon SLR, with a VR (vibration resistant) lense. I am no photographer, it seems whenever I try and do a aerial shot using the advanced image settings, they don't come out as sharp as when using the lowest JPEG auto setting. I shoot everything on AUTO, the camera is much smarter then me. On to my post, and a couple pictures shot JPEG.

SUCKED UP TO THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER
I had an elusive electrical glitch in my Toyota, after checking all fuses and picking others brain, finall had to take it to the dealer. I've been driving Toyotas' since '85, and other then the one time I bought a new one have NEVER been to the stealership. I fix anything myself, or use the local hoods in Inkom if it's out of my league. Actually, they never cause problems, super reliable in my experience, why I drive them. So, I got it dropped off yesterday, rode the Montague back (great thing about a folder, fits in anything, even a Yaris) and late yesterday got the call saying it was finished, and just a breaker, not a fuse with a visible link, but something unless you check it would look good. Since they are in the midst of building a new place of business, before I head into town to get the car I jumped in the plane and took these shots of the new and the old place. I'm hoping they cut me a deal of course the bill is already made out, but screw it, can't hurt.

A perfect morning. In the 50's, no wind, no turbulence. Is this really Texas? Shouldn't it be 100 degrees by now? Landed these spots and wheeled a dozen more.

THIS PLACE SHOULD HAVE AN AIRSTRIP

I've flown over this piece of ground, In Wyoming's Star Valley, for years. It needs, really should have, an uphill/downhill airstrip. For some reason it bothers me it doesn't It's not a big buck mansion,and it seems to be lived in full time by a local. What a great view they have, if I ever make eye contact with them, the slightest excuse....I'll lend and say hi, take them for a ride, whatever, it's on my bucket list. What a shame, my airplane would look so good parked there.

BRD wrote:Bear, 4 points (and I'm not very good, really need to start playing with shutter speeds more)

1. Use good glass and camera. Cool thing is they are all getting better over time (low f-stop lens and the bigger the camera sensor the better. Full size sensors are starting to become more common now. Equal to old 35 mm standard)

2. Shoot in RAW not JPEG. RAW will capture all the pixels and information you are seeing, JPEG is a compression. RAW will allow you to use a good photo editing program and maximize the potential of the image.

3. Follow up to the above, use a good photo editing software. It will help you get rid of sensor spots (the bane of digital cameras), crop, draw the correct color out and help reduce noise and shadows. I use Photoshop CS6 - but Elements, Lightroom, GIMP and even just plain old iPhoto all do an acceptable job. Also, save your very best finished files in .tif (If you have room and may want to print them someday) and everything else in .jpg
I then generally reduce the images to 1200 pixels and also reduce quality for those I plan to e-mail or put online. Save space and time.

4. Have more than 1 battery and shoot lots. Throw away lots...

Thanks for the tips.

1. I shoot a Nikon D5100 with APS-C sensor size (23mm). 18-55mm f/3.5 and 55-300mm f/3.5-5.6 lenses.
2. I Always shoot in raw.
3. I edit using Lightroom 4.
4. I have 2 batteries good for about 900 shots each, and 2 high quality 32Gb cards. I do need to get out and shoot more though.

Once in a while I get lucky.

Looks good Bear! You don't need any tips from me.

88H wrote:

Karmutzen wrote:T'sek (Skookumchuck) Hot Springs, about 50nm NE from Vancouver BC.
Hadn't been there in a couple years. Still landable, though surface has settled a bit in places. Sides are brushed out and grass was cut, credit to the caretaker in the cabin to keep it up even though he doesn't see a lot of airplanes drop in.

K: Beautiful spot!! Is there fishing nearby?

There is a river about 50 feet to the side of his airplane. . I love it up at skookumchuck. It's my idea of what I'd like when I retire. The owner of the cabin had his own Hydro power generator. First time I was there my employer was flying a helicopter out of the cabin for a mining outfit. I went up to do some maintenance on the helicopter. Saw the airstrip and thought I should have gotten an airplane up there instead of the 6 hour drive. Would have been there in a half hour or so.

I still haven't flown in they're yet but hopefully this summer.

Mike

I believe "the owner" Robin does not own the property anymore. It was transferred to the local Indian band via government buy out, but, because it had been in his family for so long he can remain on the property indefinitely.
Robin is so pumped on planes, yet he has never learned to fly. My feeling is that he would really like to go for rides but isn't bold enough to ask. He impeccably maintains the runway, but wouldn't mind some help trimming some of the scrub down at the North end. Be cool to organize a camping trip up there and help him out a little.
We need more people like him around. Instead of the usual selfish, pencil pushing control freaks, who often take over airports.

Karmutzen wrote:T'sek (Skookumchuck) Hot Springs, about 50nm NE from Vancouver BC.
Hadn't been there in a couple years. Still landable, though surface has settled a bit in places. Sides are brushed out and grass was cut, credit to the caretaker in the cabin to keep it up even though he doesn't see a lot of airplanes drop in.

Beautiful spot Karmutzen. May have to add that to the list of places to visit/camp.
David

A1Skinner wrote:

Karmutzen wrote:T'sek (Skookumchuck) Hot Springs, about 50nm NE from Vancouver BC.
Hadn't been there in a couple years. Still landable, though surface has settled a bit in places. Sides are brushed out and grass was cut, credit to the caretaker in the cabin to keep it up even though he doesn't see a lot of airplanes drop in.

Beautiful spot Karmutzen. May have to add that to the list of places to visit/camp.
David

I thought robin's property was the only part of the land deal that his family put together that got to remain out of the native reserve and in his name. But I might be completely wrong about that. All I know is that his property is awesome. And I still can't believe that he upkeeps the airstrip even though he doesn't fly and only sees an airplane or two a year.

mike

Sidewinder wrote:I believe "the owner" Robin does not own the property anymore. It was transferred to the local Indian band via government buy out, but, because it had been in his family for so long he can remain on the property indefinitely.
Robin is so pumped on planes, yet he has never learned to fly. My feeling is that he would really like to go for rides but isn't bold enough to ask. He impeccably maintains the runway, but wouldn't mind some help trimming some of the scrub down at the North end. Be cool to organize a camping trip up there and help him out a little.
We need more people like him around. Instead of the usual selfish, pencil pushing control freaks, who often take over airports.

Sidewinder, thats a great idea to have a camping trip there. Not many fly ins north of the border, and itd be great to have at least one.
David

I'm in for the camp out and work party if required.
Guy

Wasn't today... But I just downloaded the track from our pre-Airman's Show trip. Thanks Larry for an epic trip!

I took another pilot float flying up to Green Peter Reservoir, OR, today. Lots of wood floating in the water.





John

john, i think i'v seen your float plane the albany airport be-for. when i went their for EAA YE flight's

ExperimentalAviator wrote:john, i think i'v seen your float plane the albany airport be-for. when i went their for EAA YE flight's

You did, cuz I saw it there also!



Looks good John, next time ya gotta show me how you dock the thing

I was just climbing in the plane to go check out some ridge tops that are just starting to be snow free, when I got a call from a past solar hot water customer that needed a service call. Time was of the essence as once the sun started shining on them you can't bleed the air out properly. So instead of a 20 minute drive down the mt. around the valley and back up another canyon to his place, I got my tools together and 15 minutes after he called landed in the hay field next to his house. How's that for service My place in the background, slightly out of sight below. Total flight time logged there and back .2 hrs, sure beat driving.

courierguy wrote:I was just climbing in the plane to go check out some ridge tops that are just starting to be snow free, when I got a call from a past solar hot water customer that needed a service call. Time was of the essence as once the sun started shining on them you can't bleed the air out properly. So instead of a 20 minute drive down the mt. around the valley and back up another canyon to his place, I got my tools together and 15 minutes after he called landed in the hay field next to his house. How's that for service

One I can relate to. had the boys setting up a pump station for me the other day bout 4 hours drive out bush near the drake strip I built last year, but needed me to calibrate the control panel and set up the VSD's. so to save the drive since it was a nice day, i threw some tools and test gear in the nose pod and took to the skys! I did a little muster for a mate while i was out there and was a very happy chappy by the time my wheels touched down at home right on last light.