I live in a very heavily military oriented (both active duty and retired) town (Pensacola, FL) and we have a ¾ scale version of the Vietnam Memorial Wall South. I spent 23 years in the US Army Infantry and was very lucky to have finished it alive. I have tried many variations of this image in the 6 years since I took this self-portrait. I just never could find a way to really convey the very deep emotions that are behind it. I think I have finally found it with this one. I am looking at the name SP4 Thomas J. “TJ” Chandler, who was a dear friend of mine and my family. TJ was killed in Vietnam by mortar fragments during a firefight on March 15th 1966 after being in country for less than 3 months (Dec 28, 1965). He was only 22 and I was only 9 at the time. In just a couple of weeks TJ will have been gone for 49 years, which just boggles my mind. RIP TJ, gone but never forgotten,
Thank you for your service and SP4 Chandler will be in my thoughts today.
You're welcome. There are 58,272 names including 8 women, all nurses, on that wall. Any politics of the war aside, they all went to that God forsaken part of the world and they all gave their lives for their country. No greater honor can be bestowed upon anyone serving their country than to make the ultimate sacrifice. I have been in more firefights than I would ever care to remember but when the bullets start flying the only thing that goes through your mind is to protect your buddies on either side of you.
@NSX: It may be a car from a lower formulae (not an F1 car). It's hard to know without seeing more of the car!
This picture looks much better enlarged. World Champion Sebastian Vettel does donuts in his F1 car, while teammate Daniel Ricciardo looks on in an Infinity Prototype. Shot on the streets of Austin, TX at a Red Bull demo. I would have cropped heavier.. but loved the view of the city and street lights. It really highlights that this was indeed a demonstration.
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Here's a blue-footed booby clinging to the rocks in the Gulf of Panama.
D800 | 300mm + TC14 | f/4 | 1/800s | ISO 1000
16mm f/2.8 Fisheye AIS, 18mm f/3.5 AIS, 24mm f/2.8 AIS, 28mm f/2.8 AI, 28mm f/3.5 and 35mm f/2.8 UW-Nikkors, 35mm f/2.8 AIS, 50mm f/1.4 non-AI (AI’d), 55mm f/2.8 AIS Micro w/ PK-13, 85mm f/1.4 AIS, 80-200 f/4 AIS, 105mm f/1.8 AIS, 180mm f/2.8 ED AIS, 300mm f/2.8 ED-IF AIS, 600mm f/4 ED-IF AIS, TC14B and TC300.
Hasselblad 500CM with PM90 prism finder and A12/A16 backs, 40mm f/4 CF, 60mm f/3.5 CF, 80mm f/2.8 C, 150mm f/4 C and 250mm f/5.6 C lenses
@PitchBlack: I told you that you would love the 200 f2. I'm looking forward in putting it to use in January-Febuary while traveling in Europe.
|D7100|17-55 @30mm|1/6400@ F2.8| ISO 200|
|SB-800, Amaran Halo LED Ring light | MB-D16 grip| Gitzo GT3541 + RRS BH-55LR, Gitzo GM2942 + Sirui L-10 | RRS gear | Lowepro, ThinkTank, & Hoodman gear | BosStrap | Vello Freewave Plus wireless Remote, Leica Lens Cleaning Cloth |
16mm f/2.8 Fisheye AIS, 18mm f/3.5 AIS, 24mm f/2.8 AIS, 28mm f/2.8 AI, 28mm f/3.5 and 35mm f/2.8 UW-Nikkors, 35mm f/2.8 AIS, 50mm f/1.4 non-AI (AI’d), 55mm f/2.8 AIS Micro w/ PK-13, 85mm f/1.4 AIS, 80-200 f/4 AIS, 105mm f/1.8 AIS, 180mm f/2.8 ED AIS, 300mm f/2.8 ED-IF AIS, 600mm f/4 ED-IF AIS, TC14B and TC300.
Hasselblad 500CM with PM90 prism finder and A12/A16 backs, 40mm f/4 CF, 60mm f/3.5 CF, 80mm f/2.8 C, 150mm f/4 C and 250mm f/5.6 C lenses
D800 | Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art @ f/1.8 | 1/5000 | ISO 100
D800 | 300mm + TC14 | f/4 | 1/200 | ISO 1600
16mm f/2.8 Fisheye AIS, 18mm f/3.5 AIS, 24mm f/2.8 AIS, 28mm f/2.8 AI, 28mm f/3.5 and 35mm f/2.8 UW-Nikkors, 35mm f/2.8 AIS, 50mm f/1.4 non-AI (AI’d), 55mm f/2.8 AIS Micro w/ PK-13, 85mm f/1.4 AIS, 80-200 f/4 AIS, 105mm f/1.8 AIS, 180mm f/2.8 ED AIS, 300mm f/2.8 ED-IF AIS, 600mm f/4 ED-IF AIS, TC14B and TC300.
Hasselblad 500CM with PM90 prism finder and A12/A16 backs, 40mm f/4 CF, 60mm f/3.5 CF, 80mm f/2.8 C, 150mm f/4 C and 250mm f/5.6 C lenses
This picture looks much better enlarged. World Champion Sebastian Vettel does donuts in his F1 car, while teammate Daniel Ricciardo looks on in an Infinity Prototype. Shot on the streets of Austin, TX at a Red Bull demo. I would have cropped heavier.. but loved the view of the city and street lights. It really highlights that this was indeed a demonstration.
Last one of Sandra. Have some more exciting stuff to come.