Finally got some film from my Graflex back. I'm going through them to figure out what I want to get prints of. But a few I already got done just to see what they look like.


Taken with Kodak Porta 400, and no light meter. 4x5 contact print, It looks so much better in person though:

These are awesome. Really amazing point of view here... most of us don't ever see this kind of stuff first hand. Thanks for sharing and cograts on the new toy!

Thanks, I'm glad you like them. We have a fun, but crazy job. And sadly most people don't ever get to see any of it. So I'm trying to do my part to share it with you all.

Hanging out before a flight:

One of our Marines reenlisted today at Lake Assal, I'm not going to post the photos of the reenlistment until after he gets his copy of them to share with his family, but I'd be happy to share these from today:

4 more years for this guy:


A bit of a hike to get to the water:


Riddin' in the back:


Leavin' out the back. I wonder how the shot I took with the Speed Graphic is going to come out? The look on their faces when the flash bulb went off was priceless...


I couldn't figure out why with a fill flash this was so washed out. After I got back I realized I should have done spot metering for the center of the frame. That would have helped to get this to look right. I would still have used the flash to fill in the shadows.











So the mission of the CH-53E is troop transport and heavy lift. We do a lot of the formar, and little of the latter here. Today we did the latter.

Getting lined up:


See that guy with the poll? his job is to use that to ground us. Otherwise when they try to hook the load up they are going to get zapped. All of those blades whipping around in the dry sandy air makes for a hell of a lot of static electricity:


Getting hooked up:






Easy pick:


Watching to make sure the load plays nice, otherwise we'd have to drop it:


And we're out of here:

Wow, now there's a job. Terrific pictures!

Thanks! We have a pretty good time here.


On New Years Day I knocked out my open water SCUBA qual, and of course we had to sail up the cost:

Shot at 14mm


The coast:



My guys heading off on a training mission:


And knowing what boat I was on, they stopped on by for a quick air show on the way back to base:




Now this shot I really like, I normally do not like having blurry photos, but for me this one works:


And back into the port.

The waving crane:


#8




Going home for the day:


Like wise:

I did goof in what I thought was a cool way on that photo:

I had my white balance set wrong. It took me some time to figure out why my shots seemed so blue. This is the same shot right out of the camera:



Not sure what one I like better...


Random portrait:


There are so many ship wrecks in the harbor, it's just insane.


Back in the marina:


And my favorite shot of the day. Came out just how I wanted it too.

Wow! Makes me wish I took better pictures when in the military.

Wow, when I saw this thread I couldn't believe it. I'm an airframer in HMH-461, and I'm going be right there in Djibouti at Camp Lemonier this month. Crazy.

Small world, I'll see you later in the month.

Some from today:

Two CH-46's take off from Lake Assal in Djibouti, Africa. We are a little less then 500 feet below sea level here:


Some of the terain here is um... Colorful:




Terfing:


Looking out of a volcano:


Looks like I still have to clean my sensor. :(

Tearing ass through one of the small canyons:

Kav, Great pics!!!

Glad you liked them.

That pretty much wraps up my trip here. Till next time!

Thanks

Originally Posted by Kav Glad you liked them. That pretty much wraps up my trip here. Till next time!

been to CLDJ a couple times, just overnight stays, but very impressed you were able to bring that much color out of CLDJ. very well done!

These are a few of my favourite photos from a recent trip to visit a friend in Kenya, Africa who had relocated there 2 months ago.

Amazing photos! I thoroughly enjoyed viewing every single shot!

Finally made it back to the states and have internet again.

The hippo is ready to go:


Back in the states:



And freezing our asses off:


Family reunions for some:


And getting to hold their child for the first time for others:


I got a few days off and took off the the western tip of NC. So I grabbed the cameras and drove about 420 miles.

First off, the road to get there was nuts. I'm bringing my motorcycle out here in the summer to play:



After setting up camp this is what I found:

Lots of neat little water falls:


Setting up:

I was using the digital camera to proof my film shots. When I was working with the press camera people would stop dead in their tracks (cars) to ask if I was a "professional" photographer, or to ask who I was working for. They all seemed very confused when they found out I was up there just for the fun of it.


A bridge over frigid waters:



I was hiking up the Chattooga River and with as slick as the rocks are I decided to just step into the water to get to where I wanted to go. As soon as I stepped into the river I came to the sudden realization that I was wearing my summer boots. They have vents in the side of them unlike my winter boots that are totally waterproof. At least the water flows out as fast as it flows in. So I get out of the water and whip off the boots and socks, hike up my jeans and go trudging up the river barefooted. It's freezing cold. But I had a good time.

Amazing stuff! So glad I clicked this thread!