Great Thunderbird flyover pic - is it real?

[salmoneous]

I am far too cynical - so I'll turn this question over to the experts here...

Take a look at this picture of the Thunderbirds flying over MSUSA. What a great picture! But (and here's the cynic) is it too good? Is this a real shot, or a composite of something...

 

[MickeyWanaBe]

Ha ha! Got it!

 

[handicap18]

But (and here's the cynic) is it too good? Is this a real shot, or a composite of something...

It probably wouldn't be all that difficult to photoshop that many people all facing and holding up camera's to the sky, but its definately something that I wouldn't want to do.

Even after seeing MickeyWannaBe's post I would say it is real.

 

[rtphokie]

Don't get me wrong, I love the demo teams like the Thunderbirds. I get to all the airshows I can in the area. But I'd rather they stay away from WDW.

One of the things I really like about WDW is that the outside world is completely shut out. If you think about it, the only things that remind you that there is an outside world is the sponsors on attractions, non-Disney channels on the resort TVs, guests themselves, and the ads on taxis and busses pulling up to the parks, resorts and TTC. Thats it.

The rest is 100% Disney. Even the most mundane merchandise in the shops is Disnified. Even the cheep thermometer I bought in the Poly giftshop when my son spiked a fever on his first trip to WDW has Mickey on it. I'm I Disney fan but I'm a bigger fan of that immersion and having that interrupted in a flyover wouldn't be my first choice.

 

[rtphokie]

BTW, it's real. Here's the press release:

http://www.wdwnews.com/ViewImage.aspx?ImageID=109563

 

[MarkBarbieri]

I can't prove it one way or the other, but I see no reason to believe that it is Photoshopped. I assume that the press releases about the event aren't faked. So if the flyover happened, how hard would it be to get the shot? Not very, I would think. It's a nice composition, but once you set out to do that composition, what would make this so challenging?

I'd also say that if I was going to fake the shot, I'd leave off the stray plane on the left. In fact, if I took the shot for real, I'd be tempted to clone out the stray plane because I think it distracts from the composition and I don't think removing it meaningfully alters the event being portrayed.

 

[salmoneous]

how hard would it be to get the shot? Not very, I would think.

Thanks. It just seems "impossible" to have folks a few feet away and below you, a castle far off in the distance, and jets over your head, all in a single shot, all sharp, perfectly focused and undistorted.

Then again, impossible for me, and impossible for professional photographers are two totally different things. I guess that's why they are professionals.

 

[AndrewWG]

I'd also say that if I was going to fake the shot, I'd leave off the stray plane on the left. In fact, if I took the shot for real, I'd be tempted to clone out the stray plane because I think it distracts from the composition and I don't think removing it meaningfully alters the event being portrayed.

Exactly my thought, too. They would not have photoshopped in the 6th plane, or they would have photoshopped it out altogether if it were a fake, I would think.

 

[Virgo10]

I'm hoping they fly over our house this weekend. We're about 10 miles from the Lakeland air show.

 

[MinnieMouse73]

I thought the 'stray' 6th plane was a bird! :lol

 

[Shutterbug]

Thanks. It just seems "impossible" to have folks a few feet away and below you, a castle far off in the distance, and jets over your head, all in a single shot, all sharp, perfectly focused and undistorted.

Very wide angle lens with high quality glass with a very fast shutter speed and stopped down for depth of field

On a side note, they must have announced the fly over for main street to be packed like that and everyones camera at the ready.

Orlando Sentinel has more pics:

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/features_orlando/2008/04/thunderbirds-fl.html

 

[fitzperry]

I'd also say that if I was going to fake the shot, I'd leave off the stray plane on the left. In fact, if I took the shot for real, I'd be tempted to clone out the stray plane because I think it distracts from the composition and I don't think removing it meaningfully alters the event being portrayed.

Is it a plane? Or a bird? Or Superman? Regardless, I'd have cloned it out too.

 

[Quicklabs]

I'm thinking real. Those boys (and girl) are amazing (retired AF here, so I'm a little biased)

 

[mikamah]

We were in epcot that day, and they definitely flew over. They announced a few times before they actually flew over. We were in world showcase by the united kingdom, and here's the pic I took. Can't tell it's wdw, unless you really know the trees there, but it was. My son was playing in the phone booths at the time.

 

[cc1075]

We were there also, but at OKW. It was announced by phone to all guest rooms in advance, watch the skies over WDW today - the year of a million dreams! It was spectacular!!! They flew over about three or four times!!

 

[pjacobi]

It just seems "impossible" to have folks a few feet away and below you, a castle far off in the distance, and jets over your head, all in a single shot, all sharp, perfectly focused and undistorted.

It's not impossible. In fact, it can be proved by mathematics.

If we assume that the equipment was a Canon xxD with 10-22mm lens and the photo was taken at 10mm at f/16, the depth of field (area in focus) can be calculated at about 1ft to infinity.

http://www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html

The photo does show some distortion. Notice that the buildings are curved slightly. This is caused by tipping the camera above the horizon to include the jets.

The equipment used for this photo costs more than a dozen P/S cameras. It also takes thousands of hours of training on how to use the equipment most effectively.


-Paul

 

[cc1075]

Not really impossible. The photographer was probably in place long before the Thunderbirds came over. Remember we were all notified ahead of time - and you could hear them long before you could see them - - I'm sure the photographer was ready and waiting and when the time came - - - click, click, click. Also, they flew over more than once.

 

[rhiansmom]

We were at the Indiana Jones show and they were at the plane scene when the flyover happened... I missed the shot!!!!

 

[stitch626_in_time]

Hi Everybody. While I didn't get to see the Thunderbirds fly over Disney I did get to see them perform today at the Sun 'n Fly-In in Lakeland, FL. They are simply amazing! Here are a few pics.

 

[BoardwalkBabe]

They flew over WDW on Monday and that stray plane was taking photos, which is why it wasn't in formation.