Photographing Shuttle Launch?

[ilovepete]

OK I am a completely newbie, I just got a DSLR. I am really liking it and learning how it works, etc.

We are going to see the last shuttle launch from Kennedy Space Center on July 8, so we'll be fairly close. I have NO idea how to photograph this. The last thing I want is to have bad photos of this once in a lifetime event.

So my question is, what should I learn/focus on learning before I go? I would really like to have some good pictures of this event but I'm worried I won't get it right. We've been to a shuttle launch before and it goes by SO quick, that I will have no time to evaluate the photos as I am taking them so I only have one shot to get it right. I've already had some issue with just pictures I am taking here around the house, which I am figuring out. I don't want this to happen there!

Any tips would really be appreciated!

 

[ChiSoxKeith]

If you google around, you should find some great shuttle launch pics from Endeavor's take off by Trey Ratcliff.

He talks a lot about how he got the shots. A lot of it was practicing at the site before the take off. He knew in general the path that the shuttle would take, and then practiced panning his camera up and firing shots of empty sky.

 

[giantstu]

Spend some time looking at Launch photography.http://www.launchphotography.com/Launch_Viewing_Information.html

Ben has some excellent shots on there, and he is very helpful.

He used some of my shots of sts124 taken from Titusville.
http://www.launchphotography.com/Launch_Viewing_Information.html

Taken with a 70-300 zoom, from over 7 mile away

 

[photo_chick]

If you want to practice, go to the airport and shoot big jets flying in and out. Just make sure it's an area that's OK to shoot from because the TSA gets funny about those things. Practice panning with them, zooming in, figuring out the best way for you to shoot it. The shuttle moves faster than the jets will, but it's a similar type of shooting.

 

[Phil'sFrontier]

Maybe for this type of event it would be worth considering renting a 500mm or 600mm prime lens. The extra light coming into the bigger aperture would be very helpful(imo, I don't have any experience myself, just speaking from my own knowledge), in that it would allow faster shutter speeds. Rather than trying to shoot at or above f8-f11 at f5.6, and boosting the iso to get more light.

Looking at the shot above from the 300mm zoom, I assume it is at or close to 300mm. I think I would want the shuttle to fill the frame a little more, to get a really nice shot. At least worth looking into, rent a 5-10 thousand dollar lens for a day and have memories that last forever.

 

[rtphokie]

My advice is, dont bother. The shuttle launch is one of the most photographed events ever. Hundreds of excellent shots are available for free download from the NASA website within hours of the launch. But noone ever takes that advice...

If you'd like to give it a try, bring your longest lens and a reasonably fast shuttle speed. 135 is scheduled for launch shortly around 11am so you'll have plenty of light. It probably wont be too cloudy or they'll be scrubbing the launch anyway. So you'll have plenty of light. It's not like shooting aircraft at the airport it's more like shooting low flying aircraft overhead.

You'll also have plenty of time.

You'll be over 7.5 miles from the launch pad. The shuttle is going just over 60 mph as it clears the tower and wont have accelerated much over 100mph by the time it clears the trees and is visible from the visitors center.

Personally I like watching from the rocket garden and hang out in the shade near the Debus center (shade is hard to come by there and you'll be spending several hours). So many people try to get near the fence closest to the road and in the shade under the external tank on the opposite side of the visitors center. When you are miles away, a couple hundred extra yards isn't going to improve your experience, you'll just have more people to deal with.

Another good place is under the Saturn 1-B rocket in it's side in the rocket garden. There is shade and you just have to look towards the IMAX theater.

Be aware that you aren't going to see the orbiter for long, the shuttle stack starts a roll to point the orbiter down shortly after clearing the tower. It will look something like this to you:

This was taken from the rocket garden with a 300mm lens last year (STS-132)

This gives you an idea of where to look, not the plume starting above the IMAX theater:

 

[coloneldebugger]

Just wondering, how much, if any, can you see of the rocket/shuttle launches from the WDW area?

 

[rtphokie]

Just wondering, how much, if any, can you see of the rocket/shuttle launches from the WDW area?

It is visible. Here is a video from tomorrowland:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chkUyCouZKA

 

[coloneldebugger]

It is visible. Here is a video from tomorrowland:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chkUyCouZKA

excellent

 

[ilovepete]

Thank you so much for all of the information! I appreciate all of it, very helpful.

Just to clarify since I didn't mention this. I'm not looking to take professional quality photos or anything, I just don't want to end up with all my pictures blurry, etc., when these aren't pics I will be able to retake. I just want these pictures for my kids to have in their memory books.

Thanks again.

 

[rtphokie]

Thank you so much for all of the information! I appreciate all of it, very helpful.

Just to clarify since I didn't mention this. I'm not looking to take professional quality photos or anything, I just don't want to end up with all my pictures blurry, etc., when these aren't pics I will be able to retake. I just want these pictures for my kids to have in their memory books.

Thanks again.

Good plan. Just make sure you take a moment to enjoy the experience. Everyone I've talked to who watched an entire shuttle lunch through a viewfinder regretted it later, especially if you have kids there. You'll want to see their faces as well. Dont forget to shoot that.

 

[ilovepete]

Good plan. Just make sure you take a moment to enjoy the experience. Everyone I've talked to who watched an entire shuttle lunch through a viewfinder regretted it later, especially if you have kids there. You'll want to see their faces as well. Dont forget to shoot that.

You are SO right. Last time we went (almost 2 years ago), I saw it, but I wished I had spent less time messing with cameras (I was trying to video with one and take snap shots with another LOL) and more time just taking it in. Goes by so fast. I did get pics of the kids faces, though, priceless.