Sedona on video, alas...

Home again after but half a day in Sedona. The lens disaster (described in my earlier post) was, thank goodness, limited only to that lens.

The taste of Sedona I did manage (see Cathedral Rock via telephoto above and videos below) have me so eager that I'm already booked for another adventure May 21-29.

The Chapel of the Holy Cross is a gem in a spectacular setting. I look forward to being there for a morning view from its balcony--you can see for miles!

The disaster at Sedona...

Some good things come to an end, and others never get started.

A couple of weeks ago, my main wide-angle lens fell on the ground while I was using the big telephoto lens to shoot skydivers. Today, I shot a lot of images all over Sedona--and they are all out of focus because the focus on that lens that fell is jammed. Can't even force it to infinity, the setting I use to shoot all these landscapes.

The conditions were perfect, too. !#!$!%!^!&! I've canceled and will go home tomorrow, get another lens and come back May 24.

I'm trying to be philosophical. I've had so much good luck on these trips, I can't complain--and who would listen, anyway? I can come back next month knowing all I do now after running to all the sites today.

Driving home in the morning. Sigh...

Sky diving in Mesquite, Nevada on April 3, 2010

It wasn't the greatest day for photography, with a high, bright, cloudy haze. Still, the eager jumpers came out by the planeload. There were seasoned jumpers and beginners, as you'll see below.

In the first shot, four jumpers exit the plane at 13,500 feet. Two have their drogue chutes already deplayed




In one of those grand moments, a brand-new student lands after his first jump. Just look at that grin!



The senior instructor, Jim Fonnesbeck, takes his new bride Jean up for a jump. What a smooth landing! Perfect technique!




In these shots, the plane is at 13,500 feet in that hazy sky (which doesn't give us nice, crisp definition in our photos). Rather than the focussed sunlight we get on a clear day, the light is bouncing in from all directions.

On signal, the jumpers emerge from the plane, their drogue shoots deploy and their main chutes open. In the first shot, the jumper is just passing the tail of the plane. In the second, a single jumper dives headfirst into the sky.




Our pal Vitaliy loves to do wheelies as he comes down. He also likes to nearly land on the poor photographer! As you can see, he came pretty close!





Here are a planeload of jumpers coming down like brightly-colored snowflakes. Snowflakes don't bounce, of course, butI'll still go with that metaphor...

Mesquite, Nevada, March 20, 2010

Today was difficult because the wind made the jumpers land silhouetted against the bright sky, and with the Sun on their backs. Frustrating for photogtaphers, who want to catch those facial expressions!. We did get a few who managed to turn into the sunlight on landing.

New students make their jumps with experienced instructors. You can tell by these that both enjoy the experience very much!

More than forty simultaneous skydivers!

Here at the Mesquite airport, 90 miles North of Las Vegas, more than forty skydivers climb into three sizeable aircraft, headed for a jump altitude of 12,500 feet and an attempt to set a state record.

And there they go!
12,500 feet above where I'm watching, three aircraft disgorge more their cargo of more than forty skydivers as quickly as they can all leap out of the aircraft.
A mass of skydivers fills the sky, and we have to wonder how they manage to avoid each other!

In the middle of all the skydiving, a pair of World War II carrier-based bombers land, refuel and take off for another event at Nellis Air Force Base. What a thrill to see them!

The skydiving resumes. Planeload after planeload of divers take off, most jumping solo but a number jumping tandem with students and their instructors.With so many jumps, the opportunity to take shots of individual skydivers are plentiful.
The experienced skydivers show their skills, displaying exquisite control while skimming in for graceful landings like a Corps de Ballet.



Here is how they look as an entire planeload approaches their landing!

More of people jumping out of perfectly good airplanes

This was a perfect day for jumping, and the skydivers made the most of it. I watched five planeloads go up, and then do a variety of acrobatics as they spiraled down to land right next to the runway. Some of these jumpers have done thousands of skydives, and think nothing of it.

The shot above is of a tandem jump, with a new jumper being introduced to the sport by an instructor with control of the jump.

I prefer the safety of a cage with great white sharks trying to get in on me--which all goes to show that danger is in the eye of the beholder.

People jumping out of perfectly good airplanes

I would never consider doing such a thing, but those who do seem to have a wonderful time.

These jumpers were at the Mesquite airport, 90 miles North of Las Vegas on a gorgeous Fall day.