#BehindTheShot with #CanonExplorerOfLight @davidhumekennerly | “On September 21, 2012 the Space Shuttle Endeavor, riding atop a 747 Shuttle Carrier, flew over Santa Monica on its final approach to Los Angeles International Airport. It was the last journey of the Endeavor, and its final destination would be the California Science Center. I’ve photographed two shuttle launches, the first in 1998. The second liftoff was in 2007 to the International Space Station. My only regret was that I didn’t photograph more, they were both visually and emotionally stunning! When I heard that the Endeavor was going to be landing in Los Angeles, I had to see it, and figure out how to get a good photo of the event. I really wanted to make an image that said “California.” I’ve always loved the area around the Santa Monica Pier, so when it was announced that the Shuttle would fly over it, I figured that would be my bingo moment.
That morning I got down to the beach early to scout out a place to catch the action. They had been pretty specific about the flight path, so I found a good spot that I thought would work, but it came in higher and from a different angle. The good news was that there was a young woman nearby working out on the rings that made excellent foreground. She was a terrific gymnast, so I started shooting the shuttle as she flew through the air with the greatest of ease. The magic moment came as she looked up at the shuttle, and it was perfect. California Girl and Space Shuttle. What more could you want? And there was even a bonus element, a yellow parasail at the bottom left of the frame. This is one of my favorite photos, probably because it has nothing to do with politics!” Photo Credit: David Hume Kennerly/ Center for Creative Photography/University of Arizona
Camera: #Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Lens: EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM
Aperture: f/11
ISO: 200
Shutter Speed: 1/640 sec
Focal Length: 45mm
Ciao, Nihon.