I grew up in central Florida watching space shuttle launches up until the final launch in 2011. It was always fun to watch the launch start on TV, and then run outside to catch the shuttle flying up and out of the atmosphere. We’d make a game out of who would be the first to spot the shuttle rising over the rooftops. This photo depicts the Atlantis shuttle making the final launch of the program on July 8, 2011.
License: CC BY-NC 2.0 Deed
I chose to crop the image to focus on the shuttle and the clouds coming out of the bottom. The light reflecting on the water is nice, but that’s not what I wanted to focus on. In the original image, the shuttle is centered, but I used the rule of thirds to make it a more dynamic image. Cropping out the water tower, the launch base, the water, and the surrounding foliage places the focus solely on the ascending shuttle. There’s no other elements distracting from the main action. While the scale of the smoke/vapor clouds in the original image are dramatic, I think I was still able to capture that drama in my cropped image.
Hey Kendal!
I like how you cropped the original photo so that the sole focus of the picture became the shuttle and the smoke clouds. It really puts into perspective how big the smoke clouds from the take offs can be. I think the only suggestion I have would to have tried to crop the power lines out more as you can see them at the bottom of the picture.
Great job and awesome photo!
First off, this picture is AWESOME! Your choice to crop the image to focus solely on the Atlantis shuttle and the clouds adds a real sense of drama to the scene. It’s like zooming in on the heart of the action, highlighting the awe-inspiring moment of liftoff. I love how you’ve used the rule of thirds to make the composition more dynamic—it really adds to the overall impact of the photo. And you’re right about the drama of the smoke/vapor clouds—they’re still incredibly striking in your cropped image.
I agree that you successfully focused on the shuttle, decreasing the distractions of the nearby landscape. What really stands out for me is the increased color quality of the flames, which also heightens the drama of the launch. In your new version, I also find the the clouds more nuanced, colorized as they are by that same burst of fire.