Laura and Goliath
by HawkinsT

Comment by Neat:
How unique.

STS-135; The Big Send-Off
by HawkinsT

Comment by SandyP:
Oh, what a fabulous, historic photo. This is one you will be proud to own no matter how it did in the challenge -- but I'm glad it did so well. Its really good!

STS-135; The Big Send-Off
by HawkinsT

Comment by MelonMusketeer:
Thanks for sharing your historic moment with us. I live about 100 miles from the Cape, and applied for the causeway tickets as well, but missed out in the drawing. I was not able to go up for the launch, and probably would not have, due to the low probability of launch with the weather.
You were very fortunate in many ways to have all the elements line up for you to be there and to be equipped to get this shot. I was pretty bummed that we could not see anything at all from here, though I have photographed several of the shuttle launches from here. I was there for the first launch in 1981, and we waited three nights for the "go for launch" moment.
With the vapor cones, this is one of the best "not NASA" photos I have seen of a shuttle launch. One of my friends, Bill Cantrell, sets up cameras for NASA launches at the cape. I will show this to him.
Congrats on an awesome experience, and on having an excellent story and a keepsake like this one to show your grandkids.

STS-135; The Big Send-Off
by HawkinsT

Comment by tome:
I guess this tells how many DPCers look up once in a while. :)
Great image, thanks so much for sharing this and including space exploration with this historic image. And don't fool yourself, this is also about the photographer... it always is. I'm sorry it got voted down, way underrated imho.

STS-135; The Big Send-Off
by HawkinsT

Comment by HawkinsT:
Thanks everyone for your fantastic comments, scores etc. I'm glad so many people have enjoyed this image and I've gotten to share some of my experience of the launch - whilst omitting the waking up at midnight and 14 hours spent sitting in traffic and queuing for buses =). It truly was great to see and I's incredibly lucky to get causeway tickets, just 6 miles from the pad. I actually booked my holiday around going out to see this. I's also very lucky the launch happened at all, the weather was terrible leading up to it and I think at midnight when I set off there was only a ~20% chance it would go ahead that day. It did, obviously, but with a hold at 31 seconds before launch which had everyone holding their breath =).

I realise my score for this challenge is really about the content not the photographer, since this shot was all about being in the right place at the right time, nothing I did that anyone else on here couldn't, so perhaps the score dropping a lot in the last ~3 days of voting was a good thing, it means the first time I get a top 10 finish I can feel like I've actually earnt it =).

For those that are interested here's the original image:


I cropped it, increased the contrast in order to cut through the atmospheric haze, and then de-noised (as spotted by giantmike).

STS-135; The Big Send-Off
by HawkinsT

Comment by Melethia:
Beautiful! Awesome shot of the event!

STS-135; The Big Send-Off
by HawkinsT

Comment by Art Roflmao:
Well done - great finish and a helluva keepsake!

STS-135; The Big Send-Off
by HawkinsT

Comment by Dphoto:
The last one......

STS-135; The Big Send-Off
by HawkinsT

Comment by hesitant:
stunner!

STS-135; The Big Send-Off
by HawkinsT

Comment by songermj:
Orbiter is just a smidge out of focus, but the plume is great. A great shot we'll never get another chance at...