Manila Downunder

A NEW TOY

Hope Rachel Cabanossi dosen't report me to Centerlink for payment fraud, I mean, how can one go getting a new camera on all those Centerlink handouts. Surely there must be some fraud going on.

OK, I suppose it is my turn to prove myself a hypocrite as well. I have said for quite some time that I would be sticking to film only and not going down the digital SLR path. Besides, I don't like the quality of digital, it is to sharp, I don't like the idea of your important images being stored electronically, film cameras are far more rugged and, well quite frankly, I don't particularly like change all that much.
Regardless of this, I went out and got myself a EOS 1000D. Not the top of the range camera, but it is no piece of bollocks either. The last few months of saving up those dole cheques has really been beneficial and I look forward to experimenting with it between now and the time I reach my much anticipated end of existence.
Like the Fuji contraption before it, this is going to take some getting use to. However Canon, unlike many people, will not usually let you down.

I took the opportunity early this morning to head down to the airport and give it a bit of a test run. If I am to take it to Vietnam this year (god bless dole cheques) I want to be ready to give it the thrashing of its life.
The Fuji was about to pack it in on my last ever trip to the Philippines in 2007, but it held it together. The Canon has big shoes to fill.

Anyway the following collection were taken early this morning. Feel free to email me any comments on the shots as I strive to get better at aviation photography.

Air New Zealand takes off from the third runway and immediately banks to the east and, well not surprisingly, New Zealand.

Watch the sprinkler Brooooooooooock - oh well, to late!

Now normally I hate security guards almost as much as I hate human vermin, however this poor bastard had to slowly push this car from one end of the runway to the other.
Despite this - he was still friendly to me when he passed.
Wanted to help, but passing the fence would get me shot nowdays.

Virgins everywhere.
One is leaving while another arrives.
Waited bloody ages to try to get this sort of shot which is occasionally seen in such good reads as 'Aviation Australia'.

Mascot residents see the black smoke all the time, most wondering where the hell it is coming from.
Now you know - they practise putting out fires between the bay and third runways.

I usually don't photograph anything Philippine related nowdays, it is a topic that really turns me off at the moment. However I saw a plane approaching Qantas Drive and by the time I saw who owned it, I had already got out of the car.
So what the heck! As it turned out, it was one I needed anyway.

The A380 is admitedly impressive, but for all round style, grace and beauty, I still think Boeing's 747 dumps a steamy one all over the Airbus product.
It will indeed be a sad day that they stop building these beautiful birds.

Anyway I hope you enjoyed these few shots from the new camera.
There will obviously be far more in the future.
For more shots taken today you can check out my 'Semi-Retired Foamer' website later on tomorrow.

Best wishes
Brad