St Maarten Planespotting (MANY MANY PHOTOS!)

**Ychocky** · 2009-12-07, 02:44 PM

Well done. Great variation. The runway landing roll shots look like you're halfway up a tree!

Love ALL the fuselages ;) Very nice :borat:

Thank you for sharing. Now to convince the fiance! Cheaper than Australia!

**N75715** · 2009-12-07, 07:22 PM

Thank you again for the humbling words... one last batch. The rest...lol... can be found at www.flickr.com/photos/ghostrider2112. Enjoy!

**engine46** · 2009-12-10, 09:35 AM

Great shots! Can any of you lucky people who have been to SXM suggest nice places to stay at?

Thanks!

**N75715** · 2009-12-10, 10:54 PM

Sure. The Sonesta Maho has reasonable rooms (150/night) and is walking distance to the famous beach. That is the hotel which is always in the background on those famous beach shots. Also in the center of Maho Plaza, Casino Royale, and a host of restaurants. Depends on how nice you want to get... There is the Flamingo in Simpson Bay, The Pelican, also in Simpson Bay. They are driving distance form the airport (about 8 minutes) and situated on the bay, which has a plethora of water activities (snorkeling, jet skis, sailing, etc.). Also, try visiting http://www.sxmtravelguide.com/ and http://www.wheretostay.com/caribbean/st ... arten.html
Good luck!

**pedaa** · 2009-12-10, 11:04 PM

Awesome Shoots ... thanks for showing

**mattyry38** · 2009-12-11, 01:29 AM

Incredible work Roman! You're inspiring many of us to bite the bullet and book that ticket to sunny Maarten! (a lot more so than that awful movie Speed 2: Cruise Control :lol: )

Didn't see the inquiry earlier - what equipment are you shooting with? Seems like you could get away with as little as 75mm on the overhead shots, but some (the distant AA 738 reflection) could be 300+

Although it's only spotting the tiny Trans Anguilla BN-Islander, the Surf Shot you captured showcases the jaw-dropping reality that is Maho / SXM. If only we saw a few more heavies plowing down beach-goers 8) Also, I had never thought of the prime opportunities to shoot along White Sands Road and the beach along the southern length - good thinking.

*and these were definitely worthy of today's tweet :)

**N75715** · 2009-12-11, 10:09 PM

thanks much mattyry38.

i shoot with a Canon EOS 40D. I brought 3 lenses with me. You are correct. The overhead shots and the close beach passes were shot with an 18-55mm lens. That's it. Same with the landing side shots along the runway. (KLM, Corsair, Air France). Any bigger lens, you were just too close. Imagine that!
For most of the flight deck shots, pilots waving, inside of the engines, etc... I used a 70-200mm lens. Also for the takeoffs to the west (toward me and the beach), for that mountain background. For this reason, I never actually got a shot looking north of the plane climbing out from right to left, above the beach. (the opposite of them landing left to right above that beach.) the lens was too close. The results were that really close up Jet Blue nose from the first page, and a very reflective sunlit fuselage AFTER he passed me on this page.
the distant AA 738 was taken from approximately the point where he rotated, rather than way back from the beach. Thus, the clarity, lack of heat haze, etc.. this spot was a tip i received from a local.
as for the Trans Anguilla shot.. that was an extremely rough surf on Monday, 30 Nov. The water was running up the beach and into the road. I had hoped for that kind of composition with a jet, but that particular wave was perfect, and almost dwarfed the plane as it passed. Somehow, it worked out, since the wave was high, and he was low.

The White Sands Rd thing was my quest to get something different than all the thousands of same angle shots we have all seen from there. Sure, SXM is great, but enough shots with the Sonesta and Islander Club in the background. Unfortunately, shooting from the north doesn't work this time of year, due to the sun's position, (that's good in April, May, June), so I was forced to get creative from the south. Climb a tree here, a rock wall there, whatever it took. Also, meeting a St Maarten Coast Guard officer who was more than happy to share some secrets didn't hurt, either.

hope this sheds some light on your curiosity!