JFK 7-4-12 31L Departures and tower shots

[TJK]

Loading these here to keep them seperate from my Rockaways thread.
Took a break from running errands before having company to go to the beach and was treated to some tower shots and a few heavies I hadnt gotten photos of before. GREAT day to be taking photos!
-TJ

I was literally saying the other day on someone else's thread I hadnt yet seen or photographed the Cargolux 747; the aircraft gods are sometimes merciful:
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7264/7512135166_704068bc3a_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/82010746@N06/7512135166/)
RSCN0033 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/82010746@N06/7512135166/) by Teejsjulaw4 (http://www.flickr.com/people/82010746@N06/), on Flickr

Taca; for some reason I REALLY struggle to ger her in focus. It's getting on my nerves because they have some beautiful planes.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8168/7512134340_78c4a4f5e9_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/82010746@N06/7512134340/)
RSCN0039 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/82010746@N06/7512134340/) by Teejsjulaw4 (http://www.flickr.com/people/82010746@N06/), on Flickr

JetBlue IO scheme:
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8157/7512131848_8945aaf32e_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/82010746@N06/7512131848/)
RSCN9976 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/82010746@N06/7512131848/) by Teejsjulaw4 (http://www.flickr.com/people/82010746@N06/), on Flickr

I have to do something about how grey these shots get on me; Sun Country and Tower
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7139/7512134470_92d34a1d00_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/82010746@N06/7512134470/)
RSCN0038 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/82010746@N06/7512134470/) by Teejsjulaw4 (http://www.flickr.com/people/82010746@N06/), on Flickr

[TJK]

The heavies and only the heavies:

Cargolux in better angle in terms of the light
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8157/7512133462_d35737c66e_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/82010746@N06/7512133462/)
RSCN9972 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/82010746@N06/7512133462/) by Teejsjulaw4 (http://www.flickr.com/people/82010746@N06/), on Flickr

The first tolerable El Al photo I've taken
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8147/7512132464_572d820026_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/82010746@N06/7512132464/)
RSCN9975 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/82010746@N06/7512132464/) by Teejsjulaw4 (http://www.flickr.com/people/82010746@N06/), on Flickr

Cathay Triple 7: The first heavy I'd taken a photo of off of 31L a few weeks ago.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7135/7512133650_53ed246645_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/82010746@N06/7512133650/)
RSCN0049 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/82010746@N06/7512133650/) by Teejsjulaw4 (http://www.flickr.com/people/82010746@N06/), on Flickr

South African A340; one of my JFK favorites. The first time I saw her while driving I nearly crashed on the Belt Pkwy.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8146/7512132650_fdcb50785a_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/82010746@N06/7512132650/)
RSCN9974 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/82010746@N06/7512132650/) by Teejsjulaw4 (http://www.flickr.com/people/82010746@N06/), on Flickr

In full flight:
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7138/7512132872_6f9cbce394_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/82010746@N06/7512132872/)
RSCN9973 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/82010746@N06/7512132872/) by Teejsjulaw4 (http://www.flickr.com/people/82010746@N06/), on Flickr

-TJ

[Zee71]

TJ..........nice variety! Depending on conditions, I may sometimes walk onto the bridge to get a little closer to the departing aircraft for some of my shots. Also, check your metering and white balance settings, you'll have to adjust those some times depending on conditions. For some of those morning departures off runway 31L from HoBe you probably want to wait until the aircraft are either near or crossing the bridge for the best light, otherwise you can get images that are under exposed, etc.

Yeah.........it took me a while too to finally get a nice clean shot of the TACA. I've tried from various locations, but heat haze killed most of my shots.

Typically, if they are using the 31s in the morning you'll get a variety of heavies and cargo aircraft departing off 31L.

[TJK]

TJ..........nice variety! Depending on conditions, I may sometimes walk onto the bridge to get a little closer to the departing aircraft for some of my shots. Also, check your metering and white balance settings, you'll have to adjust those some times depending on conditions. For some of those morning departures off runway 31L from HoBe you probably want to wait until the aircraft are either near or crossing the bridge for the best light, otherwise you can get images that are under exposed, etc.

Yeah.........it took me a while too to finally get a nice clean shot of the TACA. I've tried from various locations, but heat haze killed most of my shots.

Typically, if they are using the 31s in the morning you'll get a variety of heavies and cargo aircraft departing off 31L.

I'll take a look at the settings you're suggesting. Thanks. The cargolux sho and the South African were both taken from the bridge. Cargolux was taken on the Broad Channel side of the Bridge. South African I got lucky on. I was leaving the park and got lucky and heard it on Live ATC. I pulled over on the Howard Beach side and walked back about 30 yards ont the bridge and had a nice fairly straight on view of her leaving. She extended out which gave me a decent side view.

Thanks for the advice on the settings.