I have been haphazardly scanning negatives and slides from my film days. This first photo I came across the negative and realized it had never been printed since it was taken in 1970. I was stationed on the DMZ in Korea and came across this scene looking south from the DMZ toward Bukhansan, or 'North Han Mountain' literal translation. I was elated by the photo but devastated it had been filed away for 50 years. It almost captures the beauty of that country. The second photo was taken while crossing Freedom Bridge, a rail bridge converted to one way Army traffic, now back in rail service. It is white because it is covered in snow with the solidly frozen Imjin River on either side. It was our only means of escape from the DMZ and counterintuitively, would have been blown up immediately upon hostilities, making us mere suicide speed bumps. In the last couple of years, The Booze Traveler visited a tourist center overlook at the bridge looking into the DMZ, #3 screenshot. Hope you enjoy!

The greatest invention of the Leitz family: The leica freedom train.

snip

It now emerges that there is a story behind the Leica camera that is much more impressive than the camera itself:
The Leitz family’s efforts to save Jews in Germany. And why was the story was not told untill now? The Leitz famly wanted no publicity for its efforts. Very impressive. Leica’s take amazing photos — even in the hands of amateurs like myself.

But the book behind the camera is even better.

https://blog.aquamarinefund.net/frank-dabba-smith-2006-the-greatest-invention-of-the-leitz-family-the-leica-freedom-train-bed3b0a35ae4

whereby I search for interesting photo opportunities from my backyard. Both of these subjects, not everyone's cup of tea certainly, are approximately 1.5 to 2 nautical miles away, taken with a 1000mm lens. Not being in line with the runway of either TIA or MacDill AFB, the opportunities are not common, which makes it something of a game for me.

#1 is a Mississippi Air National Guard C-17 leaving TIA, 2nd is a KC-135 tanker taking off from MacDill AFB. The wingtip vortices I love, as opposed to contrails caused by the engines. Wingtip vortices are circular patterns of rotating air left behind a wing as it generates lift. One wingtip vortex trails from the tip of each wing, seen more in humid air.

(The photo of AF1 I posted last week, I did leave my backyard for a park ~1 nm east of the TIA approach)

and just pay homage to the aircraft, I grabbed thIs yesterday at 4:30 PM on approach to TIA, considering the passenger list, and the sun on the wrong side, I'm pretty happy with the outcome!