Did we really land on the moon?!?!?
Discussion
They may not have been "professional photographers" but they were "professional" in everything they did. After all, the bulk of them were high achieving test pilots - and the others were high achievers in whatever other field they had qualified in.
Taking pictures was part of training - as the cameras had to be modified for use so that an astronaut wearing a bulky moon suit and gloves could operate the shutter and lens settings. They were given Hasselbald cameras to practice on at home and spent around two years honing their techniques using these adapted cameras.
So, the fact that a large number of shots taken on the moon were very well composed and framed was down to the usual reasons why people do a job well, practice, practice and more practice.
There were dud shots too, of course. You just don't tend to see them published - although they are available to see in the NASA on-line archives.
Taking pictures was part of training - as the cameras had to be modified for use so that an astronaut wearing a bulky moon suit and gloves could operate the shutter and lens settings. They were given Hasselbald cameras to practice on at home and spent around two years honing their techniques using these adapted cameras.
So, the fact that a large number of shots taken on the moon were very well composed and framed was down to the usual reasons why people do a job well, practice, practice and more practice.
There were dud shots too, of course. You just don't tend to see them published - although they are available to see in the NASA on-line archives.
It's funny, I absolutely believe they landed on the moon, but I take an interest I photoshop and photo doctoring and one pic (don't have to hand) stands out like a sore thumb as being doctored.
So, while I do believe they landed, that one photo left an element of uncertainty in my mind.
So, while I do believe they landed, that one photo left an element of uncertainty in my mind.
Eric Mc said:
There were dud shots too, of course. You just don't tend to see them published - although they are available to see in the NASA on-line archives.
there are a couple on the Apollo 11 film 'inadvertent shutter release'http://www.apolloarchive.com/apollo_gallery.html
but compared to any of my holiday photo selections, far less chopped off heads and blurred blobs
not many over/under exposed shots (unless they are all fixed in developing or summink) considering they were setting exposure manually, and they don't appear to have 'bracketed' their exposures
they probably had strict instructions to avoid 'into the sun' shots etc
Don't forget that the cameras were ludicrously expensive Haselblads and I also expect the lack of atmosphere and the highly predictable light conditions meant the settings were agreed upon before the mission and the exposure etc would be easier to judge than on earth with clouds, shadows from buildings or trees etc. Plus the astronauts were all top USAF pilots with very steady hands, and the freakishly good mental makeup ('the right stuff') to take in everything from the photographic training they had.
RobM77 said:
Don't forget that the cameras were ludicrously expensive Haselblads and I also expect the lack of atmosphere and the highly predictable light conditions meant the settings were agreed upon before the mission and the exposure etc would be easier to judge than on earth with clouds, shadows from buildings or trees etc. Plus the astronauts were all top USAF pilots with very steady hands, and the freakishly good mental makeup ('the right stuff') to take in everything from the photographic training they had.
They weren't all USAF pilots by any means. Quite a few were US Navy and US Marines.The entire crew of Apollo 16 were Navy men.
Don't forget that they had been taking photos on manned missions since the very beginning, so there was already 8 years of experience in using cameras in space by 1969. On the actual cameras used on the lunar surface, the focus was set at infinity for simplicity sake. They did have control over aperture and of course, manual control for activating the shutter.
And Al Bean wrecked the Apollo 12 TV camera by pointing it directly at the sun.
MocMocaMoc said:
It's funny, I absolutely believe they landed on the moon, but I take an interest I photoshop and photo doctoring and one pic (don't have to hand) stands out like a sore thumb as being doctored.
So, while I do believe they landed, that one photo left an element of uncertainty in my mind.
Can you point the way? What would they use in 1969? The images online have been scanned in from the originals.So, while I do believe they landed, that one photo left an element of uncertainty in my mind.
loughran said:
nellyleelephant said:
And?
Have a read of this http://www.studyphysics.ca/apollo2.pdf
Fascinating, I had no idea that.... page 23..Have a read of this http://www.studyphysics.ca/apollo2.pdf
Edited by nellyleelephant on Thursday 11th April 19:58
" Yes, it is bizarre that the
FBI destroyed all the blueprints
of the Saturn rockets and A
pollo spacecraft. Yes, it is
unbelievable that NASA ordered Ke
n Johnston to destroy all th
e duplicate sets of Apollo
photography, essentially trying to confine the c
ontrol of the visual re
cord to one set of
prints that NASA could manipulate.
Click
.jmorgan said:
loughran said:
nellyleelephant said:
And?
Have a read of this http://www.studyphysics.ca/apollo2.pdf
Fascinating, I had no idea that.... page 23..Have a read of this http://www.studyphysics.ca/apollo2.pdf
Edited by nellyleelephant on Thursday 11th April 19:58
" Yes, it is bizarre that the
FBI destroyed all the blueprints
of the Saturn rockets and A
pollo spacecraft. Yes, it is
unbelievable that NASA ordered Ke
n Johnston to destroy all th
e duplicate sets of Apollo
photography, essentially trying to confine the c
ontrol of the visual re
cord to one set of
prints that NASA could manipulate.
Click
Been doing the rounds now for a little while. Just wonder if it was a cardboard cut out with a Nov 5 firework if there are no blueprints....
Anyway. More on the cameras
http://www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/apollo.photechnqs.htm
Anyway. More on the cameras
http://www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/apollo.photechnqs.htm
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