Photography Progression

I've recently been cleaning up my photo keywords in my Lightroom catalog and, in the process, reviewed my photos from the Kennedy Space Center. I've been on that property five times: twice as a tourist, and three times as a guest of a NASA employee for Artemis launch attempts. Plus I've been to the beach nearby twice more. When I collected all of the photos that I've taken there, I was struck by just how much things have changed at KSC, and for me as a photographer as I've gotten more skilled. And my gear is better. Here's a self-indulgent look at the progression of KSC and me.

Launch Complex 39A in 2006

I took this photo (above) of Launch Complex 39A on June 1, 2006, when the shuttle program was still in progress. I used a Nikon Coolpix camera, shooting from the observation gantry adjacent to the crawlerway. It's not an awful picture, but it's also not great, given the harsh sunlight and the gear limitations.

Launch Complex 39A in 2009

I took this photo (above) of LC39A on April 16, 2009. Once again I was a tourist on the public tour and this was shot from the gantry. This time there's a shuttle on the pad. I shot this with my (then) new Nikon D200 and a crappy kit lens, again in harsh sunlight. It's a better photo, mostly because the gear is better.

I went back for Artemis 1 launch attempt #2 on September 3, 2022. LC39A looked like this:

Launch Complex 39A in 2022

This photo above was taken from the Apollo/Saturn V Center, so the perspective is different and the distance to the pad is much longer. It was a hot morning with the pad backlit so the light sucks. But notice the change: the shuttle launch infrastructure is gone. SpaceX uses that pad now. I shot this using my Nikon D850 with a 500mm lens while waiting for Artemis 1 to launch (the launch was scrubbed again).

Back to 2006, this time looking at LC39B, again from the gantry, again using the Coolpix: 

Launch Complex 39B in 2006

The photo above is pretty bad, given the gear and harsh sunlight at that time of day. This time there was a shuttle on the pad. Next, from the same spot with my D200: 

Launch Complex 39B in 2009

Again, there's harsh light, but the photo is better because I had better gear. Not great gear mind you, but better. When I revisited in 2009 (above), there was no shuttle on LC39B. In the three years between my visits, NASA constructed lightning protection towers at LC39B. When I went back for the Artemis 1 launch, I saw that the shuttle infrastructure was gone. NASA was back to using a tower on the mobile launch pad, similar to the arrangement that was used during the Apollo program. Here's a shot from the Apollo/Saturn V Center, taken with my D850 at 500mm:

Launch Complex 39B in 2022

This photo (above), which was taken on September 3, 2022, shows Artemis 1 on the pad. Several months later, I was in Florida once again, and I visited Playalinda Beach, which is directly north of and adjacent to the Kennedy Space Center. Here's a shot of the pad from that visit: 

Launch Complex 39B in 2023

I took that shot (above) with my D850 at 300mm on January 8, 2023. OK, what to make of this...

• I'm a space geek.
• My skill as a photographer has improved a lot.
• I've spent a lot of money on gear that I really like; good gear absolutely makes a difference.
• NASA/KSC has changed a lot with the end of the shuttle program and the transition to supporting SpaceX and the Artemis program.

There's no way I'm leaving the best shot of all out: 

Artemis 1 Launching to the Moon

The third launch attempt was the one that worked. This was taken while I was standing in the bleachers at the Apollo/Saturn V Center in the middle of the night. It was awesome!