This is a picture of a test of the J58 turbojet engine that powered the SR-71 Blackbird at full after-burn. This picture captures the diamond shockwaves in the engine’s exhaust, which create a fascinating pattern down the length of the flame. I thought the glowing metal of the engine with the blue and pink flame on the black backdrop made for a very striking visual of such a tremendously powerful engine. I think that the use of negative space really causes the subject of the pictures to pop, though given that this test was at night and classified I doubt the photographer had too much choice when taking it.
Best of Web – Chris Taylor
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Flow Vis Guidebook
- Introduction to the Guidebook
- Overview 1: Phenomena. Why Does It Look Like That?
- Overview 2: Visualization Techniques
- Overview 3: Lighting
- Overview 4 - Photography A: Composition and Studio Workflow
- Overview 4 - Photography B: Cameras
- Overview 4 - Photography C: Lenses - Focal Length
- Overview 4 - Photography C: Lenses - Aperture and DOF
- Overview 4: Photography D: Exposure
- Overview 4 - Photography E - Resolution
- Overview 5 - Post-Processing
- Clouds 1: Names
- Clouds 2: Why Are There Clouds? Lift Mechanism 1: Instability
- Clouds 3: Skew - T and Instability
- Clouds 4: Clouds in Unstable Atmosphere
- Clouds 5: Lift Mechanism 2 - Orographics
- Clouds 6: Lift Mechanism 3 - Weather Systems
- Boundary Techniques - Introduction
- Dye Techniques 1 - Do Not Disturb
- Dye Techniques 2 - High Visibility
- Dye Techniques 3 - Light Emitting Fluids
- Refractive Index Techniques 1: Liquid Surfaces
- Refractive Index Techniques 2: Shadowgraphy and Schlieren
- Particle Physics: Flow and Light
- Dilute Particle Techniques - Under Construction
- Particles 2: Aerosols
- Particles 3: In Water - Under Construction
- Art and Science
- TOC and Zotpress test
- Photons, Wavelength and Color
7 Comments. Leave new
First prize. I really like the contrast of how the colors of the jet are much more muted compared to the engine.
FIRST – The contrast of the black background with the exhaust of the J58 is striking and the glow of the engine itself makes for a very pleasing visualization of airflow. I also like how the eye is drawn to the very tip of the exhaust.
3rd place. I love jet engines
Third Prize – Amazing coloration and pattern make this image very cool to look at
Third Prize – This is a very neat photo because this was taken at an actual test of this engine, a test where the main goal was not to get a clean photo but to get engineering data to work with. I think that the photographer’s ability to capture and edit such a clean picture when that was not the intention of the experiment is really impressive.
Third Prize: This image highlights the shear power of the SR-71 engine and how it can also have an artistic look too, as shown by the colors of the exhaust cone coming from the turbojet.
Second Prize: This image is artistically interesting due to the vibrancy of the colors against the black background. It is also scientifically interesting due to the diamond shockwaves.