Awesome Pictures Thread

[Strazos]

That looks REALLY shopped. 

[TheWalrus]

I like how its perched on the lone jewish stone in there.

[Bunk]

That looks REALLY shopped. 

It's not that badly done. Does look like there should be at least a little backlighting showing on the eagle's head though.

[schild]

It's that badly done.

[Sir T]

Here's the story behind it, for what its worth.

It was a crow that first caught Frank Glick's attention. It was flying around erratically, so Glick got out his Nikon camera and followed it. It was around 6 a.m. on a hazy spring day and he was driving through Fort Snelling National Cemetery because he was early for a training meeting at Delta Airlines, where he works.

Glick is an amateur photographer, but he always carries his camera, just in case. So he followed the crow, in some cultures a symbol of good luck and magic, until he saw it: a huge eagle perched on a tombstone, its eyes alert, its head craned, looking for prey. In the foreground, dew glistened on the grass.
Glick got his shot.

He didn't think too much about the photo, until he showed it to a co-worker, Tom Ryan, who e-mailed it to his brother, Paul.

Paul wondered whether a relative of the soldier might want a copy. The tail of the eagle partially covered the man's name, but Paul did some research and looked up the soldier's name in newspaper obituaries. The eagle had landed on the grave of Sgt. Maurice Ruch, who had been a member of the St. Anthony Kiwanis Club, the obituary said.

More at the link

http://www.startribune.com/local/124543223.html

[K9]

Error Level Analysis suggests that it is legit.

Awesome picture

[Mrbloodworth]

Wish I could find the original, sans text. But, oh well. Yay Tineye!

[Ironwood]

At first I was like 'What the Christ'.  After five minutes, I agree;  awesome.

Also, perhaps the first original thing I've ever seen you post.  Brava.

[Slayerik]

Error Level Analysis suggests that it is legit.

Awesome picture

Except the bird is missing something. A fuckin' shadow!

[Sir T]

No, you can see the birds shadow on the ground, though the angle is tight.

[Fordel]

I always forget how damn large Eagles can be.

[Chimpy]

No, you can see the birds shadow on the ground, though the angle is tight.

The shadow you see is the shadow of the tombstone, which is the equal size of the non-bird tombstone like a row away.

[ezrast]

If you don't account for perspective, maybe. Looking at the other shadows in the same row, the one with the bird is definitely larger.

[lamaros]

My first impression was that it was shopped, then I looked again and wasn't sure.

[MahrinSkel]

I don't think it's shopped, if only because someone shopping it wouldn't have been able to resist making the eagle's pose more dramatic, or making it smaller (they really are large birds, but most people have a perception they're more the size of a chicken).

--Dave

[K9]

[01101010]

Yep. That captures the spirit of the thread. Bravo. 

[Engels]

That is actually awesome.

[Sir T]

All you need are a couple of phasers and photon Torpedo lanchers on that thing and you would kill every nerd in the word with and overdose of awsome.

[JWIV]

What's crazy is that the AC45's are the small ones.  They're making them even larger and faster for the America's Cup.   

[Tannhauser]

Wowza, great pic!  That looks like a Lyran vessel.  +1 internets if you get that reference.

[apocrypha]

Shouldn't there be water dripping off of the bits that are sticking out of the water? Or is it possible for it to drive (? - what's the nautical term?) like that for long enough for all the water to have already done it's dripping? Not claiming shop or anything, serious question, I know less about boats'n'stuff than I do about pretty much anything else in the world.

Oh and the teddy bear defending the sleeping child from the dream monster? Proper awesome.

Edit: I also think the catamaran (?) (boat?) pic is awesome too :)

[Abagadro]

Its a trimaran and it goes like that for quite a while.  Here is video of it in action:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiBHCAnKa5U&feature=fvst

[apocrypha]

Very cool. Although I feel slightly seasick after watching that.

[Tale]

On a regular sized catamaran you do a lot of leaning and pulling to right it when it capsizes. I think they'd need the assistance of some whales.

[K9]

Or is it possible for it to drive (? - what's the nautical term?)

Sail? 

[apocrypha]

Or is it possible for it to drive (? - what's the nautical term?)

Sail? 

Lol. Thanks. Early morning 

[Strazos]

I don't even understand how you can, when the wind if your method of propulsion, sail INTO the wind..

[apocrypha]

I thought that was what tacking was - you sail at a diagonal, being pushed by the wind, build up momentum and then turn sharply into the wind using your momentum to move further upwind than you were before you started the diagonal manoeuvre, and repeat, so you make a zig-zag motion.

Don't ask me how I remember that when I can't remember the word "sail" ffs. 

[bhodi]

I thought that was what tacking was - you sail at a diagonal, being pushed by the wind, build up momentum and then turn sharply into the wind using your momentum to move further upwind than you were before you started the diagonal manoeuvre, and repeat, so you make a zig-zag motion.

Nope. Tacking is just a way of turning across the wind without capsizing your boat.

I don't even understand how you can, when the wind if your method of propulsion, sail INTO the wind..

What you're looking for is the term "Running" as in "Running with the wind".

Edit: Just to be clear, running is sailing downwind.

The "How" of it is simple, imagine the sails like a vertical airfoil or airplane wing. A more complicated explanation is here.

[apocrypha]

Ohh OK. Well, I've learned something today. Awesome! 

[bhodi]

Just to be clear on our nautical terms, and because this IS the awesome pictures thread, SURELY you have played one of the greatest games ever made? Check page 20:

[01101010]

Just to be clear on our nautical terms, and because this IS the awesome pictures thread, SURELY you have played one of the greatest games ever made? Check page 20:

E Pluribus Anus? 

[sigil]

Wowza, great pic!  That looks like a Lyran vessel.  +1 internets if you get that reference.

My boat would look like something from the WYN star cluster

[rk47]

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