Photo Happenings

...and nanny goats.

Some photo opportunities come up fairly regularly, whether it’s your favorite park or an event that takes place around the same time every year. As it turns out, there are some events in the offing that will make for some very interesting photography.

The first of these is a once-in-a-lifetime event. The flight of the shuttle Discovery to Washington D.C. on April 17 made for some memorable scenes — and incredible photo opportunities — as the shuttle and modified SCA 747 (Shuttle Carrier Aircraft) overflew several of the area’s landmarks. Just a few days from now, on April 23 (between 9:30 and 11:30), it will be New York’s turn; the SCA will be shuttling the Enterprise (the shuttle, not the starship) from Dulles Airport to JFK. From the website of the Intrepid Museum:

Come to Intrepid on Monday, April 23rd to watch the historic flyover of Enterprise and the NASA Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA), the 747 bringing the space shuttle to New York City. Be among the first to welcome Enterprise to NYC as she flies up the Hudson River at a relatively low altitude – mounted atop the 747 – while passing her future home, the Intrepid Museum. The Museum and Pier 86 will open at 10am and the flyover is expected to occur soon thereafter.

In June, the Enterprise is scheduled to be moved by barge from JFK to the Intrepid. At that point, a display area will be built around the shuttle, which is expected to be on public view by July, so there will be more chances to get snapshots later if you miss the 23rd. In the meantime, since the Museum’s going to get very crowded very quickly, I’d suggest other vantage points along the Hudson, especially along the waterfront on the New Jersey side; there should be some prime viewing space in Weehawken, Hoboken, Jersey City and Bayonne especially. While no flight path has been announced (save for the fact that the Statue of Liberty and Intrepid will be on the itinerary), I’d be very surprised if lower Manhattan — especially Ground Zero — isn’t also on the flight plan.

The other event is an annual, worldwide extravaganza, Atlas Obscura’s Obscura Day 2012, which takes place worldwide on April 28. Past years have seen events take place in locales as widespread as Australia, Rome, New Zealand, Berlin, Japan, the Phillipines and New York, with tours of such sites as the Circus Maximus, River Fleet, and Atlantic Avenue Tunnel. The emphasis is on the unusual, unknown, and overlooked, so even if you’re familiar with an area and its history, you’re likely to learn something new.

This year’s events include a tour of the Fermilab Particle Accelerator, a tour of the street art and graffiti of Berlin, and a tour of Boston’s African-American history. Many events are sold out, but check their website… and be sure to keep an eye out for next year’s events.

ON THE WEB:

Enterprise/Discovery Info:

NASA’s page on the Shuttle Transition and Retirement
The Intrepid Museum’s page on the Enterprise (check often for updates)
You can also follow the Intrepid Museum on Facebook and Twitter.

Obscura Day 2012:

The official site is here, but I’d also suggest taking a gander at Atlas Obscura, which unearths unusual and forgotten bits of natural and urban ephemera.

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