BOOM!

[Kodiak Qc]

•


The chemistry teacher, who taught my kids at school,
asked me to record an explosion that he has prepared.
— "I tried in vain, over the years, to capture that short
moment so I challenge you to do any better!" he said.

There were some 60+ kids with their nose on the sa-
fety glass — where I had to take position too — and
we agreed on visual signals after he briefed me on the
succession of events.

"You're my man!" he said when I delivered this shot…

 

[David_H]

Well captured Dan - looks like you nailed it spot on.

 

[Kodiak Qc]

•


Thanks, David!

Had I waited a few milliseconds more, It is
possible it could have been higher. Accor-
ding to the kids around the tripod, I may ha-
ve missed some cm in hight but not much!

 

[Nick Owen]

This picture's a real blast!

 

[Kodiak Qc]

This picture's a real blast!

That was an easy one, Peter…
but welcomed nonetheless!

 

[Byker28i]

Well caught. Did you get a countdown and use rapid shutter?

 

[Kodiak Qc]

Well caught. Did you get a countdown and use rapid shutter?

Thanks and yes, I was told of the delay between the
explosion and the previous reactor drop in the bucket
and given a countdown… just had to be ready and
hope for the best for this one boom only.

 

[Nev]

Great shot, I tried to capture Phosphorous grenade going off with a film camera but that made me jump and it was blurred. Then I tried photographing a Centurion AVRE on the ranges in Germany and the same thing ever time one of the tanks fired I jumped and then it was again blurred. Wish we had digital back then.

 

[Kodiak Qc]

but that made me jump and it was blurred.

Then, Neville, digital would not have changed
the day for you. This explosion, on the school
ground was not as violent as military stuff for
sure!

 

[rpn]

Couldn't time it more perfectly.

 

[Kodiak Qc]

Couldn't time it more perfectly.

There was going to be only one explosion, Stan,
so I prepared the shot the best way my experien-
ce permitted… the rest was crossing the fingers
so to invite any amount of luck in the equation.

TY, Stan!

 

[BillN_33]

I bet you "blew" the whites!!

 

[Kodiak Qc]

I bet you "blew" the whites!!

There was very little chance for that!

The teacher explained me that the danger of any explosion is
the time the chemical reaction needs to completion. Powerful
chemical reactions will produce a lot of gases in a very short
time and that is responsible for the boom that comes with it.

This explosion, for safety sake in a schoolyard, was not of military
grade for sure. He also told me about the reaction itself: produce-
sion of gases (mainly water vapour) and some brightly reacting
compounds the will expressed in a yellowish "flame" burst.

So, no shattered glass windows and no burnt whites!

 

[Lensflare]

Am I the only one who sees a snowman on fire, with his 'Mr Happy' hanging out?

 

[Kodiak Qc]

Am I the only one who sees a snowman on fire, with his 'Mr Happy' hanging out?

Did you dare say this in public, Simon?

 

[OldCarlos]

Am I the only one who sees a snowman on fire, with his 'Mr Happy' hanging out?

Now you mention it.

 

[Nod]

I see Beaker the Muppet exploding.