Indecision about flight photos

The hardest part of finding a picture some days is just finding one. There were two today that struck me -- both taken from the air. While flying from South Bend to Chicago, we flew over Lake Michigan (thankfully we had those handy seat cushion/floatation devices available in the unlikely event of a water landing... meaning crash).

As I looked out though, I was struck by the peacefulness of the water, the slight ripples which were actually waves of indeterminate height, and an undeniable slate gray to the horizon to the north. It was enough to cause me to be lost for the briefest moments from my thoughts, my concerns, and my worries. I was just transfixed by the contour and the movement...and I just sat back and enjoyed the moment.

D90 300mm f/8.4 1/640 ISO 200

The second one was taken on the flight from Chicago to RDU, and the stars in the nighttime sky, the curvature of the earth, and the clouds creating a light blanket beneath us was truly awe inspiring. It was probably the most beautiful night sky I've seen while flying.

I just wanted to get out on the wing and feel the wind and look up at the sky without any light pollution other than the bright full moon reflecting the sun's light on to the earth. Then I realized it would a bit too windy to actually enjoy it, but to imagine it, and to think I might have captured just a bit of it, brought a smile to my face.

D300 12mm f/4 8 sec ISO 200