Feb 22, 2012 | Aviation
My good friend Robert Odegaard asked me if I wanted to go flying, without hesitation I said yes. When you get asked to go flying with one of the best, there is no other response. He said we were going to go flying in the Breezie. At first, I didn’t know what he was talking about so got on the iPhone to look. I know now! We flew to another airport in his Stinson Gullwing and then pulled out the Breezie and went for a flight of your life! I don’t think we ever got higher then 50′ off the deck. Here’s a small clip from our flight. I shot it with the D3x & 14-24AF handheld. Enjoy!
Had to really compress the vid to get it posted because of internet connection…will edit and put up a more riveting cut soon.
Feb 22, 2012 | Aviation
It was one of those mornings when what clouds were present were leaving Dodge fast! That was a bummer because we had the amazing Arizona Ground Crew crew with us and I had “Cripes A’ Mighty” pulled out of the hangar for them to use for a backdrop. Now to be totally honest, pulling out a bunch of flash units and setting up a set just was something I didn’t want to do. It’s simply a pain in the ass and slows down photography in my book. So we started to work with what light we did have. I took Scott and first, put him as silhouette and went click.
And while that seemed like a kinda good idea, it really wasn’t. I went to a five image HDR to make something happen visually. The side of the Mustang was hot and the silhouette needed to be black while I wanted to keep the color and HDR was the best option. OK…made a click but it was a waste of the talent and the background. What to do?!
I turned around then to see the DC-3 that just the day before went into annual being kissed by the sun. A second later we had abandoned the set the Crew and set up around Cripes and were over at the DC-3. Now the DC-3 when in military use was called a C-47 and it’s the plane that is best known for dropping the boys into Europe during D-Day. Well the Crew were all over this new set in some gorgeous light!
Now here’s the deal with the Arizona Ground Crew. These guys who I think the world of, are the only re-inactors who are ground crew, most are pilots. Everything they have with them from pencils to overalls are authentic from 1940s military, they are not repos. And their props, from the Whole Nine Yards to tables, ladders, hang engine warmer, thermos, everything is from WWII! And, they know their history and planes! And the best part, they are funnier then %*(# ! It’s hard to shoot because you’re laughing so much. And they don’t stop, they just keep on going and going and going.
This shot was so simple to take. The light was hittin the boys and by simply moving to the left, the DC-3 in shade made for the perfect backdrop to make them pop. Then, I simply watched the boys and when I saw the geometric design you see here, I went click. There is no way in a lifetime I could set up enough flash units to get a feel to the light like we got from the photo gods that morning.
As the sun came up, the soft glow went away so I went looking for scenarios where the harder light would lend itself to the Crew and DC-3. I don’t really give any staging to the Crew, they just pick a them and go at it. But what I do do after a little while is simply yell shift! When I do, the Crew being the professionals they are simply find a new “repair” to make and go at it. They move ladders and props and themselves and create a whole new set with just the simple que.
What I love best about the Crew is their effect on photographers. The crew were brought in for our Air2Air Workshops and there always seems to be one photographer not “thrilled” to be photographing models. But this crew melts even the coldest fish and within minutes have everyone laughing and shutters flying. One of my favorite people, Pedro from Brazil said half way through the shoot, “I’ve already shot 400 frames, I would have never thought….” What you see here are just a couple of clicks from the morning. There are more with some stories that will come in the future. And as for the Crew, they are already signed up for our Fall Air2Air in AZ. It just wouldn’t be the same without them!
Feb 21, 2012 | Aviation
7000 filed images later and I’m still jumping! I flew down to AZ last week and I’ve not stopped shooting since and it’s been great! What you see above is the B-25 “Maid in the Shade,” a WWII combat veteran with 17 missions. The volunteers at the AZ CAF Wing keep her in great shape an flying. You’ll be able to see her at a number of events this year including the Doolittle Reunion in OH in April (I’ll be there). We had an evening shoot with here and is was great!
I’ve shot 18 aircraft now air to air since arriving in AZ! Yikes! Had two commercial shoots and I’m not down. This gorgeous PT-17 Stearman was one of those shoots. I even tried something new involving the airport fire dept and a carrier deck with TBM at NIGHT! I can’t wait to tell you that story. Well, it’s time already foe me to head out for more shoots and some flyin…stay tuned!
In the Bag
Feb 9, 2012 | Aviation
My second aviation cover story is out for the year. The story of Super Corsair #74 and the Odegaard Family that brought it back to racing is one dear to me as I was so fortunate to be included in the project near its end. It was an honor to be apart of it and the first to fly air to air with #74. Classic Wings is a great magazine from down under. You can find it on the news stands at bigger bookstores if you don’t have a subscription to it. I hope you enjoy it, I had a blast bringing it to you!
Jan 31, 2012 | Aviation
“Why did you go that way?” Damn good question for lots that I have pursued with a camera over time. The Cockpit Panos we’ve posted seem to be the cause of a lot of work time spent lost goofin with them. At the same time, questions keep coming in with this being the latest. Why? The answer was pretty simple when you look at my early cockpit portraits. OK, light is OK and the clouds so so but then what? You really can’t get a feel for the cockpit since you don’t feel like you’re sitting in it. You can really read any of the instruments. It’s, just there! Thought shot with the same 16Fish, you the viewer don’t really get much an experience from it and that’s the whole idea.
Both of these are hand held HDRs, 5 image captures taken at f/2.8 because I was too lazy to get a tripod. That’s because I knew that the end results would be what you see here. What you’re seeing here is the Lone Star Flight Museum’s DC-3, a gorgeous plane you see on the airshow circuit. You’ve got the main cabin and the cockpit here. As the viewer of the image, how are you to get a feel for this romantic period in flight from these photos? (Can you imagine getting our carry-ons on this plane?) It was parked in a hangar when I made these clicks and there sure is a lot more PS craft then camera craft in these couple of images. Since that’s not my style and they really don’t convey the whole experience, I had to find a better what of communicating that experience. That’s how I went looking for what we now call our cockpit panos.
In the Bag
D3x
16Fish
Lexar 32GB UDMA
Jan 25, 2012 | Aviation
We are constantly amazed at the growing base of fans of my aviation work has brought us. Thanks! Many had asked a few weeks back about upcoming articles I had coming out. I wanted to let you know about this one because you can download the issue for free on your iPad if you’re not already subscribing to Aeroplane. You’ll want the March, 2012 issue. Enjoy!
