Yeah, there was A LOT of polishing to get the shine in this P-51D Mustang. While I didn’t work on this particular fuselage, I did make the mistake and asked to be taught how to do it once. I don’t think my arm has recovered yet from that lesson. It is by no means simple nor quick, so I take particular care to say shiny whenever I can. You might think it’s just the light hitting the fuselage, and in part, it is. But it’s the background that really makes it scream shiny. The darker the background, the shinier the fuselage. Do some experiments on your own, making the background darker and darker, and watch what happens. You soon will be saying … shinny!

Following aircraft with your eye plastered to the viewfinder is a challenge and an art. Pushing this craft even further is the potential “grand” shot you hope will come. Panning is the key, setting your feet so you’re in the right body position for that “grand” shot. We twist at the waist when we pan, starting by cocking in one direction and unwinding to the other. When we unwind the pan, we often come to a stop, but the planes keep on going. What I’m suggesting is you sacrifice some of the approach images so that when you unwind, you still can photograph the aircraft as they head off. It means you start shooting when they are already kinda big in the frame so you can photograph the pass. That’s the skill. The knowledge is knowing what the performers are going to do. The luck is making the first two elements come together in the viewfinder when YOU want them to. It’s something to put in your bag of tricks, working the follow through.

A2A is an adrenaline-packed type of photography that is very dangerous! Dangerous to some extent, even when you do everything correctly. One extremely important aspect is visual contact between the two aircraft, which is why one plane is flying lead with the rest of the formation flying off its wing. The norm is that the photo platform (where the photographer is located) is the lead, and the other aircraft fly off their wing. To get the shot of going home, “entering the pattern” requires switching so that the photo platform is flying off the wing of the subject aircraft. Flying with the Pembertons, this is safe and fun as they have practiced doing it for years. They make it look so simple, and so fun, so more times than not the last shot I get is going home.

“I want to photograph planes, how do I get started?” I’m asked this question a lot, and it’s great to hear. One option I offer up to many is to check out your local CAF. The CAF operates around the country, restoring and flying old aircraft. They are mostly volunteer-based, and that’s where you come in. Whether a mechanic, sales person or photographer, they can use your help fulfilling their mission. You might start out pushing a broom with your camera over your shoulder, but with time, you will be just shooting. I know, it’s how I started out nearly twenty years ago with the Mesa CAF. They are good folks, check them out!

Eighty-three years ago today, 80 airmen in 16 B-25Bs launched from the USS Hornet to attack mainland Japan. Pearl Harbor was fresh in everyone’s memory and even though the damage from the raid was thought to be a token at best, the boost to the US morale was immeasurable. In Dayton, OH in 2017, eleven B-25 flew over the USAF Museum to pay their respect and tribute to the Doolittle Raiders and thank them for their sacrifice for our freedoms on the 75th anniversary of this event. Lt Col Dick Cole, 102 years old then, was the last of the eighty Raiders and was present for the ceremonies (he passed 8 April 2019). We owe all our vets a tribute and thanks for all they did, and do and the freedoms we enjoy because of them!! Lest we forget!!!

Not glamorous, in fact, it’s downright dirty, but the underside of an aircraft can still make a clean shot. Gesture is a big part of the photographic success for sure. The background even more so. Shooting up against a grayish sky can be risky because of the exposure range, but the mood created by the gray sky supports all the oil and grease you see. One other thing you can only see in this kind of photograph is the recognition lights on the wing tip. The pilot would have to have the day’s lighting pattern to land on a carrier. Next airshow, you might give it a try if conditions are right, try catching the oil and grease.