Simple Click – Life Doesn’t Get Any Better!

Jun 1, 2011 | Aviation

Just hang that camera out there and go click. Schweet!

It Was My Turn Next

Jun 1, 2011 | Aviation

After 20min Sharon was safely back on the ground (only literally) and it was my turn to climb in and go up. Mike has the Stearman set up with not one but two safety belt systems, just in case when you’re inverted and one fails, you don’t fall out. That is a comforting thought because the one thing I’ve always wanted to do was go inverted in an open cockpit plane (we didn’t do it since we didn’t have the 3rd safety measure, parachutes). So seated and strapped in, off we went!

Oh man, is this ever big time freakin fun! Seriously, one of the best flights I’ve ever had. The skies were clear, the winds nearly zero, it was a slow, romantic flight over the Kansas landscape. As you might tell from the top shot that Sharon took (that’s her shadow on the wing), a 16Fish was attached to the D3x. There isn’t a whole lot of room in the cockpit of a Stearman to take a bag of gear with you. The photo mission really was not the landscape below no anything air to air, it was all about the flight and for that photo mission, the 16Fish rules king!

The one thing that might be confusing you about the two bottom images is the lack of “Fish” look to the photos. The wings and horizon line are pretty straight, you’re not seeing a whole lot of curve not even in the struts. That’s because the camera/lens are being held pretty much “level” so the horizon line is going right through the middle of the frame. Then, I’m being very conscious of keeping vertical lines away from the side of the frame so they don’t bow. This way, you just see the 180 amazing degree view that I was enjoying from the cockpit. Wow, what a flight!!!!

Photos captured by D3x, 16Fish on Lexar UDMA digital film

A Great Evening Flight

Jun 1, 2011 | Aviation

If I’m in Wichita and with my best friend Kevin, I know that in some way, I’ll be up in the air. The day before we’d flown down to Ponca City for lunch. We’d spent this morning 650′ underground so what better way to finish off the day then a flight. Kevin had arranged a flight in a PT-17 Stearman at what no better place, then Stearman Field. When our pilot (a great pilot) Mike asked who wanted to fly, the first with their hand up and most eager was Sharon. She loves to fly (I’m incredibly fortunate) so in the front seat she went.

Here’s the problem, get a photo of the wife flying. Talk about pressure! The top shot was easy, simple portrait in the cockpit before launch. It was after this things got dicey. Kevin & I grabbed our 200-400 and ran across the field (I mean ran) so the plane would be front lit on lift off. After getting permission, off we ran and we got into place. This was the first time I’d been on that side. The Stearman went to the end of the grass strip and warmed up the plane. He was going to take off on the grass strip that was right in front of us. I’d never photographed from this location a plane taking off on the grass strip. As the Stearman started down the strip, it became obvious I had too much lens from the get go. While the 70-200 was on the ground next to me, there wasn’t time to grab it. By the time the Stearman with Sharon were in front of me, I was at 200mm and so close to the plane, it was screaming by. There was no way I could swing the lens fast and smooth enough for a sharp photo. Not a good thing!

Once off the ground, it was far enough away and simply just pulling away from us so getting a sharp image was simple. It’s that up close, lots of lens and fast swing which is a killer when it comes to panning and getting a sharp image and I failed.

And here’s the great thing about photography. Once off the ground, Mike took the Stearman and Sharon for a great flight. They circled up and over the field before heading out and turned on the smoke at they went overheard. We can’t see it in the photograph, but Sharon is looking down at us. She knows that, we don’t so this last photograph is the one the means the most because it was the special moment. And that’s what photography needs to be about, capturing those special moments so we can relive them as time goes by. It’s kinda funny how many clicks we make in that process and when it’s all boiled down, it’s just the one that often sums it all up.

Photos captured by D3x, 200-400VR2 on Lexar UDMA digital film

A Very Rare Bird!

May 10, 2011 | Aviation

This is an original TP-40N. There were something like only 40 TP-40N produced, the T standing for Trainer. This is an original, not modified twin seat TP-40 and that makes it very special. Now if it had growling teeth and a big on on the front cowling you might recognize it better. The P-40 Warhawk is what the Flying Tigers flew in China prior to WWII, this being the plane they would have trained in prior to shipping out.

I now regret I didn’t spend more time shooting details of the TP-40 (it’s the only plane of the five I didn’t). What I find personally so fascinating about it now is just look at how different the same plane looks in different light. It’s never the same and now I wonder if that’s the genius of the paint scheme or just the light by itself. Of course, it also makes me wonder which one I like the best so next time I’m in the air with it, I can make the most of it. So much to learn, so much to remember…..

What I particularly liked about out orbits this morning with the TP-40 were the incredibly varying backgrounds. Each one was unique and said a little something different. I find backgrounds to be a real challenge when you’re doing air to air. The first challenge is, where are the good and great backgrounds? Unless you fly the area and scout the backgrounds prior to the shoot, you really don’t know. Then if you find one during a flight, getting back exactly to that same background to duplicate or improve it is another challenge. Again, so much to learn, so much to remember. I love it all!

Photos captured by D3x, 24-120VR / 70-200VR w/TC-17e on Lexar UDMA digital film

We Finished with my Favorite – the Duck

May 10, 2011 | Aviation

I’ve written it before and it still holds true, I just love this plane. Grumman produced some amazing seaplanes during the war, each with a bird name and each filling a particular role in service. This was my first time to do an air to air with a Duck (and not my last) and it was better then the months of planning and anticipation.

Even when you’re in the air, bringing in the pilot into the photo is a must. That was a little bit of a challenge with the Duck because of the wires from its construction. This one is close, you look at the still in the video posted yesterday, you’ll see the good one. Kermit seems to love flying his Duck, he smiled alot flying it.

And then there is the light. You can see for yourself the difference in the light and its effect on the Duck looking at the first and last photo. While we only had 20min with the Duck, it was the last 5-7min that the light got real sweat. Of course as the light fell so did the shutter speed. It went from 1/100 down to 1/20 in that short amount of time. I spent nowhere near as much time with the Duck as I would have liked, not nearly enough glass on it but it made me grateful for what I got and hungering for more. There is always tomorrow!

Photos captured by D3x, 70-200VR2 w/TC-17e on Lexar UDMA digital film