Mar 26, 2011 | Aviation
Sharon, Jake & I left Kauai and came straight across to FL to be at the in Punta Gorda. We made that flight because not only is the airshow a really good one (really, really good one) but also because we’re filming my next Kelby Training class on, aviation photography. There are two main attributes making this a great airshow. One is the aircraft, they have a great force here, you can see a sample above. The other is the show is “small” in that if it’s very personal, not spread over a huge acreage and all the aircraft in the air are right overhead. We’re really enjoying it and can highly recommend. We’ll be there again tomorrow and if you’re at the show, I hope if you see us you’ll come up and say hi!
Photos captured by D3x, 200-400VR2 on Lexar UDMA digital film
Mar 16, 2011 | Aviation
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/DPPBOT60012.swf, 595, 484 [/swf]
We ended our day as we started, with this gorgeous T6. We saw so much, much of which was “Top Secret” back in the day and now is covered with vines and decaying. Much is left in only little pieces as development builds on top of a very important part of our history. We are very thankful Bruce & Rob took the whole day to share with us their lifetime of knowledge of this history. Also very thankful we had Jake along to see and hear all of this!
Photo captured by D3x, 200-400VR2 on Lexar UDMA digital film
Mar 16, 2011 | Aviation
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/DPA2AT6HI0053.swf, 595, 484 [/swf]
We came over to the islands early in part just for this day. We started with a aerial tour of Dec, 07 1941 to put it all in perspective. The airstrip you see in the background is Wheeler Field. This is where all the aircraft were parked wing tip to wing tip to prevent sabotage. That turned out to be perfect for the Japaneses to strafe and destroy the vast majority of the aircraft. Hind sight of course is 20/20, but it is amazing as we learned this day, how so many miscalculations lead to the outcome of that fateful day.
Photo captured by D3x, 70-200VR2 w/TC-17e on Lexar UDMA digital film
Mar 15, 2011 | Aviation
We’re here on O’ahu working on a project but managed to squeeze in some time to reflect on our history. Jake had never been to the Arizona Memorial so while we waited for our time to sail over to it, we took in the pretty new Pacific Aviation Museum. We actually love visiting new museums for many reasons, one is the business side of photography.
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The PAM is on Ford Island, where the first bomb from the attach on Pearl struck on 07 Dec, 1941. This is the old tower which that survived the attack and still stands over the field. You look south and go 100yards, you come to the USS Missouri and go a few hundred yards east and you come to the resting place of the USS Arizona. Hangar 37 the is the primary portion of the museum was right in the thick of it that fateful morning. That’s what the museum in part is all about.
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_BMP41111.swf, 595, 484 [/swf]
How do you bring that story across photographically? When you have bus load after bus load of visitors cruising through, how do you even make a photo to begin to tell a story to meet that challenge? That’s what was going through my mind as I made my clicks. I wanted to tell the story of this museum and its mission in just three clicks. And at first, the hoards got to me but then I just started to read more and be patient. As I cruised I came to this SBD Dauntless and as I walked around the plane I noticed the cool display lighting. And that was it, the light!
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_BMP41271.swf, 595, 484 [/swf]
When I came around to this side and looked through the lens, you couldn’t tell I was in a museum or this was an exhibit. They’ve done a marvelous job making it feel and appear as if you are in a hangar during WWII prior to the attack. All I had to do was frame up the photo taking advantage of the lighting, finish with Nik Silver Efex Pro and keep on looking. The Pacific Aviation Museum is really worth your time and support. And any photographic challenge you can set for yourself in which you find solutions and success is especially always worth your time to explore. It’s how your move your photography one more step down the road!
Photos captured by D3x, 14-24AFS on Lexar UDMA digital film
Mar 9, 2011 | Aviation
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/DPAZCAF2095.swf, 595, 484 [/swf]
There we were in the hanger just talkin, just enjoying being around aircraft with great company. Bob was doing some maintenance on Stang, Scottie was in Cripes A’Mighty getting his first lesson on a Mustang and this little boy cruising around in a peddle airplane. I was paying attention to everything but the little boy. Sharon, my amazing second set of eyes though saw the little boy enjoying his ride and made me aware of him. His mom was there so I asked if I could take his photo (you can see it on my FB album), made a couple of snaps and then went back to the “grown up” fun.
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/DPAZCAF2085.swf, 595, 484 [/swf]
Then like most kids, the fun was over and it was time to move on. It just so happen that from where I was standing, the little boy left the peddle plane in the perfect place! Instantly the caption, “When I grow up.” How to make that photo happen? The first and major problem is the range of light, it’s huge! I have no tripod but I wanted the photo so standing there, I took 9 frame HDR exposures. The D3x is pretty slow at 1.8fps and while I can handhold pretty good, I questioned whether I had a sharp HDR. So I laid down on the floor and there, it was really easy to make a 9 frame sharp HDR. But what happened when I went low? The whole story line falls apart. Luckily I got a sharp set standing up. So in solving the problem to tell the story in a snap, angle and exposure had to be dealt with. You see my final results and the logic behind why I did it. Now it’s up to you to see if that works for your style of photography or not.
Photos captured by D3x, 24f1.4AFS on Lexar UDMA digital film
Mar 9, 2011 | Aviation
Last weekend I was afforded an amazing opportunity. I was provided a $2mil subject to work by myself for a couple of hours at sunset. It was an extreme honor to be so trusted and it put the pressure on. I wanted to get the shot really, really bad. What you see here though isn’t the shot I was working on.
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/DPPBOMS0035.swf, 595, 484 [/swf]
These are “killing” time waiting for the light shots. Yeah, the light doesn’t suck so we were able to make a couple of nice clicks. In both shots, it’s the same, gorgeous, amazing P-51D “Stang.” The difference in the success in my trying to communicate one message. “I’m a bad ass and I belong in the sky hauling ass!” I was working on saying that and a lot more but with just one click, no caption, just using light, gesture and color. The Jay Maisel recipe for success and it works even with aviation!
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/DPPBOMS0052.swf, 595, 484 [/swf]
You can apply this killer formula any subject and succeed and if you don’t know how, go to Jay’s class at Photoshop World in a couple of weeks and learn. I have the light and the color but there is a difference in the gesture. It’s not like you can say to Stang, “Turn your prop to the left and lift your wing a tad.” The gesture comes from YOUR moving and turning the camera body. I’m always amazed how many photographers feel they need to keep the camera body plum to the earth. The slightest turn in the camera body can make all the difference in the world. For me, the top image says it all. So next time you’re out shooting and the photo isn’t turning out the way you like, move a little and turn the camera body and introduce some gesture to your subject!
Photos captured by D3x, 24-120VR on Lexar UDMA digital film
