Aug 4, 2010 | Aviation
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/DAPOSHK0657.swf, 585, 473 [/swf]
I’m not sure if I will get all the stories and experiences from Oshkosh blogged so trying to pick those that were unique. After all I’ve done in my limited time shooting planes, this one was kinda amazing. At the end of our first day, we were back at camp (which is our Cessna 206 parked alongside runway 26) just relaxing. Then the runway came alive as planes flew out for photo shoots. A parade of who’s who went by and without any effort right from out tents we photographed planes like this F-86.
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/DAPOSHK0685.swf, 585, 473 [/swf]
Or this Avenger, which blew away our opportunity we drove 10hrs to photograph just a month ago.
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/DAPOSHK0695.swf, 585, 473 [/swf]
How about this rare, one of a couple flying Zeros. This was a first time sighting and photographing of this gem for me. Damn cool!
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/DAPOSHK0709.swf, 585, 473 [/swf]
Then there my old time favorite the F4-U Corsair. Of all the images I took this evening I love this one the most. Why? It’s the implied intensity of the pilot taking his plane out and the implied ease of the task for the plane in its attitude in the frame. Yeah, it’s very easy to say I’m reading a whole lot into the frame and you might not see that. It could be I’m too attached to the frame, could be it’s too small for your to see here. But it’s those little details I look for in every one of my clicks of any subject that when they resonate with the viewer, the photograph succeeds.
Photos captured by D3x, 200-400VR2 handheld on Lexar UDMA digital film
Aug 4, 2010 | Aviation
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/DAPOSHK1912.swf, 585, 473 [/swf]
We’re sitting there eating breakfast all by ourselves with nothing but empty seats around us. The next thing I know this gentleman is sitting next to me. He has a great smile and like the majority of nice folks at Oshkosh, said good morning. Scotty being the bold member in our little group struck up a conversation with the gentleman who we learn is Dudley. Well he talks planes with Scotty and Kevin and after a while, we all finish breakfast and go our own ways.
Later I see what appears to be the same guy behind the A-4 talking with the pilot of the Skyhawk. They are soon shaking hands. He walks closer to us and I see it’s Dudley so when I have a moment, I walk up to him and ask him if he flew the A-4. Oh yeah, he flew the A-4 and a whole lot more. 90min later we had become fast friends with Dudly and heard some great stories. Near the end I asked him if he would like to have his picture taken with the A-4. The twinkle in his eyes and smile on his face was all that was required to make the photo happen. I went to Oshkosh thinking it was all about planes. I couldn’t have been more wrong. It’s all about people and thanks to Dudley, I found this out quickly making the week something very special! Thanks Snake!
Photo captured by D3x, 24-20AFS on Lexar UDMA digital film
Aug 4, 2010 | Aviation
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/DAPOSHK0479.swf, 585, 473 [/swf]
OK, I’m gettin hooked on the A-4 Skyhawk, I’m making plans and time will tell if I’m learning.
Aug 4, 2010 | Aviation
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/DAPOSHK0449.swf, 585, 473 [/swf]
Capturing the action, the peak of action no matter what you’re photographing depends on your concentrating on the subject. If you’re worrying about metering, trying to focus or panning let alone trying to find the subject in the viewfinder, you loose. Then there is deciding when is the moment to go click.
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/DAPOSHK0450.swf, 585, 473 [/swf]
These two images were taken just a heartbeat apart. Yet the two images are really different. The top image was taken with a side angle with the tires barely off the ground. The bottom image is more of an ass shot with the tires more in the air. I like the side position of the upper image with the height of the tires in the second image. I don’t like the minimum tire height in the first or the ass view of the second. When you have a jet taking off, do you have time to make the decision in the viewfinder? Not really but you do when it comes to which you put out to the public. So while you might have been thinking the post title has to do with the camera, I was thinking more of the mouse click making the decision which images represents the subject, the moment and your photography.
Photos captured by D3x, 200-400VR2 on Lexar UDMA digital film
Aug 4, 2010 | Aviation
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/DAPOSHK0461.swf, 585, 473 [/swf]
After cruising the statics for a while, we walked over and got a so-so place for the afternoon airshow. They do a military solute / demo before the actual show and with the skies I was really excited. While I have a special place in my heart for the old prop warbirds, after this demo I started to make little extra room for the old jets.
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/DAPOSHK0462.swf, 585, 473 [/swf]
Here you have a A-4 Skyhawk trainer and F-86, two real classics. They were two of a three plane formation but with their speed, the background and how I wanted to place them in the frame, the third jet simply didn’t make the cut.
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/DAPOSHK0463.swf, 585, 473 [/swf]
What you’re seeing here are the images in the sequence they were taken with the D3x cranking at top speed of 1.8s. The time between the first and last photo is just 3 seconds. Of the 3 images, the center is my favorite and that’s because of the background. Many like the last image because of its larger subjects. But I feel that most know what a plane looks like without having to show it large in the frame. This leaves room to bring in a little something extra and in this case, the middle frame has the background that just says speed a little better than the others. Can’t forget that even with planes, being visual communicators is still the roll we fill as photographers.
Photos captured by D3x, 200-400VR2 handheld on Lexar UDMA digital film
Aug 3, 2010 | Aviation
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/DAPOSHK0391.swf, 585, 473 [/swf]
That’s all I got of this MiG21, 1 click and it wasn’t enough. Hot Plane!
