It’s actually really simple, just doesn’t happen all the time. So when it does, make the most of it. When you can, add the human touch. In this case, he’s gotta nice sidelight and is again a shadow so he pops though he blends. He’s small in the frame but can be seen. Gives scale and a touch to the story. As I said, it’s simple adding the human touch.

One should heed one’s own advice! Took the Z 9 / 180-400VR out shooting this past weekend and my panning was not quite there! I was averaging just over 60% keeper rates, ouch! Now I could blame that extra megapower of the Z 9 for the drop but that isn’t it. I can’t blame the Z 9 autofocus, far from it. That pup on 3D Eye-detection Mechanical nailed the focus, saw it clearly lock-on and stay sharp. Nope, the drop in keeper rate is all on me! I simply didn’t practice my panning enough and effectively, consistently! Argh!!! Well, back at it everyday … I hate missing one photo, four out of ten … ouch!

It’s airshow season, time to get out and participate in our passion for all things that fly. Many airshows for a small charge offer photographer / sunrise / early bird passes to enter the airshow at dawn. DO IT!!! I highly recommend doing it not to secure what might be perceived as “the” spot on the flight line, but rather, for amazing static shooting. You will have it to yourself, the light you won’t have for the rest of the day and a ton of fun. And don’t do it by yourself! I’ve always don’t it with either Brent and/or Jake or my good friend Richard. It’s more fun, you can find the true treasures easier with two sets of eyes and there is someone to watch your gear while you make a run to deposit all the coffee. If you’re looking for more airshows ideas, be sure to check out my KelbyOne Class on Airshow Photography!

January 2010 was my first air-to-air photo mission and it’s one I’ll never forget. I went up a clean slate, with no clue as there were no resources to read up on what to do and more importantly, what not to do during an air-to-air back then. I was tasked to produce some exciting content for Nikon and my mind when to aircraft. I asked a couple of folks and I was directed toward Dennis up in Carson City. After a phone call, we had a date on the calendar for an hour flight over Lake Tahoe. Jake would be in Dennis’ yellow T6 he called his “Taxi” and I would be in one of his other T6s Dennis was getting ready for the Reno Air Races that year. I would be shooting with the brand new D3s and relatively new 70-200f2.8. Dennis has won the Reno Air Race, T6 class, a number of times so we were in good hands and very excited to get in the skies!

We took off and man, we weren’t more than ten feet off the ground and I was hooked! We rose above Carson Valley and the view was incredible! As we started to get where was the target area for the photographs (I did know to go for the great backgrounds at least), Dennis’ warning kept going through my mind. Don’t stick any body part like an arm outside the cabin. The slipstream would snap my arm and break it! While that was in the forefront of my mind, I didn’t think beyond my arms. I slowly spun in the seat so I can shoot and raising up a tad. Woosh … my headset went flying off my head and was doing an “Arnold” banging against the back fuselage. I slowly pulled it back in via the cable hoping I didn’t damage the headset or the T6. Once I had it back in, I put it on my head to hear it working as Dennis said, “ready to get back to photography now?”

I shot lots of stills and videos during that hour. My muscles were so sore afterward holding that gear still in the space of the cabin. The first lesson, I needed to stretch prior to heading up. Next, lesson, that darn dust! You don’t see it in the stills as it was dealt with in post. Yeah, not so much in the video where it’s everywhere. All great lessons I still think of first thing when I’m getting ready for a flight today. While Nikon never really used any of the content I created, Dennis and I went on to do many shoots from statics to air-to-airs as recently as last fall. I learned sooooo many lessons from that first air-to-air photo mission that I still use and share to this day. Simply put, I’ll never forget the first!

The background is everything, it’s the stage we set for our star! In the spring we have a small window for a unique background that can make your photo stand out. This is a perfect example of what I’m talking about. The Palouse is a great landscape and in the spring, sections become ablaze with color. This opens the door for photographs not typically captured for an air-to-air. In this example, it’s a huge juxtaposition. The subject, A Goose specializes in working on the water. The owner lives near The Palouse and loves them hills. And that’s the trick to finding and making the most of spring color. Talk with the owners / pilots as they know typically when as where you can find spring color. Start asking now so you get a tentative date on the calendar. You can watch that area fine tuning the time of your flight. It just adds another special aspect to your photo mission making the photograph that much more special!

The excitement is in the air as airshow season is back in swing. With aircraft in the air, the question comes back as it always does each season, what lens? We are very fortunate as we have many, many options but I fear all those great options cause more confusion than clarity. You might narrow them down to these three:
Nikkor 180-400VR
Nikkor Z100-400
Nikkor Z70-200f2.8
Why these three and what about them that makes them possibly THE lens for you? The one common factor is they are all zooms. That flexibility gives you flexibility in all factors from where you stand on the flight light to arranging elements in the frame. No two airshows are the same so having one lens that is flexible also permits you to have just one lens covering all the airshows you want to photograph.

The 180-400VR is my preference, it would be attached to the Z 9 which makes a killer airshow photography kit. I don’t recommend this combo though to folks (I’ll discuss why in a moment). Next is the new Z100-400 which is hands down my #1 recommendation to you. Next would be the Z70-200f2.8 with the Z1.4x in your pocket. How do you know which is the right lens for you?

This is the trick, and it is a trick in many ways. Airshow demands that we are on our feet all day panning away to get the shot. That combo is why you are the biggest variable in which lens is best for you. I prefer the 180-400VR because its physical weight attached to the Z 9 is the perfect balance for my panning. That “swinging” of the rig right left, left to right panning is a balance of the rig and you and when it’s right, you have sharp image click after click all day while not beating down your body. You won’t know this for a new lens until you shoot with it which means that to find the lens for your airshow photography, I think you should rent before you buy. It might take an airshow or two but you will end up with the right lens for the rest of your photography. Don’t get hung up on focal length as much as flexibility, in the lens and in yourself and you will find the right lens!