Aug 29, 2019 | Aviation
“My last interview I did with a videographer was 5 1/2 hours.” When Bob, 98, told me that on the phone, I knew Sharon and I were in for a helluva an afternoon. Most of the Vet Chronicles we film don’t last more than half an hour. Bob was going strong after two hours! A Hellcat and Wildcat pilot during WWII, Bob saw it all and escaped death, well I lost count how many times. A midair collision during Advanced Training, ditching in the water, landing during a tropical storm, going off the end of a carrier on the launch, flipping over upon landing on a carrier, Wildcat missing the barrier and crashing on his plane on the carrier deck, those are just SOME of his stories. He’s such a good storyteller, even though he was sitting in front of us, we kept wondering if he was going to survive each adventure! It’s going to be a one challenging interview to edit, but then, they all are! Just want to say to Bob, thanks for the great afternoon and thanks for your service!
On a technical note, lots of email come in asking how we film these interviews. One of the big challenges is filming in the vet’s home as there is normally limited space. Such was the case with Bob so I had my minimal kit. This means I didn’t have my Elvid StudioVision 15.6″ 4K HDMI Monitor which I find essential. So I then have many pairs of my reading glasses with me and the Z Focus Peaking working as I depend in it in such situations to get a sharp image (exposure and focus are both set to Manual). My lighting I keep real simple which the Profoto B10 excells at! With the Profoto OCF Octa Softbox (2′) attached, I first use this as my video light and then with a push of a button, my flash to take the photo above. Sound is of course done with Sennheiser EW 112P G4 Camera-Mount Wireless Omni Lavalier Mic. And the cameras, Z of courrse. Z6 / 70-180micro (great lens!) is camera one, Z7 / Z24-70f2.8 camera two.
Aug 27, 2019 | Aviation
RV
captured by D3x / 70-200f2.8
Pilots love to fly in formation! This in large part is because it takes a bit of skill to not only do it safely but with visual elegance. Pilots practice their formation flight over and over again. Aviation photographers love to get up in the air with aircraft. You would think that with all that desire that hooking up would be a natural. And actually, it’s very possible. The trick, if you can call it that, is to get in with one of the many RV clubs across the country. These folks are very passionate flyers and love doing formation as you can see here.
RV
captured by D3x / 70-200f2.8
RV’s are great little “kit planes” whose owners love to fly. Many are retired military pilots so they have a ton of skills they like to keep sharp. In this flight, you have retired military, retired flight director for the Space Shuttle and climb rate holder. Pretty darn impressive skill base making the flying a ton of fun. Using a Skyvan as our photo platform, making the shot was really all up to the pilots. We briefed the various formations we wanted to see, safety pilot called them out in order of brief and they just want to their spot and I went click. They got their practice and had fun. I got my practice and had fun. Can’t really ask more from a morning flight. Try it some time!
Jul 29, 2019 | Aviation
I was standing on the hot pad when a TV reporter came up with his camera and asked me if I knew anything about the planes I was securing? With a big smile, I said, “some.” He then asked if I would mind going on camera to talk about the airshow to get folks to come and see it. I said I’d be happy to. He fed me one question and I was off to the races talking. I came to the headliners of the Dakota Territory Air Museum 4th of July show, the Canadian Snowbirds and said they fly an amazing show, an “aerial ballet” that often leaves me chocked up. He clicked the camera off, grabbed it and started to run off. He turned to say that was great, aerial ballet, and he was rushing back to the studio to put the interview on the air immediately.
Bringing that aerial ballet to a single click, it’s all about the formation and how you place the symmetry in the viewfinder. The pilots train hard to nail the mark, we should do no less. For me, that means watching the show one day and photographing it the next. They don’t change their routine so memorizing it makes a huge difference in the storytelling. Shooting in Aperture Priority nearly wide open, watching the formation AND the background through the Z6 / 180-400VR, I clicked ONLY when all the lines added up for the formation. Not a bunch of planes but a single unit. For myself, when I do that, look at a single unit, I can then bring across in my still the symmetry of the aerial ballet of the formation.
Jul 10, 2019 | Aviation
There are many ideas on where you should place in the frame a moving subject. I’ve read them all during the years in the hopes of their helping me with my own photography. And what I have come up with after years is purdy darn simple, do I want to say are they coming or are they going?
Since I want to in large part tell a story with my photography, giving a reason to the movement is a large part of my style. For example, a moving subject dead center to me says the subject is, “just moving.” But when you place them near the edge of the frame pointing into the frame, they are comin. If they are near the frame edge and pointing out, they are goin. The movement is, of course, implied so we are looking for other elements such as gesture to finish the storyline. In this case, you have the smoke of the aircraft as well as being able to see the pilot looking off. Shooting with the Z6 / 180-400VR, I started the pan by looking at the background having deciding from the start whether in my photo, they are comin or goin.
Jul 3, 2019 | Aviation
PA-11
captured by Z6 / 180-400
It was a challenging night of photography up in ND last night. Not because of the thunderstorm that just kept spraying, it was because I was flying more than shooting. I did have enough time to get the PA-11 right out of the pattern the moment the sun squeaked through the clouds for a little drama. Shooting with the Z6 / 180-400VR, I saw what was going to unfold and clicked the built-in 1/4 so I could shoot at 560mm. And as soon as I made the click, I was in the Cub and up joining the fun in the skies. It was one of those times the camera got left down on earth!
Jun 18, 2019 | Aviation
A common question reaching my inbox asks how do you get parked aircraft and flying aircraft both in the frame, sharp? This is a real challenge especially if you are using a slow shutter speed to capture prop blur. There are a couple of variables that are in our control and a couple that is not. Because you have some aircraft not moving and one or more that is, the timing of having them both in the frame is crucial but you can’t pan. Getting physically in the right spot is in your control. Because of this, I like to get close physically and then use a shorter lens. In this case, I went with the Z6 / Z24-70f2.8 and zooming back as the Cub approached and the Z6 ripping the frames. I knew where the plane would be flying but often that is out of your control. I wanted the kids in the frame to move your eye to the approaching aircraft and went for the shot when it was slipping between the trees. Out of the 30 frames I captured, only 40% were all the elements sharp, parked aircraft, the kids and the approaching plane. You can’t pan as that would blur the static aircraft. Shooting at a high shutter speed might freeze the flying aircraft but also the prop. This kind of photo is truly a “lucky” shot you just go for as stop and go is a challenge.
