Mar 30, 2016 | Aviation
In the realm of air to air photography, obviously the final photo that tells the story is the ultimate goal. In that pursuit, there are so many challenges to overcome and one of the big ones is the photo platform. The photo platform is your perch in the sky from where you watch the action, direction the action and finally, photograph the action. There are soooo many possible and great photo platforms and like anything in photography, finding the one that works best for your style of photography is important. Whether but a lucky coincidence or necessity is the mother of invention, a month ago I was inserted into the back of a TBM-3E Avenger to test as a photo platform. I’ve not used anything else since. Here’s a small idea of what’s happening.
You can see me in that doorway, the white shirt with the black safety harness strapping my butt in. The white shirt and red gloves are so the subject aircraft pilots can easily see me. The safety harness is adjusted so the most that can get out the door is part of my left foot. In addition, the seat I’m sitting on has a huge, wide belt that holds me in. I’m wearing a headset so I can talk to the pilot and I use hand signals primarily to move the subject aircraft around in arranging the elements in the photograph. The D4s / 70-200f4AFS is attached to a Vulture Strap which is around my neck and on a tether anchored in the plane so it can’t go out. There is so much room in the back I can stand up (if I were not harnessed in) and not hit my head and if you look in the video, you can see the window in the ass of the TBM where I can shoot as well. The photo above is my taking Brent’s photo as he’s taking the video of me shooting out the TBM door.
The TBM is not a commonly used photo platform and for our pilots, seeing me peak in and out as I shoot was, well, that’s unique. That of course makes for photos, from both points of view. You can see here Alan in the B-25J “Betty’s Dream” with his trusty iPhone taking my photo you see below. You see above my photo of Alan I took while he took my photo. The most important person you really don’t see here who I trust explicitly is Sam, the pilot of the TBM who is providing the safe, stabile platform from which to shoot. The take away for you and your photography should be this. You must have faith and trust in your photo platform and subject aircraft pilots. This is #1 and without that, don’t fly! Next, you must know that the aircraft that will be flying in formation are matched to fly in formation together. The photo platform must work for you, your photography and the story you want to tell visually. Comfort is not part of this equation as some rides while do an excellent job, are not comfortable. Finally, you have to feel safe and able to concentrate on the task at hand and have fun. There are lots of option, think them through and educate yourself. The sky is the limit!
(Shot through the window in the rear of the TBM)
Mar 23, 2016 | Aviation
Brent & I were afforded an amazing opportunity to fly with the Texas Flying Legends Museum from their base at Ellington Field, TX to the Los Angeles County Airshow, Lancaster, CA. They were flying their six ship fleet across country over some amazing American landscapes and landing at some great airports all providing some target rich photographic opportunities. Adding to this unique opportunity was our ability to work out of different aircraft as photo platforms. That’s how for example I got this shot of TFLM’s B-25J “Betty’s Dream,” P-51D “Dakota Kid II,” Spitfire MkIXc, FM-2P Wildcat and P-40E “Aleutian Tiger.”
My perch for this photography was the belly of the TBM-3E piloted by the amazing Sam. You don’t see the TBM-3E in these photos because of that so I owe Sam a special shoot as he did an incredible job getting me in the right place safe and sound. Shots like this of the P-40E were really quite easy. Bernie drove the P-40E into place and in my perch with D4s / 70-200f4AFS I simply had to watch the backgrounds and make the click. Nope, not shooting through a window but a missing door. Best photo platform I’ve ever had.
The TBM platform has a very unique feature that makes for some amazing opportunities. The way the fuselage curves down where the door would be, permits you to shoot straight down without being in the airstream. This provides an unique view of the tops of aircraft while still seeing the landscape below. I used that a lot with the B-25 as it’s a typical way we think of bombers.
It allowed me to also take some unique pilot portraits. Alan & Mark are starring up watching the TBM as that is standard formation flying procedure. I posted many “live” videos from the air onto the Texas Flying Legends Museum FB page which provide even more visual information from my unique TBM perch.
Two thirds through our flight west, I switched over to the back seat of the P-51D Mustang with dear friend Casey Odegaard at the stick. I’ve wanted to ride cross country in a Mustang for a long time to get some idea what the boys went through during WWII on their escort duties. The thrill starts to wear off a little ways into the flight as your butt starts telling you its tired and the canopy soaked in the sunlight starts to bake your skin. You can see in the bottom photo just how sunburned I got in a short time during this flight. You might be thinking this is a pretty short and calm post for such an amazing adventure. There was/is no lack of excitement or thrill to this adventure I assure you. It’s just a matter of time cause just like I had no time this past week to post, I have no time this week. I’ll do my best to get more of the adventure posted, just wanted to catch you up. And I wanted to thank the Texas Flying Legends Museum and its pilots for the opportunity of a lifetime. I lived and learned a lot, lessons I won’t soon forget!
Mar 11, 2016 | Aviation
When I think about it, a big smile emerges on my face. But I’ve become pretty well known for my arse shots. While it sounds bad when you first read it, it’s really nice when you see the reactions to them. The majority of photographers and correctly so, photograph aircraft from the front or side. This is not only a very logical place but one that nearly all viewers of aviation come to feel they should view an aircraft. When you begin to look at aircraft though as a work of mechanical engineering art rather than a lift platform, you start to explore its many other angels, at least that’s what I did.
The key to a great arse shot is really the angle you take it from, the background you have and the lens employed. The arse shot is usually one where you need to have some pretty solid Photoshop skills. The Stinson OY-1 at the top of the page, it had a pretty clean background because of the location where it was pushed. The PT-17 Stearman at the bottom wasn’t so clean, tugs and white pickup truck had to disappear from its background. Next is the drama built into that background, that’s pretty important as well to bring a dynamic to the arse. Finally is the position you take the photograph from. The focal length is important because you use it to accentuate the lines of the wings and stabilizer. Focal length and how high you are from ground level to a ladder is important. I normally grab the 24-70VR but have used the 14-24AFS on a ladder to bring out that great arse. Lastly, lining up DEAD center on the rudder, and the front proper hub so they are DEAD center in the frame is essential. Why am I telling you this? There are lots of arses out their too shot and no one person should have all the fun to themselves. Find one and make it yours, you’ll have fun!
Note: yes … all bad puns are intentional, a smile for the weekend!
Feb 26, 2016 | Aviation
We’ve been honored in many ways, many times during our career. Our new, three year project though is about as grand as they come and we’re quite honored. In a nutshell, we’re charged with getting the mission of the Texas Flying Legends Museum out to the world! We’ve started with creating simple things from their mission statement: Honoring Our Past – Inspiring Our Future to the complex like the ground work for all the photography for the three year project. One of the simpler and funner aspects is helping with their Facebook Page. Why might this be of interest to you?
Many of you are into aviation photography and the TFLM FB page is where I’ll post a whole lot about just that. But not just gorgeous photos but also the BTS that goes into making the photos. And not just that, but the BTS of what is required to keep a squadron of WWII warbirds in the air, from planes to pilots. The best part, the FB page is open for you to ask questions and make requests. So do you and me a favor, head over to the TFLM FB page and Like It so we can continue the conversation!
Feb 12, 2016 | Aviation
Photographically, I have a lot of weaknesses. Some, I just totally avoid so I know I’ll never get past them. Others, I really want to move past and the only way I know of doing that is pounding away at failure. Photographing the single, static aircraft is pretty simple for me and when there is some natural drama going on in the light or weather, it’s a slam dunk. But that is the rare event, not the common, everyday ramp experience. So then bringing a story to a bald sky is the challenge and often, I turn to multiple items to bring a story to a parked plane. And that’s where the weakness smacks me in the face. Arranging multiple items in a way that looks like someone didn’t just arrangement these items who has no clue is my issue. Be it multiple aircraft or in this case, a plane, WWII Harley & Jeep, it’s instant frustration for me!
I started with the Stinson OY-1 Observation plane. Parking it where I wanted it was was simple. Then came the Harley. Now we’re pushing all of equipment into place and I’m not part of that we. I’m standing where I think I’m going to put the D750 / 24-70VR looking at the Stinson, where the sun is going to come up, the story in my head and when asked if this is where I want the Harley, I said, “Yes!” But in reality, I haven’t a clue. Then comes the Jeep which has a dead battery so yep, pushing it into place. With the three items in place, the guys go back where it’s warm and I stand and stare and say in my head, yuck! The Texas Flying Legends Museum have some amazing history on display but I’m failing and making a story come to life. I then start moving the vehicles about looking at the possibilities, I look at the light and I start moving the Harley and then the Jeep. Brent is with me so I have his youth to help arrange. What you see here is the best I could do but I’m not even satisfied. Angling the Harley, turning the Jeep, they look like a gaggle and not a story. It’s going to bug me and hopefully next month I’ll come up with a mental picture that I do like. But doin reshoots never sits well with me. But that’s how I battle a weakness.
Feb 11, 2016 | Aviation
So we’re there on the ramp shooting the Spitfire MkIX rather intently and for a while, ignoring all the other planes on the ramp. This continued on until the puddles under the Spit were no longer, “fun.” That’s when I saw Betty parked there. You actually have to work pretty hard to ignore a B-25J but I managed to until … it was in the viewfinder and I spent some time with her. The Texas Flying Legends have some amazing aircraft and I always feel guilty when I take them or my access with them for granted. So off I went with the D750 / 24-70VR to get her glamor shots. Turned out OK :-)
Now the cadre were just standing around at this point after pushing the Spit around from puddle to puddle for me. At this same time, I thought I’d best go give some shutter love to the Stinson OY-1 parked on the ramp for me. I shot it and then saw the relationship and light working between the B-25 and the OY-1. I made a couple of clicks but thought something was missing from the story. It’s then I saw the guys standing off in the distance and asked them from across the ramp to move their gathering to where you see them in the photo. At first, they thought they were in my photo and that was a bad thing so I had to explain to them I wanted them in the photo. Being so far away, they didn’t understand how that could be. When I later explained that Toby’s red sweatshirt made them obvious and stand out even though small in the frame, they then understood. And that small addition of the cadre in the photo finished the story for me. So while they are small in the frame, remember the addition of folks can make a big difference.
