“This flight’s for me” is what Warren said after we finished the brief. The photo mission had no specific goals other than to have a romantic sunset flight on a gorgeous North Dakota night. The plane is a rare one, a ’32 Monocoupe 110. Back in the day, it was the speedster winning many a pylon, derby and cross country race. So one photo I had in mind was that “Pylon 4” shot with the Monocoupe up on wing edge. Did we get it? You’ll have to watch and find out.
Working with a still medium, when it comes to saying “movement” in our images, there are challenges. When trying to “freeze” motion and get a sharp image of something moving, we pan so the film plane keeps pace with the subject. The element in the frame that is not moving physically and relatively is the background so that’s what we blur to say movement. And when there are elements in the frame moving perpendicular to the film plane, they will blur as well if we use a slow enough shutter speed to so that motion. This is a lot to think about when photographing a passing bicyclist or car. It gets even more complicated as you get to larger subjects and you want to say speed!
Here’s an example of what I’m talking about. This gorgeous Super Cub, it’s not thought of as a speed demon but it is going at least 90mph to fly. Now we can say visually it’s moving by simply using a slower shutter speed and point the plane towards the sun. The prop will blur and from that blur, the mind takes this still image and gives it movement. But it doesn’t say, speed. Both images were taken exactly the same, D4s / 80-400VR3 (Vulture Strap a must!) at 1/60. The only difference in taking the photo is the top one, I was hanging out of the plane and shooting down, the other I was sitting back inside and shooting across to the cub. But if you look at the two photos, one looks like the Cub is a bat out of hell and the other, like it’s just popping along. The difference? The one with the bat out of hell feel, the Cub is MUCH closer to the background, earth! Both were taken with the same f/stop and while on earth and shooting down here, DoF can radically change how much is in or out of focus the background might be. Not the case once you go up and you are for all intents and purposes focusing at infinity because infinity has no DoF. So to create the illusion of speed, the subject has to be close to the background. I encourage you to do your own experiment. Get a bicycle rider to ride their bike close to a wall and then 20 feet away. Watch what visually happens visually in your photos, you’ll soon see the speed. It’s a simple technique you might want to tuck in the back of your mind for the next time you want to say speed.
The plan was to have the gorgeous sunset reflecting off this great polished Cessna 140. It started perfectly and then the cloud went down to the horizon and, no more sun. Still was a sweet flight!
Sharon and I have been in a favorite locale of ours, Minot, ND for a marvelous week. It started with a great air to air for a client. Then we had three great days with our K&M Air Adventures, then I had to go to work! Argh …. Na, it’s really pretty darn fun but not having done big sets for quite some time, the old brain took a little time to kick into gear. Thankfully, once the big sets were done and quite well I might say, it was time for some old fashion airport hangin. Part of the job are what I call “pick up shots.” These are no more than photos that just happen without any planning that if I’m Johnny on the spot, fill the criteria of the job. Like the one above. Heard it was coming in, saw it on approach and because it was a handsome plane, put myself in the right place to make the shot. Now the flying dust spot, I like when I can combine my photographic passions but for this client, it will disappear :-)
Then there are the other rewards of airport hangin. At the end of the day, the question was asked, “want to go flyin?” The answer is of course, quite obvious. Off we went for a gorgeous sunset flight and shoot with this gorgeous Monocoupe 110. It was our typical flight length, just 20min but the three of us, photo platform pilot, subject pilot and I have worked so much together, we’re so efficient in doing the job that it’s just a ton of fun. Both photos taken with my favorite photo rig, D4s / 80-400VR3, the FPS and focal length being perfect tools for my storytelling. What you see here is what is called a Section Take Off. The Monocoupe taxis downs and takes off beside us. We climb faster and it stayed lower so I could shoot down on it. Yes, I am leaning and outside the plane when I’m taking this photo. No, it’s not scary and nothing falls out. And yes, I really like the photos that comes from this. Now the first time we did this long ago, the results weren’t as sweet as this. But just like anything in photography, practice makes perfect. Right now, we’re still airport hangin, waiting for the ground fog to lift to do a big set shoot with a hovering helicopter over the jet. Fingers crossed!
Back up in Minot, ND shooting today. Had a sunset air to air project which was a lot of fun. You know it’s going great when the pilot pulls out his iPhone and says SMILE! These are simple clicks, D4s / 80-400VR3 with some really skilled pilots. Thanks for the great evening flight!
Dick Cole, Col Jimmy Doolittle’s right seat on the Doolittle Raid in WWII just turned 100! He is a fascinating gentleman, living history and still goin! We were very fortunate to have him in part of our Warbirds and The Men Who Flew them film. Dick is still on the tour circuit so if you have the opportunity to hear him and meet him, be sure you do. Happy Bday Dick!
