For the last few days, I’ve been having the time of my life with all the folks at ISAP. On Friday, we had a field trip to Nellis AFB for an amazing day of photography. Now I realize that aviation photography isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but if you are a photographer, then you are a worshiper of light and in that pursuit, you can make a click anywhere!
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_BMP9372.swf, 585, 444 [/swf]
The main event of the day for us was standing between the runways at Nellis during take offs and landings. Ear protection is a must but feeling the thrust through your feet and you shoot is one helluva of rush!
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_BMP1293.swf, 585, 444 [/swf]
After all craft where airborn, we were given the grand tour of Nellis. This included being able to photograph a static F22 Raptor and F-15. The light was a little hot, the crowd a little excited so I wasn’t clicking much. Then the pilot who was on the ground hopped up on his plane. Now I was excited. I jockeyed into place to make the click. I had no control over the situation, had only a moment to click. I wanted to attach him to his plane. Hence, I put myself so his reflection is in the canopy.
[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/_BMP1525.swf, 585, 444 [/swf]
Nellis is the home of the Thunderbirds, so we had the opportunity to visit their headquarters. At the end, we were permit into the hanger to kinda photography one plane. There are always regs when working on a military base and in this case, between the regs, crowds and no freakin light, I just starred at the ceiling. Then, the light changed and this bank of lockers on the wall glowed. While everyone else was at the plane, I was pulling Patrick over to the bank of lockers. The light is that coming through the hanger door and bouncing off the white, polished floor. The shutter speed was 1/15 @f5.6 ISO 100 and other than Patrick’s nervousness at having 100 cameras pointed at him (great light trumped a plane for a couple of minutes), it was an easy click. You chase light, you can always find a photo!
Photo captured by D3x, 200-400VR handheld on Lexar UDMA digital film