Working the Follow Through

Following aircraft with your eye plastered to the viewfinder is a challenge and an art. Pushing this craft even further is the potential “grand” shot you hope will come. Panning is the key, setting your feet so you’re in the right body position for that “grand” shot. We twist at the waist when we pan, starting by cocking in one direction and unwinding to the other. When we unwind the pan, we often come to a stop, but the planes keep on going. What I’m suggesting is you sacrifice some of the approach images so that when you unwind, you still can photograph the aircraft as they head off. It means you start shooting when they are already kinda big in the frame so you can photograph the pass. That’s the skill. The knowledge is knowing what the performers are going to do. The luck is making the first two elements come together in the viewfinder when YOU want them to. It’s something to put in your bag of tricks, working the follow through.