Laurel Mountain Fall Season - Nine Years Ago

October brings the fall season.  On the calendar, the fall season lasts roughly three months, right?  For me the fall season is the middle two weeks of October where, when nature is willing, the fall colors explode.  The timing is often shifting a bit depending on weather patterns, but vacation time can be booked in this time with a high confidence that some colors will be on display.  The tops of trees around where I live now are starting to turn.  We're about ten days or one cold night away from starting the color changing process.
As much as I like living in mid-Michigan, there is one place in Pennsylvania that can't be replaced at the top of the list of places I'd like to be at this time of year.
Back in the early days of my formative being, my grandparents purchased some property east of Ligonier.  On top of a mountain/ridge.  In the fall, I would walk the unimproved roads and trails with my parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles.  The smell of decaying leaves and home fires have never left me.  I remember fondly the feel of a slight breeze, and the sting of driving rain and sleet.
Although our house had all the conveniences of modern housing, in the Fall we favored a fire for heat and camaraderie for entertainment.  We were on the outskirts of civilization where power and phone service could not be counted on once the weather turned bad.
I remember the color explosion of the leaves.  The bright reds, the sunlit yellows and the shades of orange against a blue sky.  Human sight is wonderful.  Memory, as long as I have it is pretty good also.
In 2010 I was fortunate enough to be at the Laurel Mountain Ski area for a day of hiking around.  The ski area had been closed for a few years.  I skied there many years ago when a season pass for a kid was around $10.  For years, the area was open for hiking.  On this day, the colors were at their height and the days was slightly cloudy.  Perfect.
Photographically, nine years ago I was shooting with a D90.  Great learning equipment.  Thanks to meta data, I can see I was shooting with a Tameron lens.  The Tameron experiment didn't last long before I switched to Nikon lens' for my use.  And for some reason, I was shooting in RAW format - and I probably didn't know what it was about.  I do know now, and thankfully I kept the files.  With improvements in software and nine years of experience, these images turned out OK.  Note to rookies, shoot RAW even if you don't know why (yet).  Looking at some of these settings, what was I thinking?  I was expecting to see AUTO.
These pieces of equipment and buildings are no longer standing.  They were removed in 2016 when the area was overhauled (snif) and new equipment was installed.  The area is now closed to hiking as far as I know.  If I ever get to explore the area again, it will be on rented skis.  In the sunshine.  Above freezing.
This is chair 15.  I have pictures of this scene, from different years where this chair is in the same position.

Chair 15 in the Fall

NIKON D90/TAMRON AF 18-270mm F3.5-6.3

27 mm, 1/320, f/13, ISO 400

EV -0.67, Aperture Priority, Size DX

The area of the hill where this lift was did not exist in the early days.  I did ski here once during the time of this lifts use.  I won't say I was a hot dog skier in those days, but I loved skiing under the chairs and yakking with the chair occupants.  They were short conversations.  It was a different time.

Laurel Fall Chair Narrow

NIKON D90/TAMRON AF 18-270mm F3.5-6.3

27 mm, 1/500, f/13, ISO 400

EV -0.67, Aperture Priority, Size DX

As tight as the previous picture is, I like the openness of this one.  And on the same day, in the same area, the colors here almost look painted.  Different weather patterns on the hill.

Laurel Fall Free Style Slope

NIKON D90/TAMRON AF 18-270mm F3.5-6.3

27 mm, 1/400, f/13, ISO 400

EV -0.67, Aperture Priority, Size DX

The D90 is a 12.3 MP camera.  Doesn't leave a lot of room for cropping, but the images seem to show up OK on the monitors.  I've become spoiled with the higher MP counts of the D7200 and D500.  Big difference.

Bring on the Train Spotting Season

The air show season is over.  The nature season is waning.  Bring on the trains.
The photo club did have an excursion earlier this year to see the #1225 in maintenance mode, but now getting itchy to see her in action.  
Last year, had a great time chasing the train around the area.  Unfortunately I entered the game a bit on the late side.  I won't make that mistake again this year.  I think I missed a few opportunities to get some pictures with snow - or a lot of snow - or fresh snow.  When the train starts making its weekend Polar Express runs, the leaves are down and the skies are gray.  The subject better be good and any help is appreciated.
The local train chase in the area will begin in mid-November, still a few weeks away.  The #1225 itself is out making the rounds other places in the State.  Next weekend it will be making a scenic trip from Mt. Pleasant to Cadillac.  (Shhh, C has a birthday coming up - and we have tickets for the day's trip.)  With any luck, the day will be great and the leaves will be turning to fall colors.
So to celebrate the beginning of the rail season (for me anyway, not sure if there is an official rail spotting season.), I went trough some shots from last year.  One of my most memorable days on the chase last year was a late December morning, some friends from the Club and I started the chase in Owasso.  We arrived in time to see the #1225 just out of the barn and being loaded with fuel (coal) for the day.
I like this first shot for a few reasons.  First, there is coal in the air falling out of the bucket.  Next, for all the 'greyness' in the shot, you have the orange traffic cone, the green safety vest and the blue engines to add some color.  The position of the CAT on top of the coal pile is interesting as well.  And call me lucky, but the headlight isn't totally blown.

Feeding the #1225

NIKON D500 Ver.1.15/18.0-200.0 mm f/3.5-5.6

150 mm, 1/320 sec, f/5.6, ISO 800

EV -1, APERTURE Priority, Size DX

One of the elements of the #1225 shots is the steam exhaust.  The more the better.  In still air, fantastic.  I played around with trying to bring out more contrast, definition in the steam.  I tried some HDR and other blending tricks, but in the end the original was the best for me.

#1225 on the Move

NIKON D500 Ver.1.15/18.0-200.0 mm f/3.5-5.6

90 mm, 1/800 sec, f/5.6, ISO 800

EV -1, APERTURE Priority, Size DX

One of the other elements I look for when at a location is the not so obvious angle, which is usually crowd or other photographer shots.  During my hour at this location, I did talk to the people pictured here.  No sense in asking if they were rail fans, it was cold and it was early.  Only fans are out at this time.

#1225 Fans

NIKON D500 Ver.1.15/18.0-200.0 mm f/3.5-5.6

62 mm, 1/500 sec, f/5.6, ISO 800

EV -1, APERTURE Priority, Size DX

F18s at Reno

Between the races, there are airshow type events.  Many are military in nature.  There are more well known performers such as the Thunderbirds and Blue Angles.  There are also lesser known, but just as exciting and informative such as the F16 and F22 Demo Teams.  As I've mentioned before, I like the races and this year I learned to appreciate them more, but I don't miss the military shows.  No food runs, no bathroom breaks.  In the stands, ready to view.  No apologies.
As I look forward to the 2020 airshow tour, I'm excited that two stops will be military related.  The southern therapy tour in April will see me at the Charleston Joint Base Expo and after that I'll be introducing two of the younger family members to the airshow experience at the MCAS Cherry Point show in May.  Earplugs required.
Back to the races, one of the show events on the schedule was a F18 Demo.  The F18s are the current aircraft of the Blue Angles.  But the Blue Angles can't be everywhere, so there are Demo Teams that are mostly funded by the recruitment budget (I'm guessing, but it would make sense.) that will still push the show.  There were four Hornets at the Races, two for static display and two for flight ops.
The Demo team took the skies the first day, and not sure what happened after that but there were no shows on the other days.  Not going to lie, it was a bit of a disappointment.
Not only was I looking forward to the air demo, but the F18 usually takes part in the heritage flight event.  The heritage flight is a favorite for me, that is what an aircraft from the past flies in formation with a current inventory aircraft.  I have two previous posts with Heritage Flights earlier this year, a P51 and F16 and a F18 and A4.
The F18 is an older aircraft, being introduce in the mid-1990's.  Some would say it is old, I would say it is tough to replace.  That it is still in use by the Blue Angles is all you need to know.
I saw a single F18 do a mini-demo (awesome photo) earlier this year at Wings over Northern Michigan show.  Based on what I saw there, I was really interested to see a more 'formalized' demo.
Disappointment aside, I did get a few good shots.
Because I had seen the aircraft fly earlier in the year, I didn't have to take so many 'guess what it will do next' shots.  With the exception of the two flying in formation, all were single shots.  Which only interests me.

The F18 on take-off centered with the Reno home pylon.  Not real exciting if this doesn't capture your interest.  Too bad I can't add the sound.

F18 on Take-off Reno

NIKON D500 Ver.1.15/70.0-300.0 mm f/4.5-5.6

400 mm, 1/1250 sec, f/5.6, ISO 110 (AUTO)

EV 0, MANUAL Mode, Size DX

I like formation flying.  The more the better, but I'll take two.  Takes a lot of faith in your equipment, training and partner to do even this.

F18s in Formation

NIKON D500 Ver.1.15/70.0-300.0 mm f/4.5-5.6

315 mm, 1/2500 sec, f/6.3, ISO 180 (AUTO)

EV 0, MANUAL Mode, Size DX

This is interesting photograph.  This is a single shot, so figure the lag time to see the beginning of the formation break and the shutter release.  And I think I got the right shot.

F18s Split

NIKON D500 Ver.1.15/70.0-300.0 mm f/4.5-5.6

360 mm, 1/1600 sec, f/6.3, ISO 320 (AUTO)

EV +.33, MANUAL Mode, Size DX

One of the more interesting monuments of the event was after landing, the aircraft were taxiing in front of the stands, then did a loop.  Usually don't see this type of congestion at an airfield - unless they were demoing traffic patterns on an aircraft carrier deck.

F18 Congestion

NIKON D500 Ver.1.15/70.0-300.0 mm f/4.5-5.6

280 mm, 1/1000 sec, f/6.3, ISO 100 (AUTO)

EV 0, MANUAL Mode, Size 1.3

Jets, even on the ground - fun.

Five T6s in the Turn

This image pretty much defines a lot of the challenges taking pictures at the races from the stands.
First, the subjects are far away.  This shot is 450 mm, and pretty aggressively cropped.
I was doing the math for another post, but it applies here as well.  Assuming they are traveling at 225 MPH, they are traveling at 330 feet per second.  This shot was take at 1/800 sec.  Quick math gives me about .4 feet or 5 inches during that shot.  What are the chances of a crisp, clear shot?
The chances for a good shot decrease as the line if flight is directly across your view.  The chances for a better shot increase as the aircraft's line of flight is toward you, with a direct frontal shot being the best chance.
All that being said, when in the stands, the frontal shot is a long way off.  Did I say bigger lens?
As my thoughts get organized for next year, I can get away with slower shots as the aircraft are coming out of the turn.  Just need the bigger lens.  Maybe rent the prime 500 mm?  Probably not enough room on the credit card for the deposit.  Ha.  I have a year to work it out.
This was from far way.  I do like the fact that the wings are not on the same plane, a little chaos.  A little prop blur.  In other shots, that didn't come out so well, I shot at 1/320 in the same area and the blur was much better and I think I can get better shots.  Also for next year, if I get out of the stands and further down in the pits, I might get closer to a point int he turn where I can get more of a head on shot.  I had kind of the idea this year, but the reality of the environment escaped me.  I have a year to bake it.
The T6s in a turn.

Five T6s in a Turn

NIKON D500 Ver.1.15/70.0-300.0 mm f/4.5-5.6

450 mm, 1/800 sec, f/10, ISO 320 (AUTO)

EV 0, MANUAL Mode, Size DX

Need a bigger lens.

Juvenile Eagles at Play

After a few days of high octane airplane racing and all the good things that brings to me, I needed to slow down a bit.  Catch a sunrise.  At the Refuge.
This late in the summer, catching sunrise means after driving for about an hour, getting to the Refuge just before 7:00 is doable.  With an earlier sunrise, earlier in the summer - that's tough.
There's so much more action with the transition into the day from night.  Always worth the trip.  Even if the photography is a bit more difficult.  By difficult, I mean challenging.
I missed a few Eagle shots where one was flying close overhead.  Just not enough light to bring out the details.  I missed one wood duck shot, not enough light to aid the auto focus for a quick shot.  The mental images are still there and that's not all bad.
Like all people in this hobby, (I think) I need a bigger lens.  The 70-300 is very good for shooting aircraft.  I could use more of course, but trading off weight for actual use is a consideration.  Or lugging around a heavy duty tri-pod.   When the time comes, I'm sure there will be a post.
Anyway, I could have used more reach here.  This was a great situation with three juvenile Eagles taking over an area in the wetlands.  Not seen off to the left is a group of Pelicans.  I watched for about ten minutes as the pelicans lost ground to the Eagles and then just went in search of a new area.  All that is missing from this scene is t-shirts on the Eagles, with a rolled up sleeve covering the cigarette pack.  It was gang like.  Welcome to the Jungle.
This is about 200 yards away.  I tend to think in terms of a football field.  Maybe 150 yards.  But far enough away.  This was fun to watch and makes the early morning rise easy to deal with.

Three Juvenile Eagles at Play

NIKON D500 Ver.1.15/70.0-300.0 mm f/4.5-5.6

600 mm, 1/500 sec, f/6.3, ISO 140 (AUTO)

EV 0, MANUAL Mode, Size 1.3

Juvenile Eagles at Play

NIKON D500 Ver.1.15/70.0-300.0 mm f/4.5-5.6

600 mm, 1/500 sec, f/6.3, ISO 125 (AUTO)

EV 0, MANUAL Mode, Size 1.3

Where's the third Eagle?  Pestering the Pelicans.

Pelicans and Eaglet

NIKON D500 Ver.1.15/70.0-300.0 mm f/4.5-5.6

600 mm, 1/500 sec, f/6.3, ISO 125 (AUTO)

EV 0, MANUAL Mode, Size 1.3

Fun to watch.  (Controlled) nature at its best.  For whatever reason, the Eagles spent most of their time not looking in my direction.  Turn it around, and these shots would be prize winners.

T6 - Close Finish

As of right now, the T-6 class for racing is my favorite.  They are loud, slow and most have very colorful paint schemes.  I am that shallow.
As there are few modifications allowed for this class, the races in theory are much tighter and closer than the other classes.  Don't be fooled, there will be separation after six or eight laps.  But the chances for closer finishes are pretty good.
As with most fans, I am drawn to close finishes, even if it is not for first place.  In the air races, as with car, horse or any race, the race within the race is what captures my attention.
The T6 is 28 feet in length.  The shot here is for 3rd and 4th place.  The race within the race.  Both aircraft are cruising a few decimal points above 228 MPH.
Have I said this before, our seats are right on the start/finish line?  This is the last lap dash between  the number 66, the AT6A Gunslinger (tough to see) and the number 88, the SNJ-5 Radial Velocity.
These two were never in any contention for the top spot, they were roughly 7 MPH off the pace.  But as they passed on each lap, they put on a show.  We knew this was going to be a photo finish.
Which leads to another of Eric's rules.  On the last lap, bump up the shutter speed and the FPS.  Prop blur be damned.  If you have 7 FPS, use them all.  If you have 10 FPS, don't leave any in the camera.  This was a lesson I learned the hard way.
The math works out this way.  For this class, let's say the speed is 230 MPH.  For math purposes, that is something like 337 feet per second.  If you are shooting 10 FPS, the aircraft has moved 33.7 feet between frames.  That's more than the length of the aircraft.
Who says math isn't fun?

T6 Close Finish

NIKON D500 Ver.1.15/70.0-300.0 mm f/4.5-5.6

600 mm, 1/500 sec, f/6.3, ISO 160 (AUTO)

EV 0, MANUAL Mode, Size 1.3

For what it is worth, the black aircraft, Gunslinger, is said to have claimed 3rd place.  Too close to call for me.  The frame before this one, the start pylon was not in the picture and the Gunslinger was ahead.  I was shooting 7 FPS, that is roughly 48 feet behind this shot.  As I mentioned before, lesson learned.  The D500 will shoot 10 FPS, this was a time to use it.

The Acro Bonanza

The Acrobatic Bonanza.  Apparently stock?  This is a F33C - certified for acrobatics.  Only 118 built, somewhere around 1970.
There is not a special engine, or prop for this aircraft.  OK, from what I can see, the engine is a bit bigger than the F33A.  There is no special fuel system or oil system for inverted flight.  And it looks like a four passenger aircraft.  With a smoke system.  Wonder what the stereo sounds like?
The pilot, Jim Peitz, did a very good job to keep the air show enthusiasts entertained.  Lots of loops, snap rolls and a few hammerhead stalls were on the program.

This certainly was a fun show to watch.

Unlimited Class - Speedball Alice

For racing purposes, the Unlimited Class has generally been populated by stock or modified WWII fighters with the P-51 Mustangs, F-8F Bearcats and Hawker Sea Furys being flown most often. The Unlimited Class flies in speeds exceeding 500 mph.  Basically, as long as it has a prop and two fixed wings, it is legal. 
Speedball Alice is a Mustang P51-D, powered by a Rolls Royce Merlin Engine built by the Packard automobile company during WWII.  Around the internet, there are images of a WWII era aircraft in the European Theater with this name.  The P51 was built to cruise around 360 MPH, with a max speed of 440 MPH.  The aircraft is famous for flying bomber escort and allowing the bomber mission to succeed.
Fast forward to the races.  Mustangs are modified to go a lot faster.  Or not.  
There are a lot of Mustangs, a lot being defined as 7, at the races this year.  Some are very modified and very recognizable such as Miss America.  Some are fairly stock such as Speedball Alice.
For purposes of this year's race, Alice's highest qualifying speed was 348 MPH - which was good enough for 6th place.  For reference, the tops qualifying speed was 417 MPH.  The long term prospects for Alice aren't very good, but the smile on the pilot will still be there.   It is still good enough to be in the Gold Race.  More than I can do.  And I'm OK with that.  Really.

Speedball Alice:

Prior to the final Gold Race for the Unlimited class, all the aircraft in the race line up in front of the stands and are introduced.  This is a parade.  As mentioned before, the Unlimited Class is the reason the races started years ago.  They are without a doubt, the center piece.  

For the warm-up, I wanted to capture the prop blur.  That's the point of the picture.  The timing had to be just right, trying to catch the rotation as it is powering up a bit to taxi with the shutter speed of 1/50 second.

Speedball Alice Warm-up

NIKON D500 Ver.1.15/70.0-300.0 mm f/4.5-5.6

285 mm, 1/50 sec, f/14, ISO 100 (Auto)

EV 0, MANUAL, Mode, Size DX, CPL

This is one of my favorite photos from the week.  The bank is just right and the backdrop is just right.  The prop is blurred.  And I didn't screw up the focus.

Speedball Alice in a Bank

NIKON D500 Ver.1.15/70.0-300.0 mm f/4.5-5.6

600 mm, 1/400 sec, f/8, ISO 560 (Auto)

EV 0, MANUAL, Mode, Size 1.3

This is not Alice's finest moment.  She is being lapped here by the eventual winner, Dreadnaught.  Alice was pushing 240 MPH - Dreadnaught was pushing 403 MPH.  But it can be said, Alice was going faster than any NASCAR event.

Speedball Alice and Dreadnaught

NIKON D500 Ver.1.15/70.0-300.0 mm f/4.5-5.6

600 mm, 1/320 sec, f/6.3, ISO 125 (Auto)

EV 0, MANUAL, Mode, Size 1.3

One of the issues I have with the races as a spectator and photographer is we get plenty of belly shots, not much of the top.  Most of the fast racers are always in a bank.  PPPFFTTT.

Thunderbirds Burst

There are many advantages to sitting on the start/finish line.  Not only are the finish of races fun to watch, but the line is also considered by the events as show center.  In the case of the Thunderbirds, all the crossings are set to be in that area.  And in the case of the delta burst, the maneuver is centered along the line.
Photographically speaking, the rule or suggestion to not center the subject is shattered here.

Thunderbird's Delta Burst

NIKON D500 Ver.1.15/70.0-300.0 mm f/4.5-5.6

450 mm, 1/2500 sec, f/6.3, ISO 140 (Auto)

EV -0.67, MANUAL Mode, Size DX

Reno - Thoughts

Four days of racing in 2019 in the books.  Three hundred and fifty some days to go until next year.
Summary thoughts:

1. I took less photos this year.  I still subscribe to the 'spray and pray' philosophy in most cases, but my spray shots were down by quite a bit.  As to the Thunderbird shots, I have plenty of shots of them against a blue sky already from earlier this year.  So, I didn't have to take as many T-Bird shots as I did in Traverse City.  I was focused on the passing shots - which allowed me to more enjoy the show.
2. I had definite thoughts about where I was going to focus my attention and what I wanted to get.  I was about 25% successful.  And I'm good with that.  I wanted more race perspectives that what I had done last year, which was mostly on the start/finish line.  That did not work out the way I planned.  On the other hand, I did spend more time in the 'pits' and captured more pit life shots.  Nothing professional, but a good start.  Something to build on for next year.
3. Eric's Rules:  I need to take shotgun lessons.  I mentioned that I had trouble tracking aircraft going across a horizontal line.  After I get so far, I lose the target out of the center of my focus, going mostly down.  I was informed this was shotgun 101, not to be confused with rifle 101, in how I rotated my line of sight.  I needed to work with more of my lower body, as opposed to using my shoulders and arms.  All good stuff, need to practice now.
4. I should have played the lottery on Sunday.  In a lot of sporting events, one of the between event things to do is to air shoot something, usually a t-shirt into the crowd.  And this is done here.  My seat is in row 32 - the highest.  That in itself would require a lot of air power, plus the t-shirt would have to be a brick to get up that high.  Add to that that there is floor seating of at least 10 rows, and that's quite an effort.  However, the t-shirt made it up to my row, and I made the clean catch.  That sort of thing does not usually happen in my world.  However, the shirt is a medium size and at least part of my luck still holds.  Ha.
5. I'm locking into air show/air race shutter speeds.  
• Jets:  1/1250 sec.  At airshows with opposing aircraft stunts, 1/2500 (and that still might not be enough).
• Helicopters:  1/180.  And that still might not be slow enough.  1/100 would be better.
• Small racers/show aircraft:  Start at 1/400.
• T-6:  Fastest is 1/500.  1/200 is much better.  Depends on the angle.  A slower shutter speed for a shot coming from left to right is useless.  A slower speed for a head on shot can work really well.
• If the camera will shoot 10 FPS, use it.  That will be a lot of deletions at the end of the day, but if you get the money shot, it won't matter.
6. I could become an avid T-6 class fan.  The T-6 class is a lot like NASCAR, in that the vehicles are regulated to be pretty much the same.  The modifications that can be made are very limited.  For racing purposes, this means tighter formations.  And for photography, they are big and slow.  That being said the the prop speed is also slower which still makes the process challenging.  But a great place to start.
7. Nothing, and I do mean nothing, sounds like the first lap crossing of the start/finish line of the unlimited class aircraft.  When they all cross together, harmony.  Symphony.  My favorite aircraft sound is still the C5 A/B sounds on take off - and I can't see that changing.  The unlimited sound is a close second.
8. I am becoming more of a race fan.  For sure, I am there to see the military power which is a small part of the event.  This year, I talked with more of the seasoned fans and am getting more of an appreciation of the sport.  like car racing, there is more to the event than just going fast.
9. I got a free hat.  Military Appreciation Day.  Some events just do it right.  Not that I need a free hat to every event, but the show starts every day by paying respect to the nation, armed forces and to the flying community.  No apologies for liking all.

As I said earlier, counting down to next year's event.  

Reno Day 3 - STOL Racing

Day 3 over.  This is going by way too fast.  Nuts.
Something new to the week is STOL racing.  STOL, Short Take Off and Landing.  Normal racing of any event is to go fast.  Sure, there are some other talents required, but basically go fast.  This STOL event is a bit different.  This is a one on one drag race.  Yes, there is an element of 'fast', but there is also the element of stop.  This got my attention.  
The 'lap' is take off, fly as fast as you can to a point, touch down, come to a stop on the line of flight.  Do a 180.  Take off, fly as fast as you can to a point, land and stop in the line of flight.  Easy, eh?
Probably easier to understand if you see something on YouTube.  
It was fun to watch.  It won't replace the noise of the other races, but it is a nice addition.

STOL Take Off

NIKON D500 Ver.1.15/70.0-300.0 mm f/4.5-5.6

600 mm, 1/320 sec, f/8, ISO 200 (Auto)

EV 0, MANUAL Mode, Size 1.3

Reno Day 2 - T6s at Home Pylon

Day 2 in the books.  Half over for me.  Crap.  It has gone by fast.
Again, great weather.  Was a bit on the warm (friggin' hot!) side.  Again, I will wish for this in a few weeks.
Races were good and fun.  I'm still working on the fandom thingie.
This year I'm on pace to take roughly half the number of photos than I took last year.  Good for me, less pruning.  On the other side, I have more time to watch the races.  And that is good as well.
I like photographing the T6 racers.  Big targets, colorful.  Level out at the home pylon.

T6s at the Home Pylon

NIKON D500 Ver.1.15/70.0-300.0 mm f/4.5-5.6

350 mm, 1/400 sec, f/11, ISO 160 (Auto)

EV 0, MANUAL Mode, Size 1.3

These images are tough.  Many, many are blurry.  Practice.

Reno Day 1 - Thunderbird Crossing

Day one is in the books.  Could not have asked for more!
First, the people I travel with here are fantastic.  Catching up for the past year was a lot of fun.
Next, the weather is great.  A little on the warm side, but I'll be crabbing about the cold Michigan weather in a few weeks, so I'll take it.
Today was spent trying to get the right speeds to catch each class of aircraft.  I have a few good hits.  Taxiing aircraft about 1/80.  Racers about 1/320.  Going with that tomorrow.  And with some luck, I won't forget my CPL to help slow some of the shots.
And on the other end, the Thunderbirds did a survey flight today.  Not a show, not a practice.  Just getting a lay of the land.  Still fun.
During one pass, the aircraft passed close to the stands, full AB.  Seriously, car alarms were triggered.  That was very cool.  I will be wearing ear plugs for the performances.
On the other end of the speed equation, 1/1600 was not fast enough to get this on right.  Close, but not right.  Seems to me, I need to be in the 1/2400+ range.

Thunderbird Crossing

NIKON D500 Ver.1.15 /70.0-300.0 mm f/4.5-5.6

1/1600, 400 mm, f/8, ISO 200 (Auto)

EV 0, MANUAL Mode, Size 1.3

There's a lot to be said here for shooting 5 FPS. I had been going with 3 FPS, and in this case that might not have worked.  The image before and the image after are of one aircraft only.
Practice, Practice, Practice.

Reno Time - 2019 (Part II)

Starting to get really excited.  Thursday can't come fast enough.
Really starting to hone in on the photo strategy.  In looking at last year's images, the biggest item for me is the prop environment.  I've worked a lot this year to get it right - or not miss so badly.  Pressure.
When you think about it, the worst pace to be (almost) is the start/finish line.  Unless you hit the pan correctly, the image at 1/200 or slower will never be that sharp.  I'm not giving up that seat, however.
I will have to find places with better angles.  I know where I'm going, just hope it works out as well as I think it will.  Again, I get four days of trial and error.
The other thing I want to work on is more, or more interesting shots of life not in the air.  I took a few last year, and at the time I didn't think much about them but the story is there to be told.

Mechanics prepping Miss America for the day.

On the ramp, gearing up for the race.

I'm glad I took these even if it takes time passing to enjoy them.

The other aspect of the weekend, and it is not lost on me that this is a dangerous sport.  The slowest of the aircraft is faster than most NASCAR event.  Last year there was an 'incident'.  I didn't find out any details until the next day, but did manage to get a picture of the primary 'victim' after the aircraft successfully recovered to the airfield.  It's funny, but I had no idea what I was taking a picture of, just a lot of emergency equipment around an aircraft.  Just keep shooting.
Hint: everyone survived, and that's good.
A good video of the incident can be seen here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAtIm_uenpA

L39 with Wing damage.

More things to think of.  It's all good.

Reno Time - 2019

Time for total Air Show concentration.  Except, of course, for time dedicated to the paying job.
I'm a bit behind.  I was thinking that I'd have last week to get hyped, maybe one quick trip to the Refuge this weekend.  None of that happened, last week was dedicated to something else.
Last week did find me in North Carolina for a few days.  Away from the hurricane.  The only reason I bring this up is I'm thinking that chasing a hurricane up the coast could be a bucket list thing.  It only moves at 10 mph, right?  In this case Dorian paralleled the coast for a few hundred miles.
Back to the airshow next week.  I'm planning on making better use of the four days I will see essentially the same action.  Last year, I was just so happy to be there.  This year, I'll try to act like I've been there before.
Because I'm not a professional, I can't go with the 'real' photographers.  I asked already.  No press pass.  Already thinking about how to skirt that issue for 2020.  Back to 2019, I'll have to be more adventurous.  Our seats are great for the start/finish line.  Center airfield for the other demonstration events.  For the most part, my shots were all from the same place last year.  That needs to change.
For four days, most of the action will be same.  There are heat races to determine the finals.  The Thunderbirds will be pretty close to the same thing every day - and that needs to be from the seats.  Or does it?  Everything else needs a different, not better, perspective.
I'm thinking a change of vantage point is going to be good.  I'll have a pit pass, and I should get more on the ground action shots.
The weather is looking to be fantastic.  I have a better camera day bag this year, if I don't forget it....  That will help.
After last year, I thought I'd invest in some neutral density filters to help with shutter speed to get prop blur.  At the Traverse City airshow, I did some work with my CPL and that turned out OK.  So I'll do the same at Reno.
Tomorrow will be packing the equipment.  There will be some cleaning of lenses.  Making sure the batteries work.  And this year I have extra memory cards.
Time to get going.