Droning on with Bob

A friend asked me a few days ago what I know about drones.  My knowledge is limited, but I have taken the on-line classes/tutorials on what is required to be a Commercial Drone pilot.   I know some of the rules, but as far as actually flying - I got nothing.  But will try most things at least once.

So his drone arrived last week.

After registering the drone with the FAA, we arranged to go to a local golf course for our test flying.  Tree colors are just starting to turn which would be great for photos and video.  The sky however was not optimal for most of the time we were out.  Occasionally the sun did clear the clouds.  Mid-Michigan.

While flying the drone was Bob's goal for the day, my goal was to get the Insta 360 One X2 out  for a drive.  This would be my second time out with the camera.  The first adventure is here:  Insta Video

I have a remote for the camera, which is not dependable.  Still learning the limitations.  But I did get lots of time captured - just not all the time I wanted.  But enough.

Back to the drone flying.

Although the identification would never hold up in court, this is someone not crashing an inflight drone.  Everything appears to be legal here.  The drone is under 400 feet in the air, going less than 60 mph and not flying over anyone.  

The drone flying was fun.  And we were successful.  For all the 30 minutes of flying we did, no crashing.

Now I just have to set up a price alert...  Ha

Thunderbirds - A different View

When I started going to airshows, I'd shoot enough shots, mostly in succession, to qualify to be a short (bad) film.  I could sometimes get to that hypnotic state where the shutter noise triggered my shutter depressing finger to press harder.  It happens.

I have great shots of formations going left to right, and right to left.  I have the basics.  At this point, I can start being more selective.  I can start thinking about where I am in the pattern to get a more unique shot.

At most shows, the basic pattern is flying a line perpendicular to you.  There are bends, but you plant you feet, and twist from the waist.  That's 95% of the shots.

The other 5%.  (From September 2019)

Thunderbird Burst

I don't see many airshow shots straight on.  You have to be at the right place at the right time.  And lucky.  And when it all comes together the shot stands out.  This is one of my favorite screen savers.

Today, I offer a different point of view for the line of sight flight path.

I was reasonably sure this flight path was going to happen.  I had to be ready.

You don't hear them until a few seconds prior to a visual sighting.  They are approaching from directly behind the stands.  Then you hear sounds, not loud but unique.  You look straight up, or close to straight up.  You know you have 2-3 seconds to find the subject, get the camera ready to shoot and take the shot.  Five seconds later, it's over.  Aircraft out of photographic range.

Then, two seconds after you hear the first suspect noise, your ears are crushed.

Thunderbirds in AB

NIKON D500 Ver.1.30/NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED

270 mm, 1/2500 sec, f/6.3, ISO 400 (AUTO)

EV 0, MANUAL, Mode, Size DX

Non-aerobatic passes have a floor of 500' AGL over the crowd,  This is FAA rule.  There is no FAA rule for decibel ratings that I could find.  I can safely say that being less than 500 feet away from four aircraft in full after burner is the most damage I have willfully inflicted on my ears over the years, ever.  That was loud.  The pressure waves of the aircraft passing overhead, although noticeable are not overpowering.  Just interesting.

This pass is not part of the show.  This pass was part of the recon flight over the area by the Diamond package.  For every show, before the teams even practice, they will fly over the show area to get familiarized with the area and land marks.  You will see maneuvers that are not part of the show package.  Stay awake.

I like the color and pattern of the afterburners.  The 'white' haze under the blue sky is forest fire smoke from the fires in California south of Lake Tahoe.  A solid blue sky would have been real nice.  Some possible improvement for next year.

Back to this year's show.  At some point during the show, I knew there would probably be a pass from behind, over show center.  And now I could tell when it was close.  How could I tell?  I cheated.

Show Center Spotter

NIKON D850 Ver.1.20/NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED

200 mm, 1/2500 sec, f/4, ISO 220 (AUTO)

EV 0, MANUAL, Mode, Size FX

This must be something new.  I saw the same function for the Blue Angles at Thunder Over Michigan.  I'm guessing that this new position is a person with signal light at some fixed point in the pattern where the pilots can quickly orientate themselves in the show box.  And I'm also guessing that this came out of the joint practice time that the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds shared.  'Cuz now both teams have this.

Shortly after I saw this, I knew what was next.

Thunderbirds Passing Overhead

NIKON D850 Ver.1.20/NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED

200 mm, 1/2500 sec, f/4, ISO 180 (AUTO)

EV 0, MANUAL, Mode, Size FX

For the show, no AB.  Only three.  But there is a blue sky.  That's about a two second reaction time.

This will be a good screen saver.

The U2 Appearance - Day 2

Redemption.

This will make a lot more sense if you read Day One.

Day 2 of the U2 story begins with seeing the Dragon Lady will make an appearance, again at 12:05 according to the schedule.  I say this because I'm thinking it will be closer to 2:05 - again.  That's OK, I'll be ready in either case.  Will the two black escort jets be there as well?  Whatever the case, I will be ready.  I will be in the stands for this.

12:05 came and went.  No problem.  I would have been more surprised if it was as scheduled.  Surprised, but ready.

1:30.  It was a very windy day.  Lots of the races were being moved about, and the published schedule was really out the window now.  Races may be moved, the non-military performers may be moved, but the military stuff goes as scheduled.  It's going to be at 2:05 - I just know it.

2:03 - U2 inbound.  And I'm ready.  Trying not to hyperventilate.  No black jets.  Dammit.

With the U2 inbound, I was also looking for the white chase car.  And it was there, where it was supposed to be.  In my head, get the chase car in the shot.  Low fly-by.

A lot of the forest fire smoke has cleared out from the day before.  Still, on the approach end for the background, the smoke is visible.  I like this shots, has the jet class lined up ready to start when the U2 had departed the area.

U2 Approach End

NIKON D500 Ver.1.30/NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED

217 mm, 1/1250 sec, f/4.5, ISO 100

EV 0, MANUAL Mode, Size DX

I thought the approach end was lower than the day before, but I was now in the stands and my perspective might be a bit different.  Until.

Low enough to flare.  And.

The flare, U2 style.

U2 Flare

NIKON D500 Ver.1.30/NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED

262 mm, 1/1250 sec, f/4.5, ISO 100

EV 0, MANUAL Mode, Size DX

OK, no chase car in this shot.  But think about it - approach speed is probably between 90 and 100 MPH.  The chase car has to be off the runway until the aircraft has passed.  So in this shot, the chase car is just getting moving.  It will have to get up to 140 MPH to catch up.  Quickly.  

But then, the aircraft touches down.  Didn't see that coming.

U2 Show Center

NIKON D500 Ver.1.30/NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED

217 mm, 1/1250 sec, f/4.5, ISO 100

EV 0, MANUAL Mode, Size DX

And so it rolls.  At this point I just started watching without the camera blocking my view.  Just for a few seconds.  No way this could be a full landing, the airfield is not equipped to handle the U2.  And that was the correct thought.  Once past the the center pylon, you could hear the engine spool up and the U2 would leave leave the chase car behind.

Just a real thrill for me to see the aircraft flying and doing some transition work for the crowd.  It is part of a select group of 50 year old designs still flying, joining the B-52s, KC-135s and C-130s.

The U2 Appearance - Day 1

In my previous visits to the Air Races, there has always been a chance for an 'unadvertised' guest appearance.  In 2018, there was a B-52 fly-by one day and a U2 fly-by the next.  In 2019, there was a F/A-18 Demo.

For the B52 - I was ready.  For the U2, not so much.  I had one lucky shot.

Every morning, there is a schedule available for the race events and the performers.  When I get to see the schedules, I look for the military events.  I knew the F-35 Demo team was there for the event, and I expected them Saturday and Sunday, with maybe a practice on Friday.  I knew the Thunderbirds were there as well, but Friday, Saturday and Sunday only.  Bring on the Weekend!

Then on Thursday, I found the Easter Egg.  U2 at 12:05.  My day just got re-arranged.  I started looking at the events around the U2, timing and camera settings are everything.  Lessons from the past.

Well, 12:05 came and went, no U2.

After waiting 90 minutes, I started roaming around.  I moved toward the Jet area.  The Jet area is on the approach end of the show.  I was talking with another photographer when two black jets flew down the runway.  I didn't see any markings on the jets.  They looked like T-38s or F5s.  Or F20s.  But they were black, and if there were any markings, they were subdued.  Dammit, by the time I saw them they were half way down the runway.  And I had the close-up camera lens thing going.  As I turned to resume chatting with the other photographer, I saw the U2 approaching.  I had about 45 seconds to swap cameras and get the setting right.  Practice, Practice, Practice.

U2 on Approach

NIKON D500 Ver.1.30/NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED)

300 mm, 1/2000 sec, f/4.5, ISO 100

EV 0, MANUAL Mode, Size DX

U2 Low Pass

NIKON D500 Ver.1.30/NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED)

300 mm, 1/2000 sec, f/4.5, ISO 100

EV 0, MANUAL Mode, Size DX

U2 Departure

NIKON D500 Ver.1.30/NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED)

300 mm, 1/2000 sec, f/4.5, ISO 100

EV 0, MANUAL Mode, Size DX

I should note that usually my Reno shots of the past had great clear blue skies.  Not so much this year.  The California fires in the Lake Tahoe area, the Caldor and Tamarack fires, provided a lot of non-clear skies.  Funny how 2021 may be the year of resuming travel, but everywhere I go there are flat skies.

Back to the U2 story.  The U2 did a low pass in front of the stands.

After checking out my shots I ran up to our seats to show off what I had.  To my horror, my shots were not the best of the day.  Had I stayed in my seat, I would have had the low pass in front of the Reno pylon.  Doh!

The other photo-nic in our group had a great shot of the U2 and the Reno Pylon.  Even the other photographers in the area had great shots as well.  With the Chase Car!  Double Doh!

Not that there is ever any competition in our group for photos but second place is for losers.  

How can I possibly recover from this?  (Hint: Stay tuned for Day 2.)

Air Racing Pit Life

Part of the Air Racing Life is what goes on behind the scenes.  The Pits.  As with conventional motorsports, the pits are a happening place.  In Reno, the pit area is segregated by class.  Some areas have more activity than others.  The Jet class doesn't have much going on, other than sitting in the sun and looking good.  The T-6 and STOL classes always have something going on.  The tweeking never stops.

Pit Life - Sport 181

Pit Life - Big Red

Pit Life - Polishing the Prop

Pit Life - Banging Away

And for a bit of fun, I saw this in the STOL area.  In researching the STOLs, I saw the belt in another venue with a different aircraft.  Could it be the best gets passed around?  More research is required.

Pit Life - The Belt

Walking around the Pits is a big part of going to the races for me.  Looking forward to next year already.

STOL Class Racing

The newest class of racing at the National Air Races is STOL.  Short Take Off and Landing.  And there is a bit of a league for these flyers.   In 2019, a group of racers showed up at Reno to demo the STOL race, and the fans loved it.  The class is now official, and in 2021 the STOL race was on.

The race is essentially a drag race run in two segments.  The racers start at the same time.  They fly approximately 2,000 feet, land, stop, turn around, take off, fly 2,000 feet, land, stop.  The first one to stop wins.  If it was only that easy.  Most of the aircraft are working aircraft.  Some are souped up racers.  All are very good at this.

Photographically this race is fun to watch, and to plan.  First, with normal winds the first leg of the race is west to east.  Right into the morning sun.  Most of the races seem to be scheduled for the morning, as the winds are generally light.  But the light is perfect.  Because the runway is basically a hump, you can't see one end from the other.  At both ends, there is great action.  Visually, you win everywhere.  But I like to stand at the end of the first leg.  From this point, you can see the racing aircraft begin a slip in order to lose airspeed.  Usually slip to the right.  You are looking right at them.  And if you catch it just right, you can still get the prop at somewhat full speed.  There is a point where the engine power is cut and the prop is frozen on its own.  A photographer has enough issues shooting a prop at 1/80th without the prop freezing on its own.  For myself, I shot over 100 shots and only 10 are close to being OK.  But it was fun, and when the shots came out OK - awesome.  So I'm posting three shots today.  Two are really crisp, and one is pretty close.  I used Gigapixel on all three shots and I think it helped.  All three shots are aggressively cropped.  And all three are great screen backgrounds.

This aircraft is in a full slip.  The sun is catching the props just right.

STOL Yellow Slip

NIKON D500 Ver.1.30/NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED

300 mm, 1/80th sec, f/14, ISO 100

EV 0, MANUAL Mode, Size DX

This one is really good enlarged.  The pilot can be seen in the sunlight.  Good prop effect and really sharp.

STOL Red Silver Concentration

NIKON D500 Ver.1.30/NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED

300 mm, 1/80th sec, f/11, ISO 100

EV 0, MANUAL Mode, Size DX

This one came out super sharp, probably the best of the bunch.  You can really see the rudder deflection.

STOL Yellow Landing

NIKON D500 Ver.1.30/NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED

300 mm, 1/80th sec, f/11, ISO 100

EV 0, MANUAL Mode, Size DX

I have a few photos with two aircraft in the shot that I'll work on later.  This is a great class of aircraft to photograph and to just plain watch for fun.

1945 Spitfire - Static

One of the Lotto winning bucket list items is to take my aviation friends to England to see an Air Show.  We need to take in the aircraft that saved England from occupation.  And one of those aircraft I'd like to see flying is the Spitfire.  I'm not on the travel path yet, but I've now seen one.  This one was restored, and didn't move.  But I'm a step closer.

I'm fascinated by the Battle of Britain story.  The Battle of Britain is one of the first recognized air battles, ever.  There was a lot at stake.  The fate of an island nation was protected by the island peoples and their ingenuity.  

The Spitfire on display, the Spitfire XVIe was the last major version of the Spitfire to be powered by the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine.  It was powered by the US license built Packard Merlin 266 and was flown with both normal and clipped wings.  Total production of the type was 1,054, entering service in November 1944 and remaining in production until August 1945.  It was used as a fighter bomber against V2 rocket sites and airfields in the closing months of the European war.  A handful remained in RAF service until the mid-1950s.

There were four static shots I wanted from the air races in the military section.  A couple of F15s showed up, and for a memory lane trip I wanted those shots.  I've also been trying to get a good shot of the business end of an A10.  My limited previous attempts have not been successful for artistic purposes.  We'll see what happens this time.  There was a 1950 Fairey Fire Fly, more on that on another post.  And the venerable Spitfire.

I was lucky enough to get a few Spitfire shots in the early morning with a sunrise glow.  And a few with mid-day light.  And too many other people around later in the day.  You take what you can get.  All these shots were with the D850.

Spitfire Blue Sky

NIKON D850 Ver.1.20/NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR

28 mm, 1/250th sec, f/6.3, ISO 64

EV 0, MANUAL Mode, Size FX

Spitfire on the Ramp

NIKON D850 Ver.1.20/NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR

40 mm, 1/125th sec, f/4, ISO 64

EV 0, MANUAL Mode, Size FX

Spitfire Sunrise II

NIKON D850 Ver.1.20/NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR

40 mm, 1/125th sec, f/4, ISO 64

EV 0, MANUAL Mode, Size FX

For the sunrise shots, I did have some issues with getting the color just right.  I relied on help from Photomatix.  The shots are not total Photomatix, just some layers blended together.  I also tried to manage the background as best I could.  I like the tower shot.  And I'm not crazy about the Lockheed in the second shot, but getting any lower didn't do the sunrise any justice.

V-22 Osprey at the Air Races

I have not witnessed a V22 Osprey up close.  I thought I would see one in 2019 when I was at the MCAS Beaufort Air Show and there was a Marine Air-Ground Task Force show.  No luck.  I have seen the aircraft from afar.  And I remember the not so favorable press from many years ago.

That was a long time ago.  Seems the airframe is now very stable and a dependable part of the Marine Corps Air these days.

When I saw the Osprey Demo Team would be at the 2021 National Air Races, I was very happy.  The Osprey was developed in the late 80's with full production finally starting in 2005.  The Osprey was designed to fill a need for a new type of aircraft, that could not only take off and land vertically but also could carry combat troops, and do so at speed.

The V-22 Osprey uses 2-speed rotors, a 412 RPM for helicopter mode and for conversion to airplane mode and 333 RPM when the rotors are locked in propeller mode for forward flight.  A T-6 prop goes at 2250 RPM, and that is tough to catch at 1/80th shutter speed.  333 RPM would be very tough.  And it was.  And if was easy, everyone would have great photos.

I experimented with shutter speeds from 1/40th second to 1/120th.  I eventually settled on 1/80th, mostly because that is what I was using for the T-6s.  I was familiar with the light settings.  Go with what you know.

For the first two shots, I used the D500 and 70-200 lens.  The action was pretty close and the subject was relatively large, so I could get away with it.  For the last shot, I used the D850 and the 70-200.  I could almost get away with it, but I used Giga-Pixel to to help me out.

This first shot is the Osprey transitioning from a hover to level flight.

Osprey Flight Transition

NIKON D500 Ver.1.30/NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED)

300 mm, 1/80th sec, f/20, ISO 125 (AUTO)

EV 0, MANUAL Mode, Size DX

The Auto ISO is a mistake on my part.  For the most part, I used a fixed ISO at each camera's base setting.  Not sure what I was thinking at this point of time.  The D500's base ISO is 100, so at 125 I was close.

This next shot is the Osprey in level flight.

Osprey Level Flight

NIKON D500 Ver.1.30/NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED)

300 mm, 1/80th sec, f/18, ISO 100

EV 0, MANUAL Mode, Size DX

For Sunday, the last day of the Air Races, I had all the photos I really needed.  So, to change things up a bit, I put the 70-200 on the D850.  Playtime and experiment.  That really shortens up the reach, but I have software for that.  this shot was done with a little help from Gigapixel.

Osprey Level Flight

NIKON D850 Ver.1.20/NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED)

70 mm, 1/100th sec, f/14, ISO 100

EV 0, MANUAL Mode, Size DX

This was a bit on the challenging side.  I had about a 33% hit rate.  Slightly better than the T-6s.  It's all about knowing your subject.

Two Racing T-6s

The racing week in Reno is almost over.  I've been here for four days already.  Today was somewhat abbreviated as the high winds cancelled many of the heat races.  By the afternoon, even the heavier classes of Jets and Unlimited heats were cancelled for the day.  Tomorrow, the last day of the event, promises be only breezy ensuring a full day to the final races for each class.

This year, I focused on getting only shots I can get.  Sounds like a defeatist attitude, but it is not.  The distances involved, the speeds and size of the aircraft and the exposure considerations present a limit to what I can reasonably do with the equipment I brought.

My area of comfortable targets was lessened to almost what is directly in front of me.  And much closer.  But to counter that, I am also going for a much better image.  And for 80% of the action, that means working on the prop part of the image.

For the shutter speed, that means getting comfortable with 1/80th of a second.  That a good place to start for the prop classes.  That means sticking with the setting even though most of the shots are so blurry that 80% will be tossed on the first pass.  Again, that's OK because when one hits, it is very well worth the aggravation.

I'm also working with using Auto ISO when necessary.  Being necessary is to get shutter speeds over 1/2,000 th of a second for the Thunderbird's Demo program.  Will be very interested how much that cuts down on post work.

I've been getting to the field very early each day.  The rising sun is playing a lot of havoc on my static shots.  I may have to take three or four shots trying to get the blown sky to play with the undercarriage shadows.  

It's a been a great four days so far, and I got a lot of practice with manual exposure settings.

This following shot is at 1/80th of a second.  Great prop action, 360 degrees.  And I had to throw away the seven shots before it.  But that's OK, as this one is worth it.

Racing Two T-6s

NIKON D500 Ver.1.30/NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED

202 mm, 1/80th Sec, f/14, ISO 100

EV 0, MANUAL Mode, Size DX

When I started coming to Reno for the National Air Races, I had no idea how to get a shot like this.  This is the culmination of 3 years of work.  And a lot of thought.  And a lot of planning.  And not screwing up when the time comes.  My first year here I had over 3k shots.  Not one of them is this good.  Not that I have arrived, but this to me is clear progress.

Kurt Meets the Monster Richfield Snake

 The Video journey continues.

During the Thunder over Michigan airshow, I was introduced to the 360 degree video concept.  After some research and seeing it in action, I was hooked.  New technology.  New Toy.

Last night was the obligatory walk around the house.  Just enough footage to figure out the software end.  Footage to accompany lots of YouTube time.  After a few hours one can understand the process.  Still have a long way to go, as I just have the basics.  First step.

Today's adventure was just to see how long the thing can go on one battery.  And to see what it does.  The default resolution is 5k at 30 fps.    I'm not a fan of 30 fps, seems to pixelate more than I'm comfortable with.  I had settled on 1080 @ 60 fps for the cameras and GoPro.   Lowest common denominator that is still HD.  This camera does not have the option, so went with the default for now.  I caught what might be some pixilation or might be a stich issue.  For the most part though, the final product is more than acceptable.  After one try.

So I shot a lot of 'footage' today.  Just for testing.  And to be deleted.  Soon.  But during today's walk, the one thing that you hope would happen, happened.  Something unexpected, nature close up.

What to take away from this is had I been "Vlogging" with a Gopro, this capture is not made.  With the Insta360, even though I was the star and subject of  my walk, when the unexpected happens, you still got it.  So what I get from this is:  I still like the GoPro.  I think it has a better output.  You can get ND filters to help improve the final output.  But the Insta360 makes walking alone almost like walking with a film crew.

I'll keep the GoPro.  I'll keep videoing with the Nikons.  But so far, I really like the Insta.

London Skydrive 2021 - and what could have been

You know, you try to do everything right.  And then from nowhere.....

I didn't see this coming.  Everything for the Skydrive 2021 show is on such a tight timeline for 72 hours.

I had my Covid test taken at a location that is not Rite-aid or Walgreens.  Or at Quest Diagnostics.  Or at some  local government establishment.  I chose an establishment that specifically said their testing was good for travel.   And they didn't lie - the test was what was required.

There was/is a problem though.  The sheet with the test results is incomplete for  Canada.  Simple omission.  Canada requires name with DOB, dates and time of the test, type of test and result of test.  All of that information was on the sheet provided.   And Canada requires the place where the test was administered.  And the place that is not Rite-Aid, Walgreens sheet did not have that information.

The test took more than 36 hours to process, taking another test was out of the question.

I called their support to see if another form was available where the test location might be mentioned.  I was able to get another form with a code of the testing location.  It was suggested by the support person that I have the border patrol person 'Google' the cade and the location would be found.

I have crossed the Canadian border enough times to respect the border agents and the job they do.  When I have the correct identification and follow the rules, it all works well.  I have seen a border crossing apprehension.  It isn't pretty.  I'm not going to ask an agent to 'Google' something.  I think that would make the visit very short.

Live to see another show - new motto.

Reno is in a couple of weeks.  While I'm 98% certain of travel, there are some issues I continue to watch.  There is a wild fire close by.  And as of today, the area is a Covid hot spot.  So the wait is on.  

Heritage Flight - P51 and F35

As I've mentioned before, and most definitely reserve the right to say over and over again, Heritage Flights are difficult to photograph.  Not that these are once in a lifetime events, but half of the show is disappearing and will be gone at some point.  So you don't want to miss the opportunity.

It seem as if I have settled in on 1/160th second for WWII aircraft.  I'd like the get 360 degrees on the prop blur, so may have to slow to 1/100th.  But at what cost?  But you don't know until you try.  And try I will.

One of the nice things about going to an airshow three days in a row, you have a good idea of what is coming.  For a one day adventure, I will have to be much faster.

In these two Heritage Flight shots, I have a cheat and a save.  For the cheat, I waited until the P51 was perpendicular to me.  Took the shot at a normal 1/1600th sec.  Nice and sharp - and the prop unless you are really looking for it  is tough to tell it is frozen.  Cheating, eh?  Maybe.  And the save?  Had to sharpen the shot more than I'm usually comfortable with.  But it turned out OK.  Never know what you get unless you try.

The Cheat:

Heritage Flight - P51, F35 and A10

NIKON D500 Ver.1.30/NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED

202 mm, 1/1600 sec, f/3.5, ISO 160

EV 0, MANUAL Mode, Size DX

And the Save:

Heritage Flight - P51 and F35

NIKON D500 Ver.1.30/NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR

570 mm, 1/160 sec, f/5.6, ISO 160 (ND 0.9 filter)

EV 0, MANUAL Mode, Size DX

Countdown to London Skydrive 2021

Many events claim to be the best.  Who really knows?  And who really tabulates the information?  I've never been asked about ranking events.  Well, that's not really true.  I never answer anything.

All that being said, the London air show, on paper, looks to be really good.  London Skydrive 2021.  I bought a ticket last year, but that didn't work out so well.  I bought my ticket for the 2021 show in April, long before the border was open.  Have to have a little faith.

Well, the border is open.  Not just drive though open though.  There are still a few hurdles to clear.  First is to determine the requirements for border crossing.  From what I've read, you have to (maybe should?) register your trip or crossing.  There is an app for this.  So I've created an account.  My trip can't be registered until 72 hours prior.  And I can't register the trip until I have proof of a negative Covid test taken within 72 hours of my border crossing.  And there different Covid tests.   And not all of them are recognized for border crossings.

The pre-trip has been an interesting learning journey.

As to the show, there is a photo pit.  And there are still tickets.  But.....  From what I can see, there isn't much benefit from the location.  You're not by your car, there is no shade provided.  You're on the tarmac.  On a possibly sunny day.  Been there, done that enough times, it can/will get HOT.  I need to see this before I invest.

As to the show, part II:  Line up looks fantastic.  Headliners are the Canadian Snowbirds and the Blue Angels.  Supporting cast include CF-18 Hornet Demo Team, F-16 Viper Demo Team, E-2C Hawkeye, C-2 Greyhound, KC-135 Stratotanker, P-8 Posiden, Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin and HC-144 Sentry.  And a E-3 Sentry (AWACS).

Lots of first timers for me.  The CF-18 Demo team should be great.  They can decal up an aircraft.  And the Snowbirds are supposed to put on an excellent show.

This may sound odd, but the aircraft I want to see most is the AWACS.  The AWACS takes me back to Okinawa.  The AWACS had a detachment there.  This is a memory lane trip for me.

This is from the early 80's.  Yes. they had color film back then.  I would sit on a hill overlooking the runways to take shots with my Minolta XG-1.  And the film would be developed by a local Japanese firm.  I spent a lot of Yen on bad photos.  Hopefully another item off the memory lane bucket list.

So the airshow, for me, will begin Wednesday.  I'll get the Covid test.  I should test negative.  And that might be the easy part.  Then the pressure starts.  The hard part will be to capture the props and helicopters as always.

And then be able to cross back.

The C17 Globemaster Multiple Points

I didn't like the C17.  Didn't like it at all.  It is small.  Sounds like a female moose in heat.  (Fact).  Small crew, no Flight Engineer.  What's the point?  I didn't like the C17 in the way that a big brother says they don't like their little brother.  I'm a C5 guy.  That is also a fact.  I'm also very proud of what the C17 has done this week.  In the same way a big brother is proud of the little brother, when the little brother does good.

Cargo is cargo.  The cargo air crews move the freight.  The C5 had its most famous non-freight flight in Viet Nam.  This week the C17 did the same.  As a cargo crew alumni, I am proud.  Whatever number you go with, either 600+ or 800+, this crew did it right.  As I was listening to their story on the news this morning, and they were talking about the training - I had flashbacks.

I saw a C17 fly an airshow demo at MCAS Beaufort in April of 2019.  I lost of lot of my personal hate toward the airframe that day.  It flew like a fighter.  OK, at over-weight fighter.  But it still moved well.  I had a chance to tour a C17 in Reno later that year.  As I sat in the co-pilot's seat, I identified myself as part of the Cargo Club.  From the pilot's seat, the Moose driver pointed to a small area on the overhead console, and said that was the Flight Engineer.  We had a chuckle.  I made a brief comment about George (auto pilot).  I didn't press the point too hard, as I had a long way to go to get off the aircraft.  Again, more chuckling.  It's a club thing.

What's common between the C5, the C17 and the very special breed it takes to crew the C-130 is the air crew.  We're not a fast jet crew.  But when cargo, or people, needs moving the cargo aircrew will get the job done.

To the C17 crew of the special cargo moved this week - Cheers!  May you never have to buy another drink, anywhere, again.

I have a previous post of a C17 takeoff here.  That was the best picture of the bunch for the day for me.  Best being easiest to edit.  But with a few more years of editing behind me, I could tackle the difficulties I caused my self that day.

That day, I made photography tough on myself.  Didn't meter right.  Used spot metering.  I remember it well, like it was yesterday.  Last time I ever used spot metering.  At least the shot was in focus.  Small victories, and RAW format.  And layers and masking.

This is the C17 doing a dirty pass for the show.  Looks like the gear is not fully down and locked.  Looking back, 1/4000 second shutter speed is unnecessarily fast.  And the ISO could easily be taken to 100.  Call it learning curve.

C17 Dirty Pass

NIKON D500 Ver.1.15/NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6E ED VR

217 mm, 1/4000 sec, f/5.6, ISO 250 (AUTO)

EV -1, MANUAL Mode, Size DX

Shooting way above the horizon gave a nice blue sky.  Getting closer to the horizon, gives a more hazy look.  Same sky.  Lots of South Carolina humidity.  And distance.

C17 on Approach

NIKON D500 Ver.1.15/NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6E ED VR

375 mm, 1/4000 sec, f/5.6, ISO 100 (AUTO)

EV -1, MANUAL Mode, Size DX

In a week, I will get a chance to see the Moose fly at the London (Ont) airshow.  I'll bring a few more years photography experience.  Still thinking what combos to take across the border.  Less equipment would probably be better.  But....  What's the fun in less?  Anyway, the demo will mean a bit more to me this time around.

B17 Yankee Lady - Low Pass

One of the benefits of photographing aircraft from our location at the Thunder over Michigan show at the end/beginning of the show flight path was the banking profiles of the aircraft that were flying close to us lining up for flight in front of the spectators.  The prevailing winds for the show generally put us at the entrance to the flight path.

One of the last photos for me of the event was of the Yankee Lady doing her thing.  At two and a half days in the books, I was truthfully photoed out.  For Sunday, I had put the long lenses away and was going to work with only subjects close to me.  But I'm a sucker for the local B17 and anytime I see it flying, I will try for something.

As to the photo, finally had some decent sky to work with.  But what really got me was the tack sharp image.  On the aluminum skin, it is rivet peeping.  Prop blur, check.  No sharpener needed for this one.  And the nose art, perfect.  So it gets posted.  Noting fancy, just technically good.

The Yankee Lady in a low pass.

B17 Yankee Lady Low Pass

NIKON D500 Ver.1.30/NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED

202 mm, 1/160 sec, f/14, ISO 100

EV 0, MANUAL Mode, Size DX

By the end of the show, I had a few things figured out.  Nailed the ISO at 100.  I usually don't like using any aperture setting above F/11 - but the F/14 did its job and I can't find any issues with it.  With this lens, I'd use it again.

Heritage Flight - F4U Corsair and EA18G Growler

I am a big fan of World War II air power.  What a time for the development of aircraft.  By the time an aircraft was designed, produced and landed for the first time, there is a good chance it was almost obsolete.  But I do like the lines of a slide rule designed aircraft.

One of my favorite WWII aircraft is the F4U Corsair.  The distinctive design gets to me.  Big engine, big engine noise.  And a TV show.  But mostly the design speaks to me.  It is so different, unique.  See it from miles away.  Two years ago, I saw this plane fly in SC.  Great show, and a good photo.  

I am also a big fan of the Heritage Flights during air shows.  History in review.  In the Thunder over Michigan show, there were three sets of such flights.  All were fun to watch.  Most were not so much fun to photograph.  First, you have to photograph for the slowest aircraft.  Usually prop driven.  And in the case of this past weekend's A10 flights, the aircraft color matched the sky.  No contrast.  There will be other opportunities.

This is a good USN pairing, the F4U Corsair and the EA18G Growler.  This was taken on the Sunday.  On the third day of the show, I was going for for more quality shot than distance.  I was using the 70-200 f/2.8 lens on the D500.  Not enough reach for most of the show, but when they turned in close I could get some nice shots.  The issue with close in shots, it is more difficult to catch a clear image at 1/160th second as the pair are moving aster across the sky the closer you are to the target.  So there were a lot of blurry throw away shots - and one keeper.

The keeper.

Heritage Flight - F4U Corsair and EA18G Growler

NIKON D500 Ver.1.30/NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED

300 mm, 1/160 sec, f/14, ISO 100

EV 0, MANUAL Mode, Size DX

That gray sky is a killer.  Almost looks like a B&W with a F4 color insert.  That 1/160 sec shutter speed is just right for that aircraft.

Mix 650+ MPH and Humidity and you get..... The F-35 Vapor Shots

I have a number of photos of fast jet tail pipes from last weekend at the Thunder Over Michigan show.  Seriously, most every demonstration show team has a speed run.  Don't hold your breath for the A10.  But I'll get to the Warthog later in another post.  But the fast jets will definitely get the Mach meter going.  We were close enough on the flight path for these speed runs, you can not turn fast enough through 150 degrees.  

Most of the time during the weekend event, the F-35 was the early show, which means there was humidity to work with.  Just like having mother nature as a partner.

You know the run is coming.  You can see everyone looking down the flight path.  You are on the right side if this.  Those poor folks at the other end of the show will miss this entirely.  But you catch a glimpse of a small dot against a cloud.  The dot gets larger.  You get the dot in viewfinder.  You hit the focus.  You press the shutter release button - and if you are lucky you will get more than the tailpipe.

It is close to that fast.

In the humidity, the air pressure around the speeding aircraft changes quickly.  This makes possible art to be captured.  The air being pushed causes a vapor area to be created, then the vapor will disappear almost as quickly as the aircraft moves forward.  The vapor cloud may last only a second or two.  You just press the take photo button and hang on.

And with a bit of luck, you can get your shot.  The luck comes in that one of these vapor clouds happens at the same time you have the camera in action.  If you see the cloud, it is often too late to catch it.   Although you might catch the one forming right after the one you saw disappear.  

My lucky shots.  Both are pretty much the same - fast jet in a cloud.

F35 Sonic Cone

NIKON D500 Ver.1.30/NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR

465 mm, 1/1600 sec, f/5.6, ISO 180 (AUTO)

EV 0, MANUAL Mode, Size DX

F35 Sonic Cloud

NIKON D500 Ver.1.30/NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR

615 mm, 1/1600 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 (AUTO)

EV 0, MANUAL Mode, Size DX

Lots of room for improvement, such as maybe a bit more light via sunny skies.  I get to see the team at Reno in a few weeks.  The sunshine will be plentiful - the straight line vapor not so much.

Almost Perfect Blue Angel Cross

In photographing the service Demo Teams, you could argue that once you've seen them perform and have some photographs of them - what else is left?  To a certain extent that might be true.  I have some great photos of the Blue Angels from two years ago at MCAS Beaufort.  Blue skies, with just a hint of haze.  And the only reason I know there was haze, is because when the skies in Reno are clear, it is really clear blue.  Again, I fall back to the Best Buy TV conundrum.  Then you get a hazy Michigan sky, flat as can be.  Even Photomatix can't do anything with it.  Couple a flat sky with the air show smoke which didn't evaporate this weekend and photography is a real challenge.  Doh!  With that, many of my Blue Angel shots are throw aways.  Practice.

I have a number of good team formation shots.  When these formations go by now, I mostly enjoy the show.  And looking for the next cross maneuver.  It is an art.

What I don't have, is the perfect cross shot.  Frankly,  I'm not sure the perfect cross shot exists.  It's not my white whale, but close.  So when I get the almost perfect cross shot, I can't let a flat sky, slight motion blur issue and a bit of distance get in my way.  Like most projects, just break it down and attack what you can.

The distance issue is easy - Gigapixel.  If this was just going to be a web post, this step wasn't necessary.  But this shot is going to be screen saver so gave it a bit of a push.  This shot also had a bit of motion blur.  And yes, motion blur is possible at 1/3200 second.  

When setting up for a cross shot, you follow either the left or the right aircraft until they intersect, then press the button.  I find it is easier to follow the aircraft from the right.  Following this aircraft, as you pan left with your right eye in the viewer, you can see the aircraft on the left coming in when it is close with your left eye.   With practice, it becomes easier.  This would be really great if the aircraft coming in from the right was closest to you.  The aircraft coming in from the right will remain in focus, while the passing aircraft will have just a hint of blur.  The closing speed on these aircraft is over 900 MPH.  But it always seems that I'm following the wrong aircraft.  Must be a pilot union thing.  But we are talking just a bit of blur - and a touch of sharpening will save it.

Replacing the sky is the tricky part.  I've found that to really be successful with sky replacement, just tweak it a bit, don't go overboard.  In this case, I need something that is 10 degrees from flat,  Something with just a bit of definition.  I will often take sky photos for just this purpose, replacements.  I had a shot of some storm clouds that with a bright adjustment would fit the bill.  The aircraft have nice edging so the mask was very easy.

Put it all together and:  The Almost Perfect Cross

Blue Angels - Almost Perfect Cross

NIKON D500 Ver.1.30/NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED

300 mm, 1/3200 sec, f/3.5, ISO 140 (AUTO)

EV 0, MANUAL Mode, Size DX

While technically the shot is Photoshopped, the aircraft are real.  I can live with that.