by "ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
Published 11/01/2017 at 14:59
by "ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
Published 11/01/2017 at 14:59
Tags: Planelopnik
STARS: 17
I finally got done editing my photos from the Fort Worth Alliance Air Show last Sunday. Here is a sample, with a link to the whole gallery (which looks better on SmugMug than on Kinja).
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"davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com" (davesaddiction)
11/01/2017 at 15:06, STARS: 0
Awesome.
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
11/01/2017 at 15:07, STARS: 1
Thank you! I’m really happy with these, and thank god for Lightroom. The light was pretty bad by late afternoon, and LR saved a few pictures that would have been lost otherwise.
"EL_ULY" (uly)
11/01/2017 at 15:14, STARS: 0
COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL! Excellent and quality work duuude!
"Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura)
11/01/2017 at 15:14, STARS: 0
Great shots. It helps that you’ve shot many air shows.
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
11/01/2017 at 15:19, STARS: 0
Going back and looking at other shows I’ve shot in the past, I can see a steady improvement. Not just in gear, but in process, location, execution, etc. It’s nice to know that I’m actually learning something! Check out some of my recent trips to the airport.
https://tshaff.smugmug.com/Aviation
"davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com" (davesaddiction)
11/01/2017 at 15:20, STARS: 0
Yes - RAW + Lr is the savior of many “lost” photos.
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
11/01/2017 at 15:20, STARS: 0
These weren’t even edited from RAW, just JPG. Maybe I’ll shoot in RAW next time.
"Chariotoflove" (chariotoflove)
11/01/2017 at 15:36, STARS: 0
Thunderbirds FTW! Is that a T-38? I didn’t think they still flew those. Gorgeous plane in that livery.
Well done!
"davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com" (davesaddiction)
11/01/2017 at 15:39, STARS: 1
If you’re using Lightroom, and haven’t starting shooting RAW yet, I’d really suggest you do so. It’s a true digital “negative”, and allows you to actually change the white balance and exposure after the fact. Of course, it means you’ll always have to convert the filetype before sharing anywhere, but that extra step has proven worth it to me.
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
11/01/2017 at 15:42, STARS: 2
Thanks! The Thunderbirds fly the F-16 now, but flew the T-38 (pictured) from 1973-1982. The Thunderbirds transitioned from the F-4 Phantom II to the T-38 during the oil crisis of the 1970s. Apparently, all the T-38s used as much fuel as a single F-4. The T-Birds dumped the T-38 after a training crash killed four pilots in 1982. During the same period, the Blue Angels moved from the F-4 to the A-4 Skyhawk for the same reason.
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
11/01/2017 at 15:43, STARS: 1
I’ll have to buy bigger memory cards! I have fiddled with RAW before, and actually saved a photo shoot for my son’s soccer team because I shot in RAW. There’s another air show in San Antonio on Sunday. Maybe I’ll give it a shot then.
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
11/01/2017 at 15:44, STARS: 0
Thank you!
"Chariotoflove" (chariotoflove)
11/01/2017 at 15:48, STARS: 0
That was my understanding, too. That’s why I was surprised to see a T-38 in your photos. So I guess it’s a retired plane being flown by someone else for the air show?
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
11/01/2017 at 16:00, STARS: 2
Yes. In fact, you can see an FAA registration number in the back window, NX385AF. Apparently, it belongs to, and is flown, by Ross Perot Jr, is based at Fort Worth Alliance, and is called the Spirit of Alliance . However, it doesn’t show up on any of the flight tracking sites.
I saw some men wearing polos with the name of some company, identified as “A Ross Perot Company.” So Perot and his gang must be pretty big wheels in FW. Ross Perot himself set a world record for flying a helicopter around the world, and Alliance is also the home of Bell Helicopters. So, apparently, it’s a home base for the military industrial complex.
"davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com" (davesaddiction)
11/01/2017 at 16:02, STARS: 0
First result from a “benefits of shooting RAW” search:
https://photographyconcentrate.com/10-reasons-why-you-should-be-shooting-raw/
Good example of what’s possible with an overexposed image:
https://gizmodo.com/why-you-should-be-shooting-raw-in-one-simple-gif-1607230731
"Chariotoflove" (chariotoflove)
11/01/2017 at 16:12, STARS: 1
I do see that number. Interesting. Didn’t know Perot was big into flying. I’m kinda surprised a pirate plane is allowed to wear that livery, but I guess it can, since it does.
"craig-oesterling" (craig-oesterling)
11/01/2017 at 16:14, STARS: 0
Nice images! I really like the highly detailed panning shots of the Blue Angels. seeing details in the cockpit and on the pilots helmet is really cool. What length lens did you use for those flybys?
"WilliamsSW" (williamssw)
11/01/2017 at 16:15, STARS: 0
Wow!!! Some awesome stuff, and I’m only looking at the Kinja pics right now.
The one of the skydivers with the flag unfurled, and of the 5 and 6 Blue Angels with the gear down (and up?) really stuck out - -but all fantastic shots.
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
11/01/2017 at 16:27, STARS: 1
That was pretty amazing. Thanks. I am only scratching the surface of LR with a dull knife, and I am entirely self taught. (“Well, let’s see what this does...”)
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
11/01/2017 at 16:34, STARS: 1
Thanks. That one of the reverse jets was a damned lucky shot, and it was rescued by Lightroom. In the old days, that would have been a throwaway. But I like to think that I get better with every show, and I think, looking back at my earlier work, that is very much the case. It gives a real satisfaction that I am finally starting to reach the level of work that I have always aspired to, but I know there is still lots of room for growth. Which means more air shows!
I couldn’t really catch it on film, but as those guys were descending with the flag, two acrobat pilots were flying circles around them. It was pretty cool.
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
11/01/2017 at 16:39, STARS: 1
Thanks. One of my favorites is the top shot, where you can actually see the pilots of No. 2 and No. 3 looking at the lead plane as they fly. The formation pilots never look where they are going, only at the Boss. You can see that as well in the mirror image shot, where No. 6 is looking dead at No. 5, not straight ahead.
The long shots were taken with a Canon 50D and a Tamron 70-200 f/2.8. The lens is full frame, while the body is APS-C, or crop sensor. This gives me an effective reach of 112-320mm. When you’re close to the action, that’s really about all you need. I see guys out there shooting with howitzers, but I think I’m doing pretty well with my kit.
Be sure to hit the link to the web gallery, if you haven’t already done so. The pictures are larger there, and look better on the screen. I think Kinja dumbs things down a bit.
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
11/01/2017 at 17:42, STARS: 1
There are plenty of privately owned ex-warbirds that are flying around in spot-on military livery. I have no idea what regulations, if any, govern that sort of thing. Of course, they are all vintage aircraft. There are no privately owned F-16s flying around.
"WilliamsSW" (williamssw)
11/01/2017 at 20:21, STARS: 1
I’ve seen similar displays like that - very cool but I would think basically impossible to get a great shot of the aircraft circling.
Any answer that comes back as “more airshows” must be correct.
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
11/01/2017 at 20:54, STARS: 1
You can pull out to get the action, but then everything will be too small to see.
"Agrajag" (Agrajag)
11/01/2017 at 22:18, STARS: 0
Frikkin’ awesome!
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
11/02/2017 at 00:00, STARS: 1
Thank you! I’m very proud of these.
"craig-oesterling" (craig-oesterling)
11/02/2017 at 08:04, STARS: 0
Thanks, I did look at the link. Actually, I went directly there and didn’t even look at the images here. :-) I figured you were on a crop-sensor. It’s nice how much extra reach that can give you, isn’t it?
I just looked thru them again. you’ve got some sweet shots! They’re really crisp, nicely framed, and not hyper-saturated! I see what you mean about those formation shots. I’ve seen the Blue Angels a number of times, and they’re always stunning. That crossing shot you’ve got is great too. The amount of discipline and self-control those pilots have is staggering. I can’t imagine flying a beast like that without looking where it is going.
I noticed in the Heritage flight that the F-16 pilot is following the P-51's lead. I know he’s practically at stall-speed while the Mustang is pushing! I love seeing these types of groups though. Thanks for sharing!
By the way, do you have an instagram account? I’d love to follow you.
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
11/02/2017 at 10:34, STARS: 1
It is nice having the crop sensor, though there are times when I just can’t back up enough. I’ve thought about investing in a FF body, but then I’d lose some reach, and that would be unfortunate. Without unlimited funds, my photographic life is a but of a compromise, but I do the best I can.
Thanks for your kind words, and thanks for noticing. I know there are people out there who think that all cropping should be done inside the camera, but I think a good crop is extremely important, and really necessary when you are shooting things that are going hundreds of miles per hour. But even the photo of the yoke inside the C-1 Trader was cropped. I crop very carefully and deliberately, with the understanding that a good crop can focus the eye right where you want it to go, or even impart a sense of motion. The empty area is of equal importance to the subject, something I equate to a jazz player talking about “space” in his solo (I am a musician by trade, but not a jazzer).
There is an old saying that luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. I think that is often the case when photographing action, whether it’s an air show, a soccer game, or a school play. You have to be in the right location, you have to be able to predict what will happen, you have to have the right gear and you have to make sure your batteries are charged. One of my favorite shots is the crossing shot of the two solo pilots, where the front plane is in focus but the back plane is blurred. The BA’s do a number of crossing maneuvers, and you can put your camera on full auto and still only hope to get the moment the jets pass. I missed all but that one (there is no photography without regret). For that shot I mentioned, I chose one plane, panned on that one, and happened to capture the moment they crossed. That was a combination of knowing what they were going to do, having the camera prepared, and being in the right location. It was lucky, but not as lucky as if I just picked up the camera and fired a single shot (which, ironically, is what I did for that photo of the Oracle plane cutting the wire).
As for the photo processing, I’m getting there. I have only just started to use Lightroom, and am learning on the fly. I have only scratched the surface of the program with a dull knife, and I have a lot to learn. At the end of the day, I know what I like and I just hope others will like it too.
No, no Instagram, no Facebook, and I don’t Twit. Just Oppo, which is kind of like Facebook for car people. I’m pretty old fashioned. Since I’ve got a job that often works weekends, and kids and soccer games and all that, I don’t get out as much as I’d like. Most of my trips are down to the local airport, and those shots are available from that link as well. Airliners.net was always my inspiration, and while I don’t aspire to getting posted there, the style and quality of much of the work on that site is my goal. I feel like I’m finally getting there.
Sorry for the wall of text, but it’s something airplanes and history and photography are all near to my heart and I’ll talk about all of it all day if you let me. Thanks again for the kind words.
"craig-oesterling" (craig-oesterling)
11/02/2017 at 14:10, STARS: 0
I grew up going to airshows with my dad. Upstate New York area, so we’d get Rochester, Syracuse, Buffalo or Niagara Falls, Toronto, and one of the best, Geneseo. He’d set up his 35mm and let me shoot some. First time I tried panning shots. I don’t remember if any of them ever turned out or not!
Now I mostly shoot cars, but the photographic principles you mentioned are the same. Especially when shooting at the track. Oddly enough, I haven’t been using burst mode when panning. I guess I like to have some control over the exact moments I try to capture. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t!
I’m shooting with a 6D, which I like. I don’t currently have a long lens, though I rented one last year for an event. It was pretty epic having a Sigma 150-600mm! I rarely used its full length.
Here’s a link to my post on oppo from The Mitty earlier this year. There are links to the previous posts at the bottom: http://oppositelock.kinja.com/the-2017-mitty-through-my-lens_pt-4-1795132450
And a post from my time at Laguna Seca in 2016 (only time I’ve been in California!) of the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, which is what I rented the lens for: http://oppositelock.kinja.com/rolex-monterey-motorsports-reunion-150-photos-1786410721
Thanks for sharing!
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
11/02/2017 at 14:42, STARS: 1
I rarely use burst mode. I go to the airport or an airshow and I hear guys blazing away. While it might get that one shot, it also means you have thousands of pictures to comb through when you get home.
My 70-200 is a Tamron f/2.8. They just released a new version that I haven’t tried yet, and it lists for about $1,300. B&H is selling the older version, the one I have, with IS, for under $1,000. That’s a steal for a lens that is nearly as good as the Canon L lens. Sigma also makes a very good 70-200 that is well within the price range of the hobbyist.
I’d love to have a 6D, but I’d probably use it with a short lens, or put the 70-200 on it for doing portraits or closer up stuff. But there’s no money in the budget for anything like that right now. So it goes.
Love the race shots! Were you in a special photo position, or was that just the kind of angle that anybody can get? I’ve never shot a race, but it would be almost pointless without good access. If I went to the F1 race at COTA, I probably wouldn’t even bring a camera.
"craig-oesterling" (craig-oesterling)
11/02/2017 at 16:35, STARS: 1
I actually did have Press credentials as I was out there shooting other events for Michelin. First time at a race and I’ve got that kind of access to shoot those kinds of cars!! It was unbelievable. Still, at least at Laguna Seca I think the regular access areas had some pretty great views.
I invested in the 6D when it came out, but I haven’t sprung for better lenses yet. My favorite is still the Canon 50mm 1.8. I get great results with that little lens. Glad you like my shots!
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
08/02/2018 at 12:58, STARS: 1
Looking back at old posts and came across this one. I have now gone entirely onto the RAW bandwagon. I shot my whole South Dakota vacation in RAW. As you suggested, when using LR there is simply no reason not to shoot in RAW. The results speak for themselves.
"davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com" (davesaddiction)
08/02/2018 at 14:13, STARS: 1
Nice! Glad I could point you in the right direction.