October 2010
ISnAP
Meet the Member: Hayman Tam
An Eclectic Look at Long Island Aviation Martin Z. Schmidt
Comments from the Chair:
Well, six months after the fact, I’m finally getting some breathing room following our successful ISAP-IX get-together in Las Vegas. Contributing to that “empty space” has been a slowdown in the aviation photography business as a result of the international economic downturn. Times are tough for many of us who make a living, at least in part, photographing airplanes.
Gadget Bag by Jay Miller
I’ve had feedback from all levels of ISAP membership on how difficult things really are. Yes, there’s still a lot of activity, but unlike in times past, it’s much more sporadic and unpredictable. Assignments pay less on average and it is not helping that there are more and more photographers seeking fewer and fewer jobs. I am not here to offer any solutions. If I had one or several, I’d be putting it or them to work for yours truly. It’s tough fighting scenarios wherein clients have gone belly-up, or have reduced production, or have consolidated their corporate offices in some other state. I have heard numerous stories from many of you, and the picture is not a happy one. But all is not lost. As one who spends an inordinate amount of time reading through seemingly innumerable aviation trade journals, there is a presumptuous, semi-optimistic, and generally upbeat view that the aviation industry is turning around. I’m of the opinion there is truth in these predictions. And believe me when I say I can be as cynical about such prognostications as anyone. Let’s just say I am cautiously optimistic – and that what I am seeing in the local aviation business community gives me serious reason for hope and reflects on the bigger, international scene. So for those of you who butter your bread in lock-step with your photo assignments, don’t give up. There’s a little light at the end of the tunnel. No, I’m not Nostradamos, but I am confident the economic community will eventually recover, and many of us eventually will see a serious uptick in photo assignments.
The ISAP website: http://www.aviationphotographers.org/ ISAP on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group. php?gid=83013491465&ref=share
Jay
I’m a big believer in using flash for just about everything. Many years ago I spent a couple of days with ISAP Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Howard Levy. This is back in the days of film, mind you, so you can doubly understand my surprise when, in the middle of a bright, sunny, summer day in Texas, Howie opened his camera bag and pulled out his flash. When I asked him what the hell he was doing that for, he smiled and mentioned something that at that time I had never heard of – fill flash. It didn’t register at the time - but it most certainly does today. Looking back at that small paradigm moment in my life, I understand now why there was almost always something special about Howie’s photos when I saw them in Air Progress, Antique Airplane Association News, Flying
Review, and miscellaneous other ephemerals and books of the day. They always had a magic “pop” to them that I could never quite explain. Finally, I understood his secret.
into things and inadvertently reconfigured the “bend” I had put in it, but it took maybe two seconds to reconfigure it back to whatever bend angle or curvature I had had before.
That’s Howie’s legacy to me. I have not forgotten it. So, only rarely will you see me shooting static objects of any kind without a flash onboard. And even when the subject is moving, if it makes any sense at all to use a little fill flash, I will. The difference it makes in a photograph is subtle, but noticeable. On occasion, it can even be dramatic.
There are two other, bigger, versions of the Flashbender. One is called the “Large Postionable Reflector”. It measures 10” wide by 11” tall. The other is called the “Small Positionable Reflector” and it measures 7” tall by 10” wide. Both of these larger units can be used to tilt, block, bounce, beam, shape, bend, or “curve” light in an almost endless variety of ways.
Anyway, will save flash technique and technology and hardware for an ISAP presentation in the future. For now, I’d like to tell those of you who use flash with even modest regularity about a small attachment I stumbled across in one of the camera magazines, and then bought at my local camera shop (Arlington Camera). It’s called a “FlashBender” and the company that manufactures it is Rogue Photographic Design under their Expo Imaging corporate umbrella (http://www.expoimaging. com/product-detail.php?cat_id=13&product_id=21).
The price for the small unit I have is $29.95 The Small Positionable FlashBender is $34.95, and the price for the Large Positionable FlashBender is $39.95. They are, in my opinion, well worth their cost.
Basically, the company describes FlashBenders (there are several variations to the theme) as being “...a system of unique, shapeable light modifiers for shoe mounted flash that enable unparalleled control for strobe lighting enthusiasts. Manufactured to meet the demanding needs of location photographers, FlashBenders’ patent pending design provides complete control over the shape of the reflector. FlashBenders represent a new approach to controlling light. They are positionable; the user can bend a FlashBender into almost any position and it will assume that shape, staying in position until you reform it. FlashBenders are made from the highest quality materials, including genuine Cordura nylon with genuine Velcro fasteners. FlashBenders’s white reflective surfaces are made from a durable, wipeable, synthetic fabric that has been tested for neutrality so that it won’t alter the color temperature of the reflected light from a strobe. FlashBenders fit a wide range of shoe mounted flash units, including those manufactured by Canon, Konica, Metz, Minolta, Nikon, Nissin, Olympus, Panasonic, Pentax, Quantum, Sigma, Sony, and Vivitar. I am particularly pleased with how well the Velcro strap fits and holds the FlashBender in place. Equipped with a strong elastic band, the strap stretches tightly around the flash head and the Velcro holds it firmly in place. There’s zero slippage and no way it can damage the flash. I bought the smallest of the three FlashBenders currently available. It’s called the Bendable Bounce Card and it measures 5” wide by 9” tall. It works great, allowing me to direct my flash, bounce it, or keep the flash light off of something that might otherwise reflect light in the form of a hot spot. Apparently there is a metal rod of some sort imbedded in the FlashBender’s main surface that holds it in place once its bent per the user’s discretion. I have not had a single tiny problem with it at any level. On occasion, I’ve bumped
Jay
An Eclectic Look at Long Island Aviation Martin Z. Schmidt
For more years than I choose to remember I have been an “aviation freak.” As a kid, hand drawn pictures, Revell and Monogram plastic models (using a hot knife to make props spin), single piston engine models, collecting WWII memorabilia, magazines, intermittent private flights, outdoor air shows, museums, then finally the lessons…. If you’re old enough, you get the picture.
Until 15 years ago, as a hobbyist in the renaissance arts, I really never considered photography an art form. Then I came across the work of Steichen and Stieglitz and something clicked (no pun intended). After much personal research I started relating my photographic efforts to macro work in the natural world, photo essays, portraits and aviation.
Around five years ago, by simply asking, I got the opportunity through Tom Gwynn, the museum’s programming director, to do some isolated photographic work at The Cradle
of Aviation Museum on Long Island. Having seen some of my work, Tom suggested I shoot with an end goal of providing the photos for the museum to create a calendar. I shot for three months working around my business and personal schedule gratis. In the end, for financial reason’s, the museum’s board decided not to extend the production cost for a loss leader. It was a wonderful experience though, having the museum to myself, with an assistant to lift me on scissors jacks when applicable, with Canon offering their equipment and assistance as well. Some of the work is now hanging in the museum shop, with card stock photo reprints available.
Coupled with years of shooting air show static displays and ground-to-air pictures, photographically I began to feel very unsatisfied relative to both the excitement I felt at the shows as well as to my artistic nature, and decided to do something a bit different.
Working with various software packages some of my own tastes surfaced, apart from learning various new techniques. Ultimately I requested some exhibition time for An Eclectic Look at Long Island Aviation. The Port Washington Public Library, originally designed by the renowned I. M. Pei and a beautiful edifice in it’s own right, runs monthly art and six bi-monthly photographic exhibitions. Their director viewed some of the originals and offered the space.
To round out the exhibition, coupled with the Cradle’s photos, I contacted and ultimately photographed the American Airpower Museum at Republic Airfield owned and operated by the Clyman family, the 106th Combat Air Rescue Wing in Westhampton, and various private owners such as Paul Farber and his T-6 Texan aptly decorated in Stars and Stripes. The shoot at the American Airpower Museum took place on the weekend the museum honored this country’s D-Day veterans. It was quite an honor to meet a number of vets who served with such distinction and who remembered and relived with such humility, crediting only their lost friends and colleagues as the true heroes. At the 106th, Major Scott A. Williams was my contact and escort. While their repertoire of aircraft by type is limited to retrofitted (for rescue operations) Blackhawk helicopters and C130’s, their history and record is nothing short of spectacular. The unit’s story is worthy of another feature unto itself. I enjoyed the change of pace - art for art’s sake. Though the photos worked on represent a very minor portion of aviation photos taken, I have been rewarded by the response from the general public as well as veterans and visiting private pilots. I’ve never really had the opportunity to shoot from the air, but I’m still searching for the avenue to do so. I’ve always admired and been envious of the works of professionals such as Paul Bowen and others who are current members of the
ISAP. Finally, as a matter of respect I want to note my father’s history as a flight crew chief during WWII stateside, working on B-24’s and P-51’s, and ultimately on B-29’s in Itami, Japan after the surrender. He is 89 and we still have vivid discussions about the war years, his acquaintances, and experiences. BIO: Marty is affiliated with The Island Financial Group of Woodbury, Long Island. His primary focus has been in securities portfolio and insurance evaluation having spent the better part of the last thirty-five years in the securities industry recommending and developing portfolios, advanced portfolio management systems, general/business life and health insurance, pension, and tax related estate planning concepts. He is a former financial columnist and frequent speaker with nine years in management. Amongst his friends and relatives he is known as being very renaissance oriented having strong interests in woodworking, music (as a drummer), and art, as well as photography. Having been an avid ballplayer, at sixty-two he’s watching more than playing. He and his wife Lorraine have been active participants in their community for thirty-nine years. Marty and Lorraine will be marking their 40th anniversary this May, with three married children and eleven grandchildren.
Martin Z. Schmidt, West Hempstead, NY
Meet the Members Hayman Tam
Like many ISAP members, I became afflicted with airplaneosis early in life, manifesting itself thru countless childhood drawings and then evolving into model airplanes. This interest carried me into college where I received my degree in Aeronautical Engineering. I decided that the Seattle climate was not very enticing and neither was the metropolitan sprawl of Los Angeles so I chose to start my career with Lockheed Missiles & Space in Sunnyvale, CA, where I have recently marked off my 26th year.
As a mechanical engineer at Lockheed, I was fortunate to work on the Hubble Space Telescope in Florida for six months with awesome photographic access to the Space Shuttle during processing and on the launch pad. It was during that time that I really started to enjoy the joys and challenges of aerospace photography.
I got distracted during the early days of digital, starting with a Nikon Coolpix 900. Armed with a newer Coolpix 4500, I finally made it to the Paris Air Show in 2003. How I wish I had a better camera at the time! Ten years of volunteering at the Hiller Aviation Museum at nearby San Carlos airport has also provided me some great access to aircraft, especially during their annual helicopter airshow.
It was only a few years ago that I decided to get serious and bought myself two used Nikon D70s and some secondhand F2.8 lenses. During this time, Air & Space magazine published one of my photos (their “Photos from the Attic” series) and it was a huge confidence booster. Beginning my freelancer status, I began writing airshow reviews to go along with my photos and now manage to get them published in airport publications on a semi-regular basis. I try to get to at least six airshow events each season and have gone as far as Hawaii to add some variety to the shoots.
While in college, I learned to shoot 35mm using my father’s vintage Kodak Retina while everyone else had 110 cameras (ugh!). After graduation, I treated myself to a used Olympus OM-1 with some Vivitar lenses and started going to airshows. Figuring out how to pan and hold focus using those old, slow lenses was a real challenge (f4.5 with a 2X, talk about dark!).
was memorable, shooting alongside those who were names on photography books in my collection. The movie phrase “I’m not worthy” springs to mind often, but I am impressed by how the spirit of ISAP brings together photographers of all levels and makes everyone feel welcome. 2010 will mark my first trip to Oshkosh where I look forward to seeing some ISAP colleagues.
One publication, Airport Journals, orchestrates the Living Legends of Aviation Awards, which is considered the Academy Awards of aviation. I was privileged to be one of the official photographers at the annual Beverly Hills event this year. To share the same space with aviation legends such as Bob Hoover and Clay Lacy, astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Bill Anders, and celebrity pilots like John Travolta, Tom Cruise, Kurt Russell and Morgan Freeman was truly memorable. Taking thousands of airshow pictures hasn’t made me any more comfortable dealing with indoors flash and white balance, so I was quite nervous at first but settled down and got some good shots during the evening. I can only hope that I get asked back to cover next year’s event.
My photos and articles can be viewed on my blog www.shutterspeedaero.wordpress.com.
I have been trying to develop a style to call my own. I see many talented folks capturing beautiful ground-to-air shots, but for now I am concentrating more on the static aircraft and try to capture a fresh perspective. Air-to-air photography is a skill I look forward to developing My effort to be more serious about this hobby led me to ISAP in 2008. Joining this organization has allowed me to meet some truly gifted photographers, create some great friendships and learn more about this craft. It is certainly very cool to see a great photograph, read the credits and realize that I have met that person! My first ISAP field trip
Marketplace
Got anything you want to sell or trade? Here’s your chance! Just drop the editor a email at viggenja37@sbcglobal.net.
Airplane ID Winners!
Hunting was awarded the contract in 1959 to build two aircraft. The first of these, XN714, flew on 26 March 1963, painted overall yellow with a matt black anti-glare area on the nose in front of the cockpit. The second was never completed and did not receive a serial number. Test flights were carried out between 1963 and 1967. In 1969 it was shipped to NASA and was returned in May 1970, staying in storage until September 1972 when it was struck from the RAF records.
Photoshop Tip Time Layer Mask Love!
The new Masks panel consolidates working with layer masks by putting most of the functions commonly used in one place. Show this panel by selecting Masks from the Window menu. Want to change the layer mask from its normal white reveal all to black hide all? Click the Invert button. Bonus tip: You can do the same thing from the key-board by pressing Command-I (PC: Ctrl-I). Provided by Kevin Ames The winner for last issue was Alberto Riva who nailed it as the Hunting H.126. The best response though, was from Cam Martin with: “Sometimes an airplane is so ugly, you don’t want anyone to know that you know its name.” The Hunting H.126 was an English experimental aircraft designed and built by Hunting Aircraft in order to test the concept of blown flaps, or as they were known in Britain, “jet flaps”. Only one aircraft was built, being flown in a series of one-hundred test flights at the Royal Aircraft Establishment’s Aerodynamics Flight at RAE Bedford. It was then sent to the United States for wind tunnel testing by NASA, and eventually made its way to the museum at RAF Cosford. The aircraft was designed purely for test purposes, and thus lacked features such as retractable landing gear. The shoulder-level wing featured a set of struts, not for support but in order to provide piping for the compressed air used in the blown flaps. The rear control surfaces consisted of a fairly small triangular T-tail, similar to the one on the Gloster Javelin. The fuselage was fairly simple, similar to the Hunting Jet Provost in layout, but with a smaller cockpit for a single pilot. The air intake for the single Bristol-Siddeley Orpheus engine was located in the extreme nose. The jet flap system consisted of a series of sixteen nozzles arranged along the trailing edge of the wing, which were fed about half of the engine’s hot exhaust gases. A smaller amount, about 10%, was also fed into small nozzles on the wing tips to provide control thrust at low speeds. A similar system was later used on the Hawker Siddeley Harrier for similar reasons. This left little power for forward thrust, and the aircraft was limited to low speeds, but the takeoff speed was a mere 32 mph (52 km/h), a speed most light aircraft would have trouble matching.
One Button Layer Clipping
Clipping an adjustment layer to affect only the layer below it required remembering to hold down the Option (PC: Alt) key, while hovering the cursor between the layers, until a black-over-white-circle icon appears, and then click. Now all we have to do is highlight the adjustment layer in the Layers panel and then click the third icon from the left at the bottom of the Adjustments panel (Window>Adjustments). Hooray! No more arcane keystroke/mouse moves!!! Provided by Kevin Ames
Skin Smoothing - Camera Raw Style
Flawless skin can be key to successful portraits of ladies. Make their skin creamy soft by tapping the K key in Adobe Camera Raw 5 to call up the Adjustment Brush. Set the Clarity slider to ~40 for starters. Brush over the skin you want to smooth. Want it smoother? Drag the slider farther to the left. This is a great way to get proofs out quickly without losing gallons of time with the Healing Brush tool in Photoshop. Provided by Kevin Ames
USe Refine Mask instead of Refine Edge
If your aim in making a selection is to turn it into a layer mask for an adjustment layer, skip the Refine Edge controls in favor of the new Refine Mask controls, found in the Mask panel (Window>Masks) in CS4 - just click on Mask Edge to open the dialog. The controls in Refine Mask are the same as Refine Edge, but they affect a mask and not a selection, allowing you to see in real time how the edges of an adjustment layer’s mask are affected and what works best for that particular layer. Provided by Kevin Ames Provided by NAPP (National Association of Photoshop Professionals) ® 2009 Kelby Media Group.
ISnAP Sponsors (in alphabetical order):
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company http://www.lockheedmartin.com
Air & Space Smithsonian http://www.airspacemag.com
Nikon USA http://www.nikonusa.com
Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association http://www.aopa.org
Northrop Grumman http://www.northropgrumman.com
Canon USA http://www.usa.canon.com
Delkin Devices http://www.delkin.com
Think Tank http://www.thinktankphoto.com
October 2010
ISnAP
ISAP Chairman of the Board – ISAP Board Vice Chair – ISAP Board Member - ISAP Board Member - ISAP Board Member - ISAP Board Member - ISAP Board Member - ISAP Board Member - ISAP Board Member - ISAP Membership Coordinator - ISAP Treasurer - ISAP Web Site Manager - ISAP Field Trip Coordinator - ISAP Speaker Coordinator - ISnAP Editor -
Jay Miller aerofax@sbcglobal.net Chad Slattery chadslattery@earthlink.net Paul Bowen bowen@airtoair.net David Carlson dcarlson@cusa.cannon.com Russell Munson higheye@aol.com Albert Ross alross@sbcglobal.net Jessica Ambats jessicaambats@gmail.com Caroline Sheen csheen@si.edu Katsuhiko Tokunaga tokunaga@dact.co.jp Larry Grace lgrace@mm.com Bonnie (Bartel) Kratz photobonnie@execpc.com Michele Peterson websupport@aviationphotographers.org Richard VanderMuelen richardvm@aol.com Andy Wolfe Frank Landrus viggenja37@sbcglobal.net
The ISnAP is a periodic publication of the International Society for Aviation Photography and is used to communicate news, functions, convention information, and other events or items of interest on the local, regional, and national scenes. The views and opinions expressed in this newsletter are those of the authors and should not be construed as the views or opinions of International Society for Aviation Photography. Deadline for submissions to The ISnAP is the 25th of the month prior to month of issue. Please submit as a WORD text file as an attachment via email to your editor.
It's "Airplane ID" time! Here's your next challenge:
Jay Miller Photo Collection