ISnAP September 2015

Page 1


Steve Zimmermann

WELCOME TO THE SEPTEMBER 2015 ISSUE OF ISNAP!

Photo Review AirVenture 2015 An Airshow Deep In The Heart Of Texas Gary Daniels Cold War, Hot Jet Steve Zimmermann The Royal International Air Tattoo Mike Green ‘The Spirit of Great Britain’ Avro Vulcan XH558 Steve Comber and VTST Meet Our Member Matthew Short Ed Faith Demo Team Schedules

ISAP’s goal is to bring together our members who share a love of aviation, and want to preserve its history through their images. Through our organization, members can seek to enhance their artistic quality, advance technical knowledge, and improve safety for all areas of aviation photography while fostering professionalism, high ethical standards, and camaraderie. ISAP continues to help our members to better their photography skills, workflow, and set up resources to help with business questions that our members have. Updates are being made to the ISAP website and member portfolio section, and we are showcasing ISAP members’ images and accomplishments on our social media pages. Update or add your portfolio to the ISAP website. ISAP has received a lot of comments on our portfolio section and a few of our members have been contacted for job opportunities and image usage because of these portfolios.

FRONT COVER PHOTO: Larry Grace On the ramp at 2015 EAA Air Venture Oshkosh WI, with the world’s only other 5th Generation fighter aircraft, F-35 Lightning II. Night photo walk around Boeing Plaza with fellow ISAP members John Freeman, Craig Swancy and Scott Slingsby

In this issue we are continuing to highlight ISAP members. I’m sure you will enjoy learning how your fellow ISAP members got started, as well as seeing some of their images and learning some tips. Remember that ISnAP is your publication to share your images, stories and tips with other members and the public. We look forward to each member sharing his or her stories with all of us.

Camera: Nikon D800 Lens: Nikon 24-120mm

Enjoy this issue of ISnAP!

Focal Length: 105mm Shutter Speed: 10 sec Aperture: f/8 ISO: 100 Mode: Manual Format: RAW Process: Photoshop, Nik Color EFX Pro Color 4

Sincerely, Larry Grace, President Kevin Hong, ISnAP Editor International Society for Aviation Photography www.aviationphoto.org • www.facebook.com/ISAPorg isnap@aviationphoto.org

BACK COVER: Steve Comber

The last airworthy Vulcan bomber XH558 taken north West of Newbury in Berkshire flying south towards the Central Coastline of the UK, The Needles & The Isle of Wight. Camera: Canon 1DX Lens: 24-105mm f4 Focal Length: 35mm Shutter Speed: 1/320 Aperture: f/13 ISO: 200 Mode: Aperture Priority Format: JPG


Kevin Hong

w e l c o m e

n e w

a n d

r e t u r n i n g

i s a p

m e m b e r s

John Freedman

Adrian Romang

Thierry Deutsch

Steve Comber

Sharon Simonsen

Michael Collins

Scott Leggo

Bryn Forbes

Erik Simonsen

Milan Overcka

Alfredo Aybar

Erich Linder

Will Kumley

Daren Jaeger

Kelly Siple

Robert Koch

Anthony Peluso

Rod Reilly

Edward Faith

Lyle DeVore

Raphael Brescia

Damien Guarnieri

John Slemp

Robert Talarczyk

Mark Kettenhofen

The ISnAP is a periodic publication of the International Society for Aviation Photography and is used to communicate news, functions, convention information, and other information of interest on the local, regional, and national scenes. The views and opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the authors and should not be construed as the views or opinions of the International Society for Aviation Photography.



w e i v e R o t o AIRVENTURE Ph

Craig Swancy

2 0 1 5



Celia Passerani



Celia Passerani



Craig Swancy



Craig Swancy



Craig Swancy



Jay Beckman



Jay Beckman



Jay Beckman



Jay Beckman



Jay Beckman



John Freedman



John Freedman



John Freedman



John Freedman



John Freedman



John Freedman



John Freedman



John Freedman



John Freedman



John Freedman



John Freedman



John Freedman



John Freedman



Kevin Kanarski



Kevin Kanarski



Kevin Kanarski



Kevin Kanarski



Nicole Passerani



Nicole Passerani



Philip Johnson



Philip Johnson



Philip Johnson



Philip Johnson



Philip Johnson



Philip Johnson



Larry Grace



Larry Grace



Larry Grace



Larry Grace



Larry Grace



Larry Grace



Larry Grace



Larry Grace



Larry Grace



Larry Grace



Larry Grace



Larry Grace



Larry Grace



Larry Grace



Larry Grace



Larry Grace



Larry Grace



Larry Grace



Larry Grace



Larry Grace



Larry Grace



Larry Grace



Larry Grace



Scott Slingsby



Scott Slingsby



Scott Slingsby



Scott Slingsby



Scott Slingsby



Bonnie Kratz



Bonnie Kratz



Bonnie Kratz



Bonnie Kratz



Bonnie Kratz



Bonnie Kratz


AN AIRSHOW

DEEP IN THE HEART OF TEXAS Story and photos by Gary Daniels

Just north of Waco is the repurposed James Connally Air Force Base. The base was built in 1942 and served until its closure in 1968. In 1991, the base was renamed the Texas State Technical College (TSTC) Waco Airport. TSTC Waco has had various uses throughout the years. Most notably, from 2001 to 2009, it was used by Air Force One to fly President George W. Bush back and forth for his stays at the ‘Western White House’ near Crawford, Texas. In 2012, Debby Standefer, president of D&D Marketing Concepts, was looking for a venue in Texas to host an airshow and hopefully start a tradition of an annual airshow event. She found that the city of Waco, deep in the heart of Texas, had the population base to support an airshow and had a large airport to host it. TSTC Waco Airport, with its two long runways and acres and acres of tarmac, was the perfect setting for an airshow. After months of discussions, with TSTC Waco Airport and the City of Waco, the first Heart Of Texas Airshow took to the skies in September 2013.

Just two years later, the 2015 Heart Of Texas Airshow, June 6-7, touted two of the three military demonstration teams…the USAF Thunderbirds and the US Army Golden Knights. In fact, this was the first time since 1991 that the Thunderbirds had performed in Waco, and they were received like rock stars! Typical of a Texas summer, not even the 90-degree temps could keep the crowds away. More than 23,000 came out to see the Thunderbirds, Golden Knights, F-18, warbirds, aerobatic flying, wing walking and comedy flying acts. Special thanks to Debby Standefer – Heart of Texas Airshow Producer, Chip Lamb – Heart Of Texas Airshow Director, TSTC Waco Airport, and the City of Waco for a successful 2015 Heart Of Texas Airshow.



























COLD WAR, HOT JET: THE AVRO VULCAN BOWS OUT IN STYLE Story and photos by Steve Zimmermann


As a youngster enamored with aviation and growing up in the 1950’s and 1960’s, at the height of the Cold War, I loved the fast jets in the USAF inventory of the time. My favorite was the sleek and sexy B-58 Hustler; I still have the toy B-58 I got as a present for my seventh birthday, complete with ejecting pilot (with parachute!) and a releasable weapons pod. The Hustler was obsolete almost before it was deployed, its high-speed, high-altitude design mission profile rendered useless by improved Soviet ground-to-air missiles; by 1970 there were no more in active service. On the other side of the Atlantic, meanwhile, the last big, delta-wing Western bomber of that era soldiered on: the British Avro Vulcan. At the end of a lengthy development the first production Vulcan B.1 made its debut in 1955; in addition to fulfilling its original design brief as the backbone of the UK’s nuclear deterrent through much of the Cold War, the Vulcan made its only combat sorties in a conventional warfare role during the Falklands War, in 1982, and was retired from active service in 1984 having been modified over the years to fill multiple roles from maritime reconnaissance to aerial tanker. After the RAF stopped flying the last of the Vulcans in public displays, in 1993, none of these iconic jets were maintained to flight standard. But a determined group of people wasn’t ready to let her go, and pursued a dream to return a Vulcan to airworthiness. Built originally in 1960, Vulcan B.2 XH558 was the last of the bombers to leave RAF service. She was obtained by Vulcan To The Sky Trust in 1999 and returned to flying status in late 2007 through a combination of public donations and lottery funding. Since then, VTTS has operated XH558 as a star air show performer, while continuing its fundraising efforts to generate the large piles of cash needed to both operate the big, thirsty jet and carry out an ever more extensive (and expensive!) program of maintenance to keep her airworthy. It was during one of these fundraising campaigns, in 2012, that I first donated money to the effort; more donations followed.



In the spring of 2015 the Trust announced that this would be Vulcan XH558’s last flying season due to the withdrawal of essential support by key aerospace firms. XH558 had accrued over 10% more flight hours than any other Vulcan airframe and without the manufacturers’ support her operating authority could not be renewed. The time had come to stand down. But I’d never seen her fly. I had to see her fly. Fast forward to July 10. After an overnight flight from Denver and a three-hour drive to the southwest of England, I’m welcomed onto the base at RNAS Yeovilton with several hundred other photographers for an arrivals day photocall. The event is oversubscribed; everyone wants to see the Vulcan fly before she’s gone. It’s called the Vulcan Effect: any show at which the XH558 makes an appearance is said to benefit from a 25% increase in paying customers. People are wild to see the old “Tin Triangle” fly: in 2014, Vulcan XH558 was voted England’s favorite aircraft. Today, the Vulcan Effect has pulled in photographers from all over the world. The hours pass pleasantly as, one by one, display and static aircraft arrive and land in front of us: a USAF C-17 Globemaster and a pair of A-10 Thunderbolts; a NATO E-3A Sentry; two Norwegian Air Force Historic Squadron de Havilland Vampires; a pair of Royal Norwegian AF F-16s; French Navy Super Etendard and Rafale fighters; a variety of Royal Navy helicopters…but no Vulcan. It has almost reached the scheduled time for us to depart from the base; surely the Royal Navy personnel won’t kick us out before the Vulcan arrives? Eventually, word comes down the line that XH558 has launched from her base in Sheffield: ETA, thirty minutes. The assembled photographers stir back to life and I leave the paddock to try and find an unobstructed view out in the

car park: the Vulcan is so big, there’s no need to be on the crowd line to fill the frame with aluminum. Finally a smudge appears low on the eastern horizon and, slowly, the Vulcan materializes at the head of exhaust trails from her four RollsRoyce Olympus turbojets. She’s majestic, gliding in at approach speed, engines whispering. As she passes before us the engines spool up and the famous Vulcan howl bursts forth: a joyful noise to any aviation enthusiast. Slowly, her pilot pulls the nose up, and up, almost to the vertical before rolling over on her back and bringing her around on the downwind leg. After landing, the Vulcan taxies to the hot ramp on the far side of the base and shuts down. Sadly, there is no chance to see her up close. The excitement over for the day, I retreat to my B&B in the tranquil Somerset countryside and prepare for Saturday’s main event: RNAS Yeovilton International Air Day 2015. I could easily fill a book with descriptions and photos of all the other flying displays—including a memorably dynamic demo by a Royal Navy Chinook HC4 from No 27 Squadron, and a parade pass by the Royal Navy Historic Flight’s newly restored Fairey Swordfish biplane torpedo bomber—but it was the Vulcan I had come to see. Her participation begins with a takeoff roll beneath a low pass by the world’s only airworthy Sea Vixen; the two form up and head off for remote displays at two other events in the southwest of England: it’s a small island when you’re flying a fast jet. Next, the two Norwegian Vampires take off and fly a formation routine in front of the crowd, followed by the Royal Navy Black Cats helicopter demonstration team’s precision duet in two new AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcats. The Vampires then form up with the returning Vulcan and Sea Vixen to create one of the most unusual formation fly-bys



it has ever been my privilege to witness: the Sea Vixen in the lead with Vampires on each of her wings, all trailed by the mighty Vulcan. Magnificent! After two memorable passes the formation disperses and the Vulcan goes into her solo display routine. Her crew—Phil O’Dell, Bill Ramsay and Phil Davies—throw her around the sky in a display of power and grace, the Vulcan howl again in evidence to the delight of the crowds around me. For such a large jet, the Vulcan is surprisingly nimble: in fact, during the early days of the Vulcan’s air show career, RAF display pilots would perform barrel rolls in the big jet. The British aviation authorities quickly put a stop to that, but I sense that even today, fifty years later, she’s ready and able to do more, if only they’d let her: the reversals during the demo are flown with very aggressive angles of pitch and bank. All too soon, it’s over. On landing, the pilots deploy a huge drag chute from the blister just behind the Vulcan’s rudder; it isn’t strictly necessary on such a long runway with a lightly loaded jet, but it makes a great show. The announcer, as befits the bittersweet nature of the occasion, quotes Dr. Seuss: “Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile, because it happened.”

I’m stationed by the barriers along an indentation in the crowd line that’s been created to allow the Vulcan to taxi in and park while surrounded by the crowds on three sides. Along the barriers, beneath her nose refueling probe, hundreds of her fans are crowding forward to queue for the privilege of paying to be escorted underneath her massive wings by a member of the VTTS team; I hurry to join them. Somewhere in that massive bomb bay, along with thousands of other donors’ names, I hope to find my own. We’ve been given only ten minutes to inspect the Vulcan at close range, before being shooed out to make room for the next group; after searching the huge bomb bay for nearly all of my allotted time, I at last find what I’m looking for. As a memento of the day I have a blurry photo taken by a fellow enthusiast, a snapshot of me wearing a goofy grin and pointing up at my name printed on a large panel filled with other names, on the inside of the starboard bomb bay door. There I am, and there I’ll stay: immortalized, after a fashion, as just another happy casualty of the Vulcan Effect.














THE ROYAL INTERNATIONAL

AIR TATTOO

Story and photos by Mike Green

The annual Royal International Air Tattoo or RIAT, as it is more simply known, is without doubt iconic in airshow terms. For more than 40 years it has been a mecca for military aviation and airshow enthusiasts alike, with some 150,000+ people attending each year. The first ‘Air Tattoo’ was staged in 1971 at North Weald, Essex with just over 100 aircraft participating in the show. In 1976 it became the International Air Tattoo and then subsequently the Royal International Air Tattoo. Between 1973 and 1983 the tattoo was held at RAF Greenham Common, before moving to its present site at RAF Fairford in 1985. I attended my first Air Tattoo in 1973 at Greenham Common, and as a young boy who until then had only had a brief insight into military aircraft, I was ’hooked’ and have been attending ever since. I am sure that there are many of you who have attended a RIAT and many of you who haven’t. So if you have, this may just bring back some wonderful memories and the urge to come go back, and for those of you who

haven’t, it just may help you make that decision to add it to your ‘to do list’ or to tick it off. RIAT always provides something special, and whilst it has seen its ups and downs in recent years, mainly due to military budget cuts and the general reduction in aircraft operated by air arms around the world, it is still able to conjure up something special each year. The Guinness World Records recognised RIAT 2003 as the world’s largest ever military airshow, with a mind-boggling 535 aircraft in attendance. RIAT has also had a number of air show firsts, including the first display and landing of the B-2A Spirit outside the United States of America in 1997 and in 2008 the first landing of the Lockheed F-22 Raptor in Europe. Having traditionally been a 2-day event, RIAT changed to a 3-day event in 2014, with that same format remaining in place for 2015. For those enthusiasts and photographers who could not get their fill during the show days, the ‘Park & View’ areas are also opened on the Wednes-


RAF FAIRFORD day and Thursday for arrivals, with the Monday after the show also open to catch aircraft departing back home. Over 160 military aircraft participated in 2015, not including support aircraft that arrived prior to and post the actual airshow itself. In addition to these, a further 50+ civilian and warbird aircraft took part in the static and aerial displays. Aircraft from 27 air arms and 22 different countries participated during RIAT in 2015, the highlight for 2015 without doubt coming from Japan. Having supported RIAT recently with a Japan Air Self Defence Force Boeing KC767, this year it was the turn of the Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) with two Kawasaki P-1 maritime patrol aircraft to participate. One of the P-1’s was set up in the static display, with the other in the flying display, the first time that a Japanese military aircraft had ever demonstrated at a European airshow. As is also the case with most RIAT’s, there was yet another country making its debut, this being the Qatar Emiri Air Force with their Lockheed C-130J-30 Hercules transport aircraft. Based at Al Udeid Air Base in Doha, the Qatari’s became

ENGLAND

the 55th nation to participate in the Air Tattoo since its inception in 1971. As is the case every year with RIAT, I have seen negative comments about how good it was, or wasn’t. The fact is that in continuing times of budget cuts and reducing numbers of military aircraft around the globe, RIAT still attracted aircraft from over 20 countries. Tell me another show in the world capable of pulling that off! The event continues to be supported by the ever-presents such as Germany, the Netherlands, and Italy etc. RIAT will never return to the heady days of the 1980’s, when the ramps were packed to the rafters with aircraft from not only Europe, but North & South America, Australasia, Asia and the Middle East, with countries such as Russia also in attendance, but that is understandable, or at least it is to me and those of sound mind and body. The success of RIAT is probably summed up by the fact that both the Saturday and Sunday show days were sold out in advance.


Some Tips for first timers; if you have never attended a RIAT, then here’s what I consider some good options to cover the show in depth. It’s not cheap no matter how you do it, but you can keep that cost to a minimum and give yourself opportunities to get great shots and from different angles and places. Firstly, I would avoid the ‘Park & View’ option on arrivals days (Wednesday & Thursday) unless you are there for the week. The reason is that a few aircraft will already have arrived on the Tuesday and obviously not everything arrives on one day. So the only way to catch all aircraft arriving is to shoot from off-base Tuesday (with likely very little activity), then spend both arrivals days either on or off base as well (and that drives up cost if on base both days). I also wouldn’t bother with Friday’s ‘Pit Day’ for similar reasons (not every aircraft is accessible on the Friday) and again it drives up cost. I would suggest attending one show day (either the Saturday or Sunday) to shoot the static and aerial display and then spend the other show day at nearby Rhymes Farm. It is a cheaper option than going into the show and gives some great alternative angles for the flying display (but of course you cannot shoot the static from here). I would then suggest spending the Monday on base at one of the Park & View areas for departures, as this gives you the chance to shoot almost everything at the show, as most aircraft depart that day and it also gives you a chance to shoot the static aircraft in the air and more importantly, without any blue cones or clutter in the background. I would point out that there are two areas open for departures (east or west), giving different photographic opportunities. The eastern end is perfect for shooting aircraft

taxying out and holding on the threshold, together with any landing aircraft arriving as support. But it is next to useless for any shots of aircraft actually in the air. The western end will give you some great shots of departing aircraft in the air, together with a reasonable amount of opportunities to get shots of aircraft taxying out for departure, albeit not as good as at the eastern end. You will just need a longer lens, but 200-400mm is more than enough. So to summarise my advice, spend either Saturday or Sunday inside the show and the alternative day at Ryhmes Farm, then Monday on base for departures. If it’s your first time at RIAT I think this will cover pretty much everything you would want for photography. In terms of shooting the static at RIAT, there is a lot of background clutter that can spoil shots (people, stalls, fairground rides etc.), plus the dreaded blue cones that are used to cordon off aircraft. So that’s the main reason for me recommending the departures day as a great option to consider. There is of course another option if you really want to maximise your time at RIAT regardless of cost, and that’s to take up the Friends of the Royal International Air Tattoo (FRIAT) option, which offers 2, 4 or 6-day packages offering elevated grandstand seating with allocated seats, a central marquee with dedicated catering, Wi-Fi, private toilets, a left-luggage facility and a private Official Air Tattoo Merchandise stall. FRIAT packages are already available for 2016. So hopefully I have convinced you all to visit RIAT in 2016 and despite rumours to the contrary we do get a summer in England, so all you have to do is keep your fingers crossed that it’s here when RIAT is on.



























‘The Spirit of Great Britain’ Avro Vulcan XH558 Article & Image copyright 2015 Steve Comber and VTST www.vulcantothesky.org

In the UK ‘The Spirit of Great Britain’ Avro Vulcan XH558 is finally entering her last few months of public display before retirement. Its fair to say this Iconic aircraft type has caused quite a stir in the hearts and minds of the UK public during the last few months.

360 degree turns at 100 feet above sea level followed by a head on approach up from sea level towards the cliffs and a roll out into the display routine at Eastbourne.

The demand for display appearances at Airshows and events throughout the country has been exceptional, the total number almost exceeding its last three years appearances!

Piloted by Kev Rumens the spectacular departure prompted spontaneous applause from the crowd and many a tear could be seen in the eyes of many, quite an exceptional moment and swan song display for all those lucky enough to be there.

The Classic Delta wing shape and distinctive howling of its 4 Rolls Royce jet engines once again enthralled the massive crowd assembled on Eastbourne seafront for one last time on Saturday 15th August, holding prior to its display below Beachy Head Cliffs a massive crowd of aviation photographers assembled and were treated to 2 low level

The images were taken on Saturday 15th August during a 42 minute join up following several months discussions with the Vulcan to the Sky Trust to deliver some rather special & unique images to include some Iconic coastal landmarks prior to its public displays at Eastbourne, Headcorn & Herne Bay.


VTTS sanctioned an additional loading of $9000 of fuel for the longest photo mission ever undertaken with the last airworthy Vulcan XH558 whose incredible flying career will end in October 2015 exact date yet TBA! Join up area with XH558 was north West of Newbury in Berkshire flying south towards the Central Coastline of the UK, The Needles & The Isle of Wight. The image is captured as she transits across the marshy coastline near Lymington on a Canon 1DX, 24 -105mm f/4 shot taken at f8, 1/320 sec ISO 200 @ 35mm 0 Exp Bias, Aperture priority original 9.77mb JPEG. I do not always use RAW as with many aerial shoots you can ‘miss the moment’ (despite using the fastest writing cards) if you are waiting for

the data to write to the card, as flight director with comms headset distraction can also be an issue ‘in the heat of the moment’ personally I’d rather get the shot than not at all, RAW or not RAW! At this moment in time (14.00 local) our altitude was 500 feet and below cloud hence 200 ISO requiring depth of field this close to the subject matter I had to balance DoF against a shutter speed fast enough to reduce the serious buffeting at such low level to our open door Beech 99 Photoship. A Special Thanks is extended to VTTS for this unique opportunity www.vulcantothesky.org





Š 2015 Steve Comber and VTST www.vulcantothesky.org


I

ational Socie ty ern nt

at

h

Š

y

A

vi

io n

P h otogr

ap

MEET OUR MEMBERS



MEET OUR MEMBERS

Matthew Short

I’m a producer/director & aerial photographer for Lockheed Martin Aeronautics in Fort Worth, Texas. I just recently moved to Fort Worth from California where I was covering flight tests of the F-35 at Edwards AFB for the past 5 1/2 years. Since this is my full time job, I guess that makes me a professional but, in my mind I feel like an amateur because I’m always learning. Shooting air-to-air from fighters is a difficult task. It’s very easy to succumb to the swagger of flying in an F-16 but, I’ve experienced the “humble stumble” of trying to capture a one-time, historical event while inverted, pulling Gs, and holding back the dry heaves enough to realize this is a tough gig. It’s never lost on me how lucky I am to be one of 9 aerial photographers at Lockheed Martin. We’re all aircrew qualified in either the F-16, F-18 or both. We go through the same physical training as our pilots do. Our training includes emergency parachute, water & land survival, egress, life support equipment, altitude chamber, and the dreaded centrifuge. Since working at Lockheed Martin I’ve logged over 400 hours in an F-16, flown above 50,000 feet, pulled 9.7Gs, and have gone to 1.73 mach. I’ve photographed the first live fire from an F-35, sat on the ramp of a C-130J filming all three F-35 variants in formation, and have flown BFM (dog fighting) against an F-22 Raptor. It seems on every flight I have that one moment when I look out the glass of the canopy in disbelief and thank God for this opportunity. I don’t have any formal training. I came up through the school of hard knocks. I’ve always been artistic and had an interest in photography but never realized I could make a living with those talents until I met my wife some 24 years ago. She worked as a producer for a TV station and had a video production company on the side. I started helping out on some of her projects and was hooked immediately. I dove in to the production business and never looked back. We produced everything -- TV shows, documentaries, music videos, corporate videos, commercials – with both video and print campaigns. To me, photography is an extension of cinematography. I really don’t make a distinction between the two. I consider myself a stills and motion photographer. My father was a fighter pilot in the Marine Corps so, I grew up around airplanes. As a kid, I’d go flying with my dad as much as I possibly could. I’ve always loved to fly and have been fascinated with airplanes for as long as I can remember. When I saw there was a job opening for an aerial photographer at Lockheed Martin, I jumped at the chance.

When it comes to DSLRs, I shoot with both Nikon and Canon. I prefer the Canon 5D MkIII because I shoot as much video as I do stills. I think Nikon gives a sharper image but, that’s not necessarily a good thing when shooting video. Canon cameras are much more cinematic. My favorite camera to shoot with is the RED. I’ve been flying with REDs for about four years now. They work great for flight test because I can shoot high speed video and pull a decent size still from that video. When shooting video at normal frame rates (24fps) I’m able to shoot at up to 6k which means I can pull a 19MP still from that. I no longer have to decide between video or stills. I can shoot both simultaneously without having to use a two-camera rig. Which, by the way, is much safer. Whether I’m flying with a 5D or RED, I use a Canon 24-105mm F4. To me it’s the perfect lens for the type of shooting I do. It has image stabilization which is critical for shooting video handheld in the backseat of an F-16. Plus, it gives me enough reach to get some distance between aircraft for more dynamic maneuvering. I always shoot RAW because it gives you so much more latitude in post production to work an image. That’s also one of the main reasons I love shooting on RED as well - the ability to shoot RAW video. I use both Photoshop and Lightroom for processing stills. Whenever I do a tethered ground or studio shoot I like to use CaptureOne. The images are a little sharper than when I shoot tethered using Lightroom. I can also adjust settings, review images, and remotely trigger the shutter with my smartphone or tablet using the CapturePilot app. I learned about ISAP a few years ago from my fellow photogs at Lockheed Martin. Most of them are members and for me, it was a no-brainer to join. I like hanging out with like-minded people and I learn so much from seeing other people’s work. It’s also nice to hear how other photographers handle similar situations. It has been a great source of inspiration for me as well. I enjoy talking about photography almost as much as I like shooting. I’ve been asked a few times to speak to photography groups and I’ve given presentations at RED Studios in California. I also teach REDucation which is a week long course on using the RED camera and post-production workflows. I definitely don’t mind sharing what I do for a living. If my experiences can help others reach their goals in some small way that’s super cool. My camera has been an all-access pass to adventure. The places it has taken me and the things I’ve seen and done are simply amazing. I guess the best advice I could give to a photographer wanting to get into aviation is to be original. Emulating another photographer’s work is a good way to learn but you need to find your own artistic voice and style. To do that get out there and shoot. Then, shoot some more. You usually don’t have to go far to find an airshow or a museum. If you have one nearby, go to an airbase. Find an area close to the base where you can get some great shots of airplanes in the pattern. The bottom line is, you won’t get good at anything if you don’t practice. According to Malcolm Gladwell it takes 10,000 hours of practice to achieve mastery in any field, so get crackin’!


RED EPIC-M, 24mm, f/10, 1/48, ISO 800


Canon 5D MkII, 105mm, f/14, 1/500, ISO 160


RED EPIC-X, 200mm, f/2.8, 1/48, ISO 800

Canon 1D MkIII, 70mm, f/5.6, 1/500, ISO 100



Canon 5D MkII, 90mm, f/2.8, 20sec, ISO 400


Canon 5D MkII, 50mm, f/4.5, 1/2000, ISO 160


Canon 5D MkII, 105mm, f/6.3, 1/500, ISO 160


Canon 5D MkII, 200mm, f/3.5, 1/500, ISO 160


Canon 5D MkII, 62mm, f/8, 1/2000, ISO 400


MEET OUR MEMBERS

Ed Faith

I am presently a B747-400 Captain / West Region Chief for UPS Airlines living in Temecula, California. My professional career has afforded me the opportunity to visit many interesting regions of the world. Prior to moving to Southern California this past summer, I spent 8 years in Anchorage, Alaska. Alaska has one of the most diverse aviation communities found anywhere and the photo opportunities where incredible. One essential piece of luggage I always include in my travels is a camera. I consider myself an advance amateur. My photographs include a variety of interests; however, aviation has always been a passion of mine. I shoot Nikon and have since buying my first Nikon D70 almost 13 years ago. My current equipment includes a Nikon D800/D300 and a selection of Nikon lenses including a 14-24 f2.8, 24-70 f2.8, 70-200 f2.8 and 400mm f2.8. For action shots, I primarily rely on the 70-200 or 400mm. For static displays the 14-24 and 24-70 are great for a different perspective. When shooting, I capture my images in RAW to give the greatest flexibility and use Lightroom and Photoshop to catalog and process my images. I enjoy shooting in all types of weather and find that images shot in poor weather conditions adds a unique drama to the scene. I discovered ISAP with the help of my wife. While browsing images on the Internet, she followed a link back to ISAP and immediately told me that I should check it out. I signed up shortly afterwards and just renewed my membership for a second year. I have not had as much of an opportunity to shoot this past year with a change of job assignment and cross-country move but hope to use my membership to discover photo opportunities in the near future. Like aviation, I feel that the photography community is very unique. I have discovered that people of both interests enjoy getting together and sharing information. Sharing of information benefits everyone; both the instructor and student. At the end of the day, it is all about the experience.







Marketing Your Aviation Photography & More Create and show actual prints and products on your work including prints on metallic paper, metal prints, wood prints as well as photo gifts. See the Full Color website for examples www.fullcolor.com • Having actual prints to show and sell encourages impulse buying. Keep in mind you go to air shows to photograph actual planes you don’t go to YouTube and watch air shows there and photograph them. The point I am trying to make is this get those image off the website out other computer where more people can see them and enjoy them. • Create opportunities to display your work. Put on an exhibit of your work. For example 10 to 12, 11x14 prints on metallic paper (printed by Full Color - smile). Enter Art Shows, offer a free exhibit to your local library, or chamber of commerce or local VFW’s or a Veterans Convention. • Sales and Marketing, if you are afraid of selling or marketing hire a spouse or a stay at home mom or dad and pay them a commission to help get you going. • Find New Clients, General Aviation Aircraft Sales, work with local or regional brokers to photograph new plane owners with their plane. The minimum size recommended is 16x20 go big or go home. Also contact local or regional charters services about selling them Aviation Art for their lobbies, images on metallic paper or metals works best for this kind of work. • Join some local meet up groups for networking and relationship marketing. • Set a realistic budget to purchase products for display, including photo gifts. Please feel free to contact me for help in this area

Part of my mission here at Full Color is help you grow your busies and for us to partner with you and print your work as well. Also as a ISAP member I am here to learn and grow my aviation photography skills as well. We want this to be a true team effort. If you have not set up an account with Full Color please go online and do so be sure in the comments box put ISAP Member. Please feel free to contact me for consultations to help with growing your business. I wanted to reach out to you and let you know of a membership benefit. We can offer you one on one consultations to help partner with you to assist with your printing needs as well as provide some marketing ideas for you as well. Also you need to do is set up an account if you do not already have one with Full Color Inc, www.fullcolor.com and create a account. Be sure to mention or state in the comments box that you are an ISAP Member. You can call or email me and then we can arrange a half hour one on one consultation. Derrick Waiters Sales/Customer Support Full Color, Inc. 214-381-2101 or 800-382-2101 x3017 214-381-8866 (Fax) derrick@fullcolor.com www.fullcolor.com



NEED MORE FLAIR! CUSTOMIZE YOUR ROLLING CAMERA BAG

Make sure you have the required amount of FLAIR for your Think Tank roller!

If ever you’ve been at a big event and seen a sea of Think Tank rolling camera bags stacked in storage, you’ve seen a room filled with all-black rollers. Now, with Roller Flair, any of your followers who buy a roller directly from Think Tank, or who’ve bought one previously, can customize the wheels, zippers, and padded handle wrap in one of four colors. They can now match a favorite color or even a favorite team color!

rubber compound for smooth, quiet rolling while also putting an emphasis on longevity. Think Tank only uses ABEC-5 sealed bearings to ensure smooth rolling even after years of hard use. Free shipping on all orders!

Customize your Think Tank Photo Roller with your choice red, green, orange, or blue wheels, zipper pulls and padded handle wrap. Make your bag stand out or match your favorite colors. Each Roller Flair kit includes the following color-matched items: two wheels; 10 Easy Grip Zipper Pulls; one padded Handle Wrap; and, the Installation Guide. Think Tank is known for having the best wheels. They use a custom

http://www.thinktankphoto.com/categories/rolling-camera-bags/

Here is the link to use when communicating with your followers (be sure to use entire linking, including your special code number at the end): roller-flair.aspx?code=CC-326








The Professionals Source

History

Professionals in the world of imaging rely on the professionals of B&H

We opened our original storefront in 1973. Our reputation for extensive

for their equipment needs. We have experts ready to give courteous

inventory and intelligent conversation about photography began

service with a phone call, a click of the mouse or a personal visit.

with our first customer. We grew from a small photography shop in Manhattan’s Financial District to a major supplier of photo, video and

Our SuperStore

audio equipment on 17th Street, with customers returning again and

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/find/HelpCenter/NYSuperStore08.

again for our low pricing and high reliability. The new millennium’s

jsp?About_Us-The_Professionals_Source

explosion of affordable technology for pros and consumers alike

pays tribute to the wealth of possibilities available for photography,

brought new lines of computers, home entertainment, and consumer

videography and other media industries. We make the wonders of

devices, as we moved to our SuperStore:

technology available through our complete lines of photo, video,

www.bhphotovideo.com/find/HelpCenter/NYSuperStore08.

audio, lighting, pro accessories, computers, data storage, optics,

jsp?About_Us-History on 34th Street and opened our cyber-doors at

entertainment, projection and surveillance devices, to which we add a

www.bhphotovideo.com. We continue to expand to meet your needs

wonderful, personal experience for professionals, hobbyists and

with showrooms, classes, educational and social media, and more.

consumers alike.



www.aviationphoto.org

WWW.CANON.COM

WWW.AOPA.ORG

WWW.NIKON.COM

WWW.LOCKHEEDMARTIN.COM

WWW.BHPHOTOVIDEO.COM

WWW.FULLCOLOR.COM

WWW.DELKIN.COM

WWW.REDRIVERPAPER.COM

WWW.THINKTANKPHOTO.COM



Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.