ISnAP June 2018

Kevin Hong

WELCOME TO THE JUNE 2018 ISSUE OF ISNAP! Feeling the Heat in El Centro Jim Williamson, Adam Pethel, Brent Ovard, Jeff Schroeder, Larry Grace, Michael Bellinger, Rollo Watkins Iniochos 2018 Mike Green Combat Aircraft on Display in Vietnam Hayman Tam National Air and Space Museum: Steven Udvar-Hazy Center Scott Slingsby Fly Right and Fly Tight!

Gary Daniels Comox BC with the Snowbirds and CF-18 Demo Team Steve Bigg, Larry Grace How I Got The Shot!

Jim Sugar Meet Our Members Stephen Butler, Rastislav Margus, James Woodward, Jerome Buescher, James Ross, Robin Wright, Mark Makowski, Dylan van Graan

FRONT COVER PHOTO: Larry Grace 2018 Canadian CF-18 Hornet Demo Team jet BACK COVER: Larry Grace Air to Air with the 2018 RCAF Snowbirds and CF-18 Hornet Demo Team 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.

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.

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

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

Matt Booty

Kristopher Haugh

Craig Matthai

Jason Skinner

Scott Bruce

Paul Heasman

Mark Mako

John Slemp

Stephen Butler

Jim Hoddenbach

Mark Magin

Scott Slingsby

Mark Chiolis

Paul Hurley

Matt McVicker

Richard Souza

Betty Chevalier

Jeremy Humphreys

Nick Moore

Richard Spolar

Brent Clark

Bill Ingalls

Nick Moore

Rob Stapleton

Sean Costello

Richard Jack James

Joe Pulcinella

Craig Swancy

Gordon Court

Su Khoo

Chris Ranney

W Skot Weidemann

Laura Flakner

Peter Kuntz

James Ross

Andy “Bone� Wolfe

Marc Farb

Vincent LaForet

Matt Savage

Anna Wood

Gary Daniels

John L Little II

Haydn Schroeder

Danielle Young

Dylan van Graan

David Martin

Caroline Sheen

Francis Zera

Rudy Hardy

Mark Makowski

Abhishek Singh

Steve Zimmermann

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.

Feeling the heat in El Centro Article and photos by Jim Williamson

First, let me say that it was an honor to be selected to attend the photo call at NAF El Centro. The officers and sailors were very cordial and welcomed us warmly. What a great group of men and women!

Special thanks go out to Public Affairs Officer, Kristopher Haugh and Executive Officer, Commander Adam Schlismann.

Thursday morning started with an early trip back to the locations off-base where we had front-row seats to the Blue Angels’ morning practice. Then, on to the main event. Once on base, we were introduced to the XO and PAO, given a safety briefing and had the chance to eat and take a bathroom break before heading out to the field.

As a first-time participant in a photo call, and a new ISAP member, I didn’t really know what to expect. I had read previous ISnAP articles, but that in no way prepared me for the experience. This really is an ‘up-close-and-personal’ experience.

We were then treated to a personal, show-center, Blue Angels demonstration. You will never have a better view of this unless you’re in a cockpit. What a thrill!

The event started on Wednesday with an all-day meeting with ISAP President Larry Grace. We got to know each other and shared some of our old aviation images with the group and had an interesting critique session. I know each of us learned from this. Larry had some great tips for each of us.

After lunch, we took a field trip to the base, where Larry’s familiarity with the facility really paid off. We shot some Canadian CT-155 Hawks, Navy helicopters, and T-45 Goshawks as they set up for landing.

Then we then moved to the end of runway 30, where we were not on the base, but we only a few hundred feet from the threshold, where we got some great shots of the Blue Angels as they approached directly over us.

Larry then noticed an Osprey approaching Imperial County airport, so we jumped into the van and headed over to Imperial. (Thank you, Michael, for shuttling us around!) Once again, Larry’s experience took us to the perfect spot to grab some shots.

Then, we relocated to the approach end of runway 26. The flight activity was sporadic, giving us time to chat with fellow photographers and move to different vantage points. There were the same aircraft we had seen the prior day, but this time we were much closer. This was a great chance to get some close-up shots of the pilots and details of the aircraft.

The windsock was fully horizontal the whole day. Sustained winds were probably in the 20-knot range – gusting to about a million! This made for some interesting approaches as the aircraft crabbed into the wind, followed by touchdown of one wheel at a time.

As the sun got low and the clouds started glowing, four beautiful F/A-18s taxied up to us and seemed to be posing. Then, one by one, they treated us to afterburner take-offs into the setting sun. All in a day’s work for these pilots. The thrill of a lifetime for the photographers.

Thank you NAF El Centro.

Denis Jim Williamson Rouleau

Denis Jim Williamson Rouleau

Jim Williamson

Adam Pethel

I couldn’t decide how to title this article, should it be “The Hay Bales are Gone,” or “Some Days are Windy in El Centro?” I, like many of you, have seen previous issues of the ISnAP Magazine that covered the El Centro Spring and Fall Photo Call events. As soon as the email for the spring photo call arrived, I quickly responded with my request for a spot in the group. After a few days, I received confirmation that I had a spot and the trip planning began. This photo call included a one day workshop led by ISAP President, Larry Grace at the hotel the day prior to the shoot. I flew from Atlanta to San Diego the afternoon prior and made the two hour drive to El Centro after first picking up some In-N-Out Burger (a treat for those of us who live on the East Coast).

After a good night’s sleep, I awoke around 0530, had breakfast and decided to go out and scout the area around El Centro on my own.

This exploration paid off as I found a good spot outside the fence to catch some T-45s returning to base. At 0800 I saw the Blue Angels begin to taxi. I received an almost 20 minute personal show until they departed the airport area to the northwest.

At this point, I returned to the hotel, where I met the other ISAP members who would be my learning and shooting peers for the next two days.

After introductions, we set off looking at images that each member brought to show the group. My images were the first to be reviewed and I learned a number of things about composition, cropping, editing techniques, and more than anything, I enjoyed the comments and critiques of the other photographers in the room.

After a quick lunch, we loaded up and set out to the base to see what kind of action we could catch. After a few T-45s returned, we relocated to the Imperial County Airport and caught an Osprey, a Super Cobra, and a UH-1 Huey in action.

On the morning of the shoot, we sat out early to be in position for the 0800 Blue Angels departure. The tower built of hay bales is gone. I’m guessing the Navy must have finally decided that people atop the hay bale tower may have encroached a bit too far into the takeoff/arrival path for runway 12/30. With the disappearance of the hay bales, many people were prepared with pickup trucks and step ladders to elevate their shooting position. We got into position at the departure end of runway 12 with about 50 locals and other photographers. For the next hour, we saw the Blue Angels fly a show with a few maneuvers repeated for extra practice. From here, we headed to the base gate where we were shuttled to the briefing room. We were welcomed to the facility by Executive Officer, Commander Adam Schlismann and received a safety briefing from Public Affairs Officer, Kristopher Haugh.

FOD is a major problem in the aviation industry and PAO Haugh made it very clear that any loose, flying items would not be tolerated.

The Blue Angels performed a very good show and the small number of photographers and unencumbered views made for a great shooting environment. After the practice show was complete, we boarded the buses again and were dropped off near the LSO shack at the approach end of runway 26. We were reminded in the earlier safety brief to not

cross or even put a toe on the white chalk line for any reason. Thursday February 22nd was a windy day in El Centro, CA. For much of the afternoon, the winds were steady around 15 knots and were gusting to 25 knots at times. We saw a number of T-45s depart and later return and a few Canadian CT-155s depart for Colorado Springs.

Just when we thought the day’s flying was slowing down, a T-34 taxied to the runway end and shut down. The occupants exited the aircraft and went into the LSO shack. Soon, 4 F/A-18s from the Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 101 (VMFAT-101) appeared and began practicing carrier approaches with the assistance of the LSO and the optical landing system. This activity continued until darkness took over, when sadly it was time to load the buses and return to the gate.

We adjourned to a local spot for dinner and a debrief. Unfortunately, I had to leave early the next morning to catch my flight home, but I understand the rest of the group returned to the fence line and was awarded with another great Blue Angels practice show.

Overall, this was an excellent experience. I met many interesting people and came away with many great photos. I shot with a Canon 5D Mark IV with a 300mm f/2.8 and a 5D Mark II with a 70-200mm f/2.8. I’d like to say thanks again to Commanding Officer Captain Brent Alfonzo, Executive Officer Commander Adam Schlismann, Command Master Chief Jeremy Embree, Public Affairs Officer Kristopher Haugh, and all the enlisted men and women volunteers for making this rare opportunity possible.

Adam Pethel

Denis Rouleau Adam Pethel

Denis Rouleau Adam Pethel

Denis Rouleau Adam Pethel

Adam Pethel

Brent Ovard

I was reading on the Kelby One website last fall and Scott Kelby described his experience at the ISAP photo call in El Centro. I didn’t know about the ISAP organization so I did some research and signed up. The next Photo Call for February went out and I submitted my name and was accepted.

A pre base shoot day was held on Wednesday with photo critiques and recommendations on shooting for the next day. Larry touched on different settings for jets vs prop planes and his recommendations on where to shoot from at airshows.

After lunch we went out to an area just outside the base to see what was flying and were awarded with several T-45 Goshawks, one with Canadian markings, a few helicopters and the two solo Blue Angles making a few passes. This is the area where the famous hay bales used to be, yes they are now gone. Larry then spotted an Osprey going into the Imperial county airport. Larry explained that some of the military aircraft go to Imperial to refuel because it’s faster than at El Centro.

While we waited for the Osprey to takeoff several other helicopters arrived including a MH-60 and a Marine Cobra. We then went back to the hotel for more image reviews and general discussions. We were ready for the next day with a 0715 meet time. Now as my luck would have it I became very sick in the middle of the night and had to cancel my day on base. To say I was disappointed is an understatement. Hopefully I will be able to make another event in the future.

Denis Ovard Brent Rouleau

Brent Ovard

Jeff Schroeder

Cruising along at 40,000 feet and still 2 hours until arriving into LAX, paranoia starts to sit in. Did I remember everything? Was I really on my way to El Centro to take part in the Spring Photo Call? Was I going to make it to In-N-Out before they closed? All the important questions were racing thru my mind. After a “short” 4 hour drive and a couple cheeseburgers later, we arrived in El Centro just before 5:00am. On a normal day, I would have been exhausted and ready for bed, but this was no ordinary day.

Making this a three day event gave the ISAP members attending, most of whom like myself had never been to a Photo Call, a chance to share feedback and personal knowledge with each other. This time spent together was not only a great learning experience, but also a good opportunity to get to know each other. With such diverse backgrounds amongst us, we still shared a commonality – the love of aviation photography.

The first day we spent the morning as a group, away from the camera, in a classroom environment. These sessions are always fun and informative. I always enjoy the feedback, both given and received, from the selected pictures we bring to these meetings. Finding ways to improve upon a certain shot, whether it be perspective, lighting, composition, etc., from an unbiased set of eyes is a wonderful tool.

That afternoon we loaded up and went out to do some familiarization with the area. This was a great way to get in some practice of the ideas Larry had talked about that morning.

The day of the Photo Call we all decided to head out to the field early to catch the morning practice of the Blue Angels. Apparently, this was a popular morning for doing so. Parked along the perimeter road were 50+ photographers, locals, and military personnel, all there to enjoy the Blues like nowhere else. Even with the recent removal of the famous hay bales, the perspective was surreal. After the morning practice flight had concluded, it was time to assemble outside the main gate to

await our bus ride to the safety briefing. Once the do’s and don’ts were addressed by the PAO, Kris Haugh, lunch was served before heading out to watch the afternoon practice of the Blue’s. It was odd to see an otherwise normal airshow performance by the Blue’s without the thousands of spectators. Once they safely recovered and were clear of the runway we made our way out to Valhalla. Stepping off the bus and seeing the LSO shack first, then the meatball, and then finally the chalk line of death was a dream come true. We were treated to a wonderful afternoon/evening of shooting. I met some wonderful people and some amazing photographers. Everyone who hosted us on base was amazing.

Each one of them volunteered to be there with us, giving up one of their free days to make sure we had an unforgettable time. They succeeded in every possible way. After the last person was loaded back up on the bus it was time to head out. We agreed to meet back at the field early the next morning, hopeful to catch the morning practice before going our separate ways.

The next day upon arrival at the field for the Blue’s practice, with just a handful of other photographers and onlookers, we weren’t sure what to expect. Let’s just say that everyone there that morning got a truly unforgettable memory to take with them! What a way to end an epic trip.

I consider myself to be a serious amateur photographer. For the Photo Call I shot mainly with my Canon 1D Mark IV and Canon 100-400mm.

I also brought the 70-200mm F/2.8 for the twilight shots. All things considered, this turned out to be a great experience. There were shots that if given the chance I would have approached differently, and some viewing locations that I will keep in mind next time. I am thankful for this opportunity and look forward to many others in the future.

DenisSchroeder Jeff Rouleau

DenisSchroeder Jeff Rouleau

DenisSchroeder Jeff Rouleau

Jeff Schroeder

Larry Grace

DenisGrace Larry Rouleau

DenisGrace Larry Rouleau

DenisGrace Larry Rouleau

Michael Bellinger

Denis Rouleau Michael Bellinger

Denis Rouleau Michael Bellinger

Denis Rouleau Michael Bellinger

Michael Bellinger

Rollo Watkins

DenisWatkins Rollo Rouleau

DenisWatkins Rollo Rouleau

HELLENIC AIR FORCE (HAF) SMALL-SCALE AIR WARFARE EXERCISE Article and photos by Mike Green

Held at Andravida Air Base, home of the Hellenic Air Force’s Air Tactics Center, exercise Iniochos 2018 took place 12-23rd March and saw aircraft from the Royal Air Force, Cyprus National Guard, Israeli Air Force, Italian Air Force, United Arab Emirates Air Force and the United States Air Force operating in conjunction with the host nation.

At its inception in the 1980’s, Iniochos (Charioteer) began life as an annual Hellenic Air Force (HAF) small-scale Air Warfare exercise.

The main goal was to create a realistic training environment for the Hellenic Air Force (HAF) fighter squadrons in accordance with Greek national Operational Doctrines and Plans. In 2013 the HAF decided that Iniochos would be expanded to an INVITEX-exercise. At the same time, the HAF decided to run future Iniochos exercises on a ‘Single-Base’ concept, with Andravida chosen as the ideal location for the exercise.

As the home of the Kentro Aeroporikis Taktikis (KEAT-Hellenic Air Force Air Tactics Center) and having large amounts of available airspace in the area where Andravida is located, it proved ideal. In 2015, allied and other international air forces participated for the first time, with the Israeli Air Force being the first to take advantage of the Greek’s offer.

Iniochos gives its participants an opportunity to conduct combined air operations (COMAO) against ‘Red-Air’ forces, which aside from airborne adversaries, also consists of a variety of both short- and long-range Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) systems such as; Hawk, Velos and Patriot batteries; Man-portable air-defense systems (MANPADS); and the Advanced Short Range Air Defense (ASRAD)

system. All kinds of modern operations are executed during Iniochos including; Offensive Counter-Air (OCA); Defensive Counter-Air (DCA); Suppression of Enemy Air Defense (SEAD); Combat Search & Rescue (CSAR); Air Power Contribution to Land Ops (APCLO); Air Power Contribution to Maritime Ops (APCMO); reconnaissance missions; urban Close Air Support (CAS); Dynamic Targeting (DT); air strikes against high value and Time-Sensitive Targets (TST); together with protecting and targeting High Value Airborne Assets (HVAA).

During Iniochos, the aircraft are split into ‘Blue’ (friendly) and ‘Red’ (enemy) forces, with the majority of HAF Combat Wings involved in the exercise simulating ‘Red-Air’ forces. The Andravida-based Tactical Weapons School (Scholio Oplon Taktikis-SOT), a subordinate unit of the Air Tactics Center (Kentro Aeroporikis Taktikis - KEAT), uses its instructors to assist participating pilots with their mission planning and tactics, whilst also acting as ‘Red-Air’ adversaries. Iniochos missions normally involve three daily waves of aircraft, which take off in the morning, afternoon and evenings. The exercise scenario begins with a crisis situation that escalates to a full war, giving participants the opportunity to be trained in full scale day and night operations.

For more detailed information on Iniochos 2018 and many more photos you can visit my website at www.jetwashaviationphotos.com

DenisGreen Mike Rouleau

DenisGreen Mike Rouleau

DenisGreen Mike Rouleau

DenisGreen Mike Rouleau

Mike Green

Tourism to Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, is becoming increasingly popular. I had the opportunity to travel there back in 2008 and was very curious about their military museums.

Interestingly, the people of Vietnam refer to the conflict as the “American War” and hold no animosity to Americans for this chapter of their history.

During the course of the Vietnam War, most of the aircraft used by the Vietnam Air Force (VNAF) were supplied by the United States.

The VNAF operated primarily with the Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter/

Tiger, Cessna A-37 Dragonfly, Douglas A-1 Skyraider and Bell UH-1H Iroquois. Large numbers of Cessna U-17 and O-1A light aircraft were also utilized by South Vietnam.

As the final days of the conflict played out, many VNAF aircraft departed for Thailand while UH-1’s flew to US Navy carriers offshore.

However large quantities of the various types were captured at the end of the war in 1975 when the VNAF was dissolved and the remaining assets were used to equip the new Vietnam People’s Air Force (VPAF). The A-37’s saw action again in 1979 when Vietnam

Another view of the MiG-17F and MiG-21, the main exhibit building is in the background but all aircraft are outdoors.

combat aircraft

on display in vietnam Article and photos by Hayman Tam

invaded Cambodia. Former VNAF F-5Es, C-123s, C-130s, and UH-1s were used by the VPAF for many years after the end of the war before replacement with Russian and Chinese aircraft.

In my travels to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Hanoi, I visited several military museums and was struck by the uniformity of the aircraft displayed. There must be a standard inventory requirement that every museum in Vietnam display an F-5, A-37, A-1 and UH-1.

My first museum stop in Saigon was the Reunification Palace, the locale for the famous image of the UH-1 on the rooftop taking on the very last load of evacuees. A UH-1 is on rooftop display, while an F-5A and A-37 are located in the surrounding park. Next was a visit to the War Remnants Museum, which has an A-1, A-37, F-5, UH-1 and U-17 aircraft on display. What is quickly obvious is the cramped, sometimes haphazard manner in which aircraft are situated in these museums. All aircraft and vehicles are displayed outdoors, exposed to the heat and humidity of the region. A smaller military museum that was located near my hotel had to settle for a display of A-1 wreckage.

The most anticipated stop was the Vietnam People’s Air Force Museum located in Hanoi. This is Vietnam’s premier collection of historical aircraft and examples of all the previously mentioned types are on display, plus an impressive collection of Soviet-provided aircraft. This was also my first and only sighting of an F-4 Phantom on display. It is not an intact one, more of an assemblage of wreckage yet the unmistakable shape is there.

I was curious to see how American aircraft are displayed by a former combatant and I was glad to see our planes and helicopters displayed equally alongside their Vietnamese adversaries. As our Vietnam Airlines Boeing 777-200 taxied after landing at Hanoi, I could see many UH-1’s that are still in service with the VPAF. Interesting that they are still flying captured American aircraft after all these years.

All photos taken with a Nikon D70 w/28-85mm lens, and re-edited with a combination of Aperture, Aurora HDR and Luminar. Aircraft were photographed at the Vietnam People’s Air Force Museum unless noted otherwise.

Hayman Tam

Entrance to Vietnam People’s Air Force Museum

No photo taking until you purchase a camera pass for five Vietnamese Dong (5 VND = $0.0002 USD)

A Northrop F-5E Tiger II displayed on the grounds of the Reunification Palace in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Still wearing the colors of the Vietnam Air Force, note the black X’s applied to the national insignia.

Cessna U-17 at the War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Hayman Tam

Douglas A-1 Skyraider at the War Remnants Museum, note how they notched the retaining wall for the propeller.

Remains of a U.S. Navy McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II. This aircraft crashed on May 14th, 1967, during a strike on anti-aircraft defenses near the Than Hoa bridge.

The Kamov Ka-25BSh was a naval helicopter used in the anti-submarine role by the Vietnam People’s Navy.

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21PFM, this aircraft was credited with twelve kills.

Hayman Tam

An early version of the Soviet Mil-24 Hind-A assault helicopter used by North Vietnam.

The Mil Mi-6 “Hook” entered service in Vietnam in 1964 performing heavy cargo transport duties well into the 1990’s.

Antonov An-2 “Colt� were used for a variety of combat uses, including bombing. Two An-2 were shot down by a CIA Huey in 1968, a first for a rotary wing aircraft in Vietnam.

A hundred of these Cessna U-17s were in service with the VNAF for reconnaissance and observation uses.

Hayman Tam

A Mig-21MF with eight air-to-air victories.

Antonov An-2 “Colt� were used for a variety of combat uses, including bombing. Two An-2 were shot down by a CIA Huey in 1968, a first for a rotary wing aircraft in Vietnam.

Home of one of the world’s largest collections of flying vintage military aircraft.

Open Daily 9am-5pm | Virginia Beach, Virginia www.militaryaviationmuseum.org | (757) 721-7767

As a corporate pilot, I can not think of a better way to spend an afternoon off than touring the National Air and Space Museum/ Steven Udvar-Hazy Center near Dulles International Airport.

The day started as any other day at work, with three legs planned and an overnight in Columbus, Ohio. After completing our first two trips, we landed in Dulles and were setting up for the final leg of the day, when scheduling called and told us to go to the hotel because the passengers were going to be too late for us to do the trip.

This was at 11 am. So, of course, my first thought was, “I’m going to the museum!”

The museum is located at the south end of Dulles Airport, only an hour away from the main museum in Washington D.C. It opened in

December 2003, in time to celebrate the 100th anniversary on the Wright Brothers’ first flight. It’s comprised of a large quonset type hanger that can accommodate 200 aircraft. In addition, there is the James S. McDonnell Space Center that houses the Space Shuttle Discovery and about 130 other space vehicles. Also attached is the Mary Baker Engen Restoration hangar, where the B-26 “Flak Bait” is currently being preserved and readied for display. If you so desire a bird’s eye view of Dulles, then the Donald Engen observation tower is the place to go.

The facility contains some of the most iconic airplanes ever built, such as Concorde, the Boeing Dash 80, and the B-29 “Enola Gay”.

Also, aircraft ranging from early homebuilts to fighters and bombers from WWI to present day are all on display, some of which are the

National Air and Space Museum STEVEN UDVAR-HAZY CENTER

Article and photos by Scott Slingsby

last remaining examples in existence such as the Aichi M6A1 Seiran and the Dornier Do 335 Pfeil.

One of the most recent additions on public display, is the last Sikorsky JRS-1, the military version of the Sikorsky S-43. The museum’s example is the only aircraft in their collection that was at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. After the attack, it was one of ten JRS-1’s that went in search of the Japanese fleet. Although the tattered fabric gives the impression the plane was damaged during the attack, a museum volunteer explained that it was really from years of outside storage.

The airplane that piqued my interest the most is bright orange and hangs from the rafters - the Grumman Gulfhawk II. It was built for Gulf Oil Company and piloted by Major Al Williams, the head of Gulf’s aviation department. He campaigned the plane on the airshow circuit from 1936 to 1948, demonstrating aerobatics and dive bombing techniques before giving it to the Smithsonian in late 1948.

My small connection to the Gulfhawk began in the mid-80s, when one of my early photography mentors, Larry Lowery, a photographer for Life Magazine, The National Geographic and many other publications, gifted me a black and white photo of the plane. He gave it to me when I flew a Cessna 172 to 10,000 feet so he could get some high altitude shots of the city of Boston. It took a while to get the small plane to that altitude, and even longer to get down to avoid shock-cooling the engine, but everything went off without a hitch.

The picture itself is of Major Williams tossing out the shotgun shell after starting the Gulfhawk at an airshow in Bedford, MA. It hangs on the wall of my office to this day as one of my fondest memories of my flying career.

The photographs in this article are just a small sampling of the 350 shots I took that day, ranging from the Crosley Flea to the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird.

After an afternoon of binging on amazing and historical airplanes I was jolted back to reality when scheduling sent us to Teterboro and Grand Island, Nebraska the following day.

Denis Slingsby Scott Rouleau

Denis Slingsby Scott Rouleau

Fly Right

AND FLY TIGHT!

T-6 TEXAN FORMATION FLYING DEEP IN THE HEART OF TEXAS Article and photos by Gary Daniels

Deep in the heart of Texas lies the historic town of Fredericksburg, a tourist destination for folks from Dallas, Austin, San Antonio and Houston seeking good German food, shopping and a little peace and quiet from the rat race of the big city. But, one spring weekend a year Fredericksburg wakes up to the sound of radials rumbling over the city. Many of the town folk and tourists make their way to the local airport wondering if an air show is underway that they haven’t heard about. What they find is a scene reminiscent of a busy World War II training airbase. Twenty some-odd vintage T-6 Texan variants being readied for flight, props turning through, aircraft taxiing out and four ship groups launching from the 5000 x 75 feet of pristine concrete of Gillespie County Airport (T82). What they are witnessing is the annual Texan Roundup; a gathering of pilots, and their Texans, spending a weekend sharpening their formation flying skills, talking airplanes ad nauseam, and enjoying great food with good friends at this perfect aviation venue.

Gordon Richardson is responsible for riding herd on the Texan Roundup. He and his father, Gordon Sr., and brother Randall, are long time T-6 owners.

The concept of a formation-flying clinic for Texan owners began in 2007.

These vintage warbirds are constantly requested to fly at airshows, Memorial and Veteran’s Day flyovers, and special events. Texan owners also enjoy keeping the history of these aircraft alive with younger generations. The best way to show the aircraft is to fly the aircraft, and even better, fly the aircraft in formation flights. So, the importance of being rated to fly formations and fly safe formations is paramount. Gordon, along with other Texan owners, realized there was not a venue for ‘weekend’ formation-flight training to provide recurrent training for a wingman or leader, or to produce a new formation rated wingman. And, Texan owners also have an added incentive to be formation rated. They have an abundance of like aircraft to fly formation with. For example, it’s difficult and very expensive to get a formation of ‘51’s together. But, there are many T-6’s that can gather for events and being formation-rated makes the experience for the pilots, and spectators, that much more special.

Gordon knew the town of Fredericksburg through family connections.

With its exceptional airport and expansive surroundings, Gordon felt the town would be an optimum location for a formation-flying clinic. Gillespie County Airport, on the southwestern edge of town, has a large tarmac to handle many aircraft, a long and wide runway to practice two ship takeoffs, and is just mere minutes from wide open and gorgeous Texas hill country landscape to carve out a space in the sky over and practice until they ‘get it right and get it tight.’ Plus, the Hangar Hotel and Airport Diner are on the airport property and are a pilot’s dream with impressive

accommodations. What could be better than waking up in a great hotel less than 300 feet from a big breakfast and your dew covered aircraft! So, with the perfect location determined, the first Texan Roundup was held in 2008.

This past April, 28 Texan variants attended the 10th Annual Fredericksburg Invitational Texan Roundup. Jay Consalvi, NATA (North American Trainer Association) check pilot, conducted a formation-flying ground school on Friday morning. Flying began after lunch and continued until late afternoon. After the early Saturday morning briefings, crews headed to their aircraft, 600 horsepower radials coughed to life, and the airfield remained hectic all day.

Jay and Gordon paired up instructor and student teams for the day’s schedule and two and four ship groups were assembled.

Pre-flight briefings laid out expectations and post-flight critiques put the polish on the practice.

Denis Rouleau

The goal of the Texan Roundup is to make better pilots and to adhere to the mission of The Formation And Safety Team (FAST): facilitate

and promote safe formation flying for pilots operating aircraft through a review of criteria to be utilized by its members to standardize formation flight performance evaluation. In Gordon’s words, “Promote safety, keep sharp, fly right and fly tight, and create a constructive debrief environment.” Gordon clarified, “Don’t come to the clinic as a formation novice and expect to be checked-out over the weekend.

Because of the short time frame the pilot has to have a certain level of formation experience to begin with. He may even go through the weekend and not be recommended for a check ride. But, he’ll gain additional formation-flying experience, and training, that will help him earn his wingman card in the future.”

In short, these aviators come together for a weekend in the true spirit of aviation, on their own volition, on their own dime, to advance their flying skills to enhance the spectator experience. And, flying formation over the rugged hill country deep in the heart of Texas is a well-deserved bonus.

Gary Daniels

DenisDaniels Gary Rouleau

DenisDaniels Gary Rouleau

DenisDaniels Gary Rouleau

COMOX B Last December at the International Council of Air Show (ICAS) convention, I had a great conversation with Snowbirds 10 - Capt.

Blake McNaughton. We talked about ISAP and the chance to work together later in 2018 at the Bell Ft. Worth Alliance airshow.

We shared a few laughs and reminisced about air shows we were at in the past. Toward the end of our conversation an invite was extended to me to attend their winter training in Comox, BC. Just before the ISAP symposium Capt. McNaughton called me and asked if I was going to attend. So plans were made to attend. I also knew that this would be a great opportunity to work with a couple of ISAP members in Canada as well.

I knew there were changes being made for media and photographers covering their training this year. This was an opportunity to work not only with the Snowbirds but also with the CF-18 Demo Team as well.

ISAP member Steve Bigg was one of the photographers who attended this event as well and shares his experience in another article.

Once on site at Comox, BC I also learned that fellow ISAP member and ISAP George Hall Lifetime Achievement (GHLA) Award recipient Katsuhiko Tokunaga would be flying with the team. Along with myself and other photographers had the chance to catch up and share photography over dinner during our stay.

One of the opportunities for me was photographing not only the Snowbirds training but also the CF-18 Demo aircraft, which this year is in the colors celebrating the 60th anniversary of NORAD. For me this was even more special since I was asked to take part in an air-to-air session with other photographers shooting both demo teams.

BC

2018 SPRING TRAINING WITH THE CANADIAN FORCES SNOWBIRDS AND CF-18 HORNET DEMO TEAM Article and photos by Larry Grace

Larry Grace

Also with this being the 60th anniversary of NORAD brought back memories for me as I been apart of NORAD when I was in the Air Force and was part of a joint US and Canadian team at Duluth MN. Yes Duluth had an active air force base and part of the NORAD mission.

2018 has brought me the opportunity to work with the USAF Heritage Demo teams and both Canadian teams. Working with the teams brought a lot on knowledge on how photographers and media work with them.

Here is just a small collection of images captured during my visit with the Snowbirds and CF-18 Demo team.

Thank you to the RCAF personal of 19th Wing Comox, Snowbirds and CF-18 Hornet Demo Team.

Major Denis Bandet Snowbird 1 Captain Blake McNaughton Snowbird 10 Captain Robbie Hindle Snowbird 11 Lieutenant (N) Michele Tremblay Snowbird PAO CF-18 Demo Team Captain Stefan Porteous Captain Jennifer Halliwell

DenisGrace Larry Rouleau

Denis Rouleau Larry Grace Larry Grace

Larry Grace

Snowbird 10 - Capt. Blake McNaughton

DenisGrace Larry Rouleau

DenisGrace Larry Rouleau

Steve Bigg

Cats have a reputation for having a mind of their own. Getting a blank stare out of most cats when you give them an instruction would typically be considered success given that you got any reaction at all. At times photographers can be found to be acting much like cats. When they’re granted special access at air shows or military exercises, their drive to “get the shot” at times can take over their behavior and the next thing you know their behavior can become very cat like. it’s not surprising that the Public Affairs Officers (PAOs) charged with organizing such groups can occasionally be heard fondly using the common idiom of “herding cats” to refer to the task. Referring to their supervisory role in coordinating and escorting photographers this way has become somewhat of an inside joke between PAOs and their herd and speaks to the friendly relationships built during long days on the ramp documenting activities with imagery. Larry Grace, President of the International Society for Aviation Photography and I were privileged to join such a group to “join the herd” with the Canadian Forces Snowbirds and CF-18 Demonstration Team during their spring training at 19 Wing in Comox

British Columbia on Canada’s west coast in April of 2018. Coming away from the visit with some great shots was certainly a priority but we certainly made it an equal priority to do so without be labeled as being too cat like.

I’ve shot at the Snowbirds and CF-18 Demo Team training before and had an advantage over Larry as far as knowing what to expect out on the range but things were managed slightly differently this year in that Captain Jennifer Halliwell, the PAO from last years CF-18 Demo Team, took the lead in the day to day management of the photographer herd.

Capt. Halliwell said “It made sense for me to help out with coordinating the photographers this year because I was already in Comox to help with the handover of my PAO duties for the CF-18 Demo Team to Capt.

Jennifer Howell. Add to that I had already worked closely with Lt (N) Michèle Tremblay who is the PAO for the Snowbirds again this year.

We both understood the challenges of getting everything done in Comox and understood the benefits of my taking on the role as Media

Ops PAO for both teams during spring training.” While Capt. Halliwell took the lead, all three PAOs interacted with the photographers as a team to ensure the teams were getting the imagery they needed to do their jobs and that the photographers were getting the shots they wanted.

successfully connecting with social media is having amazing shots.”

In return for the opportunity to shoot and provide imagery for the teams, the photographers that shoot at spring training retain full rights to use their shots commercially resulting in all parties benefiting from the relationship. It’s a relationship that involves a lot of trust.

The typical arrangement during spring training in Comox is that the teams provide invited photographers the opportunity to access the base to shoot the training in exchange for the teams being able to use the photographer’s imagery. The demo teams need the imagery for everything from their brochures and posters to their media kits and lithographs. Social media has quickly become another major use of the imagery. Capt. Halliwell: “Social media increases the reach of both teams exponentially beyond the air shows themselves. Not only do we see everyone at the shows, but when we post things online we reach people across the world. It allows us to connect with those people and both teams use social media all the time for that reason. A big part of

“We’re willing to bend over backwards to give photographers access over and above what we would typically give once we’ve developed trust. Trust is #1 when it comes to anything we do. Especially when it comes to our relationship with the photographers.” said Capt. Halliwell.

The PAOs need to be able to trust that photographers given access to aircraft on a working airfield ramp will follow instructions. Ramp safety, access boundaries and not shooting certain military subjects are all issues they need to be confident photographers will respect without needing constant supervision. They also need to trust that photographers will follow up with the imagery they agreed to supply.

Capt. Halliwell continued to say “It’s awesome to work with people that

Steve Bigg

we have that good relationship with. Not only are they getting great shots, but they come in and they integrate with the team. They’re kind of going above and beyond to work with us.” Having that kind of relationship makes it much easier for the PAOs to get on with all the other work they have on their plate during spring training.

The Snowbird and CF-18 Demo teams each fly their routine twice a day during the roughly 3 weeks that they are in Comox with only one or two days off for rest.

Lt (N) Tremblay routinely participates in the full brief and debrief associated with each Snowbird practice and in her role as the French language narrator for the team, she is required to do participate when she is practicing narrating the show. Capt. Howell is both the English and French language narrator for the CF-18 Demo Team and so participates in all the team’s briefings and debriefings. Just working on the narration of the show routines demands a lot of time. But the narration is a key part of the team’s presentation and Comox is where the PAOs work to dial in their scripts and polish the delivery of their narration. The PAOs also need to work with all their team members on developing a comfort level for interacting with the public that is appropriate for being on the national stage. An ability to deliver the teams message and speak about the theme it’s celebrating are part of being a demo team member. Both the Snowbirds and the CF-18 Demo Team are celebrating the 60th anniversary of NORAD this year and if team members couldn’t answer basic questions about NORAD and it’s history, it’s not much of a celebration.

But the most important role the PAO has on a team is to manage all the requests that involve the pilot’s time for interviews and photos and other community interactions. It’s their job to manage the pilots time so they’re able to do their primary job safely which is flying their aircraft. It’s important that photographers involve the public affairs officers in any requests they have. It’s the PAOs who have the overview of all the different demands that are placed upon the pilots. They strive to help photographers get the shots they want but not communicating requests can lead to unnecessary conflicts when they’re unable to provide what you want due to schedule conflicts. The result can be undue stress on the team when the PAO has to try to figure out at the last minute how to accommodate requests with all the demands on the team’s time and result in a photographer being labeled as a cat that’s difficult to herd.

Besides being given the opportunity to join the herd, the effort photographers put into building their trust relationship with the teams can result in other exceptional opportunities. Each year during spring training the Snowbirds and CF-18 Demo Team work together to plan and execute a photo mission towards the end of spring training.

Typically, the mission involves photographers shooting from the open ramp of a CC-115 Buffalo aircraft from 442 Transport and Rescue Squadron. The teams fly in formation behind the aircraft over British Columbia’s stunning landscapes creating some very dynamic imagery. The Snowbirds are first on stage for shooting. After several passes they’re joined by the CF-18 Demo Team demo jet for combined formation shots before the Snowbirds head off and the CF-18 takes the stage by itself behind the Buffalo. In the past the photo mission has been a very busy flight with more than ten photographers filling the small cabin of the Buffalo taking short turns shooting out the back as aircraft came and went. Coordination of a limited number of harnesses and connections combined with the limited time the aircraft could fly made it difficult to give everyone a chance to shoot. The results often weren’t what the teams expected from the flights.

For this year the decision was made to limit the flight to four photographers and a Canadian Forces videographer. Those with a solid relationship with the teams and who had proven they could deliver the imagery needed were invited to join the mission.

The westernmost coast of Canada near Tofino British Columbia was chosen as the backdrop for the flight and the results were excellent. The limited number of photographers meant everyone could settle into their position with only one change of positions during the flight. The results were spectacular. The teams acquired lots of shots to choose from for their needs and the photographers all agreed that they came away from the flight with images that would stand out as some of their best to date.

Denis Rouleau

Larry was the new kid on the block this year in Comox. He had been invited to join the cat herd and the photo flight due in part to the relationship he’s been building with the Snowbirds team for three years.

It was his first chance to show his stripes to the team’s first hand and it was clear that it wasn’t his first rodeo. Experienced photographers like Larry understand how to be an easy cat to herd when given special photo opportunities and how to balance getting the unique shots those opportunities offer while respecting the relationship it took to get them.

With Comox over and the air show season in full swing, it’s time to ensure a good attitude towards working with airshow performers and military is one of the key items you pack in your camera bag. Work at not just getting the shot but more so on developing the relationships you’re given an opportunity to be part of. If you’re offered a chance to dawn your reflective vest and join a herd to get the shot, be sure to do your best to be a cat worth herding.

Steve Bigg

Denis Rouleau Steve Bigg

Denis Rouleau Steve Bigg

How I got the shot!

Kevin Hong

Article and photo by Jim Sugar

While preparing to photograph two 1930’s-era vintage aircraft at the Pima Air Museum in Tucson, Arizona, a young woman walked into the museum wearing a flight attendants’ uniform of the same vintage as the aircraft. Ms. Jeanne Sorenson graciously allowed me to photograph her to complete the shot. She walked into that museum like she owned the place. The addition of Ms. Sorenson wearing her 1930’s flight attendant’s uniform made the photograph complete.

Prior to making the photograph, I spent about 45 minutes walking around both the inside and outside of the museum looking for a subject. Many of the ISAP photographers started shooting as soon as they walked through the front door. My experience working for National Geographic and other photographic clients has taught me to location scout the scene before pulling out a camera. At the Pima Air Museum, there were so many airplanes and so many changing

light situations that I preferred to deal with overshoot problems as well as checking out the ambient light in the building.

Members of Nikon Professional Services helped me with five strobes to light the shot. (Thanks Brian & J.C.!) With the help of the two Nikon reps and their incredible flash units, we were able to drop out the confusing background and paint light just on the two airplanes and the terrific model. We used Rembrandt lighting on Jeanne’s face and carefully placed her against the cowling of one of the engines of the Twin Beech S18D to separate her from the background. After dealing with the selection of the planes, the positioning of the model, and the lighting with the Nikon strobes, the actual photography was just second nature. For me, this workflow is typical of creating a complex photograph.

Jim Sugar

EQUIPMENT USED Nikon D850 w/105 mm f/1.4 5 strobes in optical mode 1 Nikon Speedlight SB 900 – master 2 Nikon Speedlight SB 500 – radio 1 Nikon Speedlight SB 800 1 Nikon Speedlight SB 700

SHOT INFORMATION Exposure: 1/250 sec Apeture setting: f/4.5 ISO: 64

I

ational Socie ty ern nt

at

h

©

y

A

vi

io n

P h otogr

ap

MEET OUR MEMBERS

MEET OUR MEMBER

Stephen Butler

Stephen A. Butler has dedicated his personal and professional life to photography. He is a Northeast Ohio-based commercial photographer, who for more than 30 years, has traveled the world working with leading global manufacturers, service providers and brands in business-to-business and consumer advertising, corporate identity, point-of-purchase and merchandising display, product packaging and executive portraiture.

These assignments have included rigging cameras off a 57-story skyscraper, hanging off an in-flight helicopter and working on Moscow’s Red Square in - 60°F temperatures.

But Steve’s driving passion is all things “big and shiny.” Vintage aircraft, classic cars and motorcycles are his specialties. His personal work both in still and video form - uniquely captures the artistic beauty of these powerful machines.

Steve’s father is the driving inspiration behind his work, sparking both his fascination with photography and his intense interest in aviation, especially WWII aircraft.

Steve grew up captivated by his father’s stories of service in the Pacific theater during WWII as a technical sergeant in the U.S. Army’s 37th infantry division -- and the compelling aircraft he saw there.

Not a great talker, his dad, also named Stephen, was selective about what he shared and likely spared his son from his most personal and shocking experiences. But Steve gained a deep appreciation for his dad’s sacrifices, and those of his fellow service men and women, as well as for the marvelous flying innovations they witnessed, based on what the elder Stephen did reveal. As a result, Steve’s eyes have been irresistibly drawn skyward whenever he hears the distinctive hum of an engine above.

It was also Steve’s father who taught him, at the age of 8, how to print photos using a homemade condenser enlarger. And Steve’s first real experimentation with photography came courtesy of his dad’s 1932 Leica II Model D. Today, Steve shoots in color and infrared black and white with a Nikon D810, 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6 G ED VR, 300mm f/2.8 G ED VR II prime lens and a Nikon D300 that has been converted exclusively to infrared photography. He gets his greatest professional fulfillment from air-to-air photography of military aircraft – especially the warbirds that garnered his dad’s admiration during the 1940s – and aircraft of the golden age of air racing.

Steve prefers RAW image file format. He finds it gives him higher quality and more final-image control than JPEG format. “High-end camera gear, lenses and location shooting are expensive,” he explains.

“After such an investment, I don’t want to compromise on dynamic range, color bit depth or editing ability by letting the camera’s internal software dictate how my images look.”

And he highly recommends Phase One’s Capture One software because it is designed expressly for RAW file image processing. He’s been using it for more than 10 years. Upgrades enable dramatic enhancement to old RAW files, as well, like what you might expect from a new image sensor, he says.

As a new ISAP member, Steve is looking forward to learning from and being inspired by co-members and possibly stirring them to even greater accomplishments. “Knowledge is a gift,” he says. “I know I still have much to learn. And I’ve have had many great coaches and role models who helped me through the years. So I hope to pay back some of that good fortune by sharing with others.”

Steve is also a WWII amateur historian and memorabilia collector.

He lives in Macedonia, Ohio, with his wife Barb, their rescue-dog Winston and his other “loves” - two customized motorcycles, a Heritage Softail Harley-Davidson and K1200 RS BMW.

Denis Rouleau Stephen Butler

Denis Rouleau Stephen Butler

MEET OUR MEMBER

Rastislav Marguš

Rastislav Marguš born in former Czechoslovakia is a leading a career of a full time professional airline pilot of a Boeing 787 commercial jet aircraft for a major national airline. He undertook his first flying lessons as a 15 year old teenager. Although he is pilot of modern jets he is living a life of professional photographer too. Passion for photography started well back at the college at the beginning of his pilot studies by the start of the new millennium. “Career: Pilot…Profession: Photographer” Since 2004 he is a member of the International Federation of Journalist (IFJ) which was a consequence of prolonged cooperation with various life-style and aviation magazines and during the year 2010 he became a member of the Federation of European Professional Photographers (FEP) after his work was reviewed by the jury of professionals in the industry. In 2016 he received the FEP-EP qualification as an acknowledgment of his professional standard and in 2017 he confirmed his standard and achieved the FEP-QEP (Qualified European Photographer) qualification. Also in 2017 he successfully attended as a finalist in the FEP Year Awards competition in the Reportage and Wildlife category on 4th and 6th place respectively. And if it wasn’t enough during 2017 certificate from EPSON was received certifying achieved technical perfection in printing and so enrolled in EPSON’s program for Limited Edition prints. Based in the Canon camp shooting mainly fixed, special and fast lenses all the way from 8mm to 800mm. He likes to think of photography as of a whole process beginning from pre-production taking it thru the image creation to the retouching, printing, framing and beyond.

The golden period and the biggest impact to his photography studies was by the time when he was working as a assistant to the greatest master of photography in Central Europe, Martin Vrabko. This was the time he got to try the medium format Hasselblad camera and got to taste the old masters technique which he likes to include in his portrait, architecture and even street art images.

Aviation is the dominating genre in his portfolio, but since the world is not only about heavy iron flying machines, he started to capture the beauty of the woman, architecture and the beauty of our earth as seen by the Gods as well.

His steps took him to the largest airshows and airports in the world to walk under the wings of the greatest icons of aviation, they took him to various studios, fashion shows and miss competitions to capture the most beautiful women’s in the world and at last but not least they took him high enough to soar above the most beautiful parts of our planet Earth.

Rastislav MarguĹĄ

Rastislav MarguĹĄ

MEET OUR MEMBER

James Woodard

I am a semi-professional photographer living in Lancaster Pennsylvania who works for a Large Site Contracting company in the area. I have been fortunate to put my love for photography to use at work by taking photos of various job sites and heavy equipment which has led to some paid gigs with other companies. My love for photography gripped me later in life after I randomly purchased a DSLR just because it was on sale.

Once I began to play with the camera I discovered how much I loved it, and I began to self-teach myself the different skills and techniques to get quality photos. Scott Kelby’s Kelby One service was a great source for education for me as well as Jared Polin from Fro Knows Photo.

Ever since working at Naval Air Station Wildwood Museum in Cape May, NJ part time after high school, I have had an interest in aviation.

Years later after finding my love, photography, it didn’t take long for the two to join up. After hearing about the Mid Atlantic Aviation Museum’s World War II Weekend, which is only 30 minutes from home, I decided to head up there with my camera. Not knowing anything about aviation photography, I ended up with less-than-stellar images. This put me in a funk until I happened to visit some of my wife’s family in Virginia Beach.

Her brother’s house sits next to NAS Oceana so you know where this is going. After my first time experiencing two F/A 18’s fly right overhead I was hooked; I had to see more. I have spent the last two years since then trying to hone my skills with the help of fellow aviation photographers that I have met along the way. Last year I settled on giving my aviation work a unique name to try to stand out from the rest. In the honor of my Brother SGT Michael Scusa who was KIA in 2009 in Afghanistan while part of Black Knight Troop, I am proud to call my aviation work “BLACK KNIGHT AVIATION”.

After hearing about ISAP on Facebook and following Larry Grace on Instagram, I joined ISAP with the hopes that it will lead to meeting more aviation photographers that I could learn from. In the future, I hope that others will be able to learn a thing or two from me, as I am always happy to share what I know. Alongside a close group of fellow aviation enthusiasts, we have recently created Full Disc Aviation, an online presence where we hope to share our experiences and tell thoughtful, unique stories about the world of aviation.

When shooting airshows, I have my trusty Canons by my side; a 7D Mark II and 5D Mark IV. My go-to lens right now is the Sigma 150-600 (sport) with a Canon 70-200 f/2.8 on the second body. For wider shots, it is the Canon 24-70 f/2.8 or Canon 17-40 f/4. I have dabbled a little bit with off camera flash during darker hours with aviation and loved it, hoping to do some more in the future. I always shoot RAW and do post-processing in Adobe Lightroom. I would say 90% of my shots are

completely done in LR, with the remaining going into Photoshop for final work. I prefer to keep everything in LR simply because it can more than handle the job and if you catalog everything there, you will always know where your shots are. If you need help with LR, look to Scott Kelby.

None better at teaching that program than him.

If I had to give any tips, it would be just to practice, practice, practice.

I love great panning shots. Panning with slow shutter speeds is something a lot of people love to do, but it is also something that can scare the hell out of you. Once you get comfortable with one shutter speed, drop it lower. You will have some trash on the cutting room floor when you cull your images, but if you hit on a couple shots you will not be sorry. Happy Shooting!

Denis Rouleau James Woodard

Denis Rouleau James Woodard

MEET OUR MEMBER

Jerome Buescher

Jerome is an amateur aviation photographer with an obsessive interest in flying things. He has been fascinated by aviation as long as he can remember, and has regularly attended airshows since infancy. As a child, his family moved to Virginia Beach and into a house near Oceana Naval Air Station, where a steady stream of Tomcats and Intruders passing overhead stoked his passion for flying things. He now lives in Central Virginia and regularly travels to aviation events across the mid-Atlantic region to take photographs of aircraft.

Jerome Buescher

Jerome Buescher

MEET OUR MEMBER

James Ross

Space Shuttle Columbia being ferried from Edwards Air Force Base to Kennedy Space Center in 2001.

My name is James Ross, I was born and raised in Montana. I have loved photography since I was seven years old and received my first Kodak Brownie from my grandfather. I took all the photo classes in high school and decided that’s what I wanted to major in when I attended college. I received a Bachelor of Science degree from Montana State University majoring in Film and Television production in 1987. The following year I moved to Los Angeles and looked for work.

I had heard about the ISAP organization and thought that it would be a good group for me to be a part of and am not real sure why I waited so long to join, I guess I kind of forgot about it until I came across it online recently. It looks like it will be a great organization to be a part of and I am excited to see what it is all about. I had heard about it from current members who are a part of the organization. I do not belong to any other photographic associations or groups at this time.

After two years of working in Hollywood at a photo lab, I saw an ad in the LA Times for a photographer job at NASA Dryden. I applied over that phone and a few weeks later, I landed a job with the contract that did the photography work for NASA Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base. Within 2 years, I was the Lead Photographer and began get qualified to fly photo support missions in the T-38 and F-18 aircraft. I have worked at NASA Dryden, now Armstrong for the last 29 years and flown for 26 of those years. I have approximately 900 hours in various aircraft including the T-33, T-34, T-38, F-15, F-16, F-18, C-12, C-20A, KC-10, KC-135, DC-8, Boeing 747-SP and various helicopters.

I often am often invited to speak to organizations about my job and photography. I enjoy sharing what I do and helping people out with their photography when I can. I have spoken to many school groups, photography groups and other associations. I enjoy talking with people about photography. I would recommend people new to that aviation photography world to network as much as they can and offer to take photos for people with aircraft, eventually that will pay off and you will get your name out there and soon will be asked to start shooting for more and more people.

I have received many awards from NASA and other organizations during my time at Armstrong including two medals, a Public Service Medal and an Exceptional Public Achievement Medal. I was also awarded a Silver Snoopy award from the Astronaut Office and I won the Best of the Best award from Aviation Week & Space Technology’s 2001 photo contest.

My work has been used in many publications including Aviation Week & Space Technology and Air & Space Smithsonian.

We have always used Nikon equipment for our 35mm and digital work as NASA Armstrong. During the film days, our primary camera was the Bronica 6x6 camera. It was what the government could afford for all five photographers to have a kit and 3 lenses. We also had a Hasselblad available for checkout and for our inflight work we used a Mamiya or Pentax 645 because those cameras were a good set-up for use with our helmet and mask in the fighter jets. I rarely shoot at air shows, but would use my Nikon D810 and 80-400 mm zoom if I was to shoot an air show.

We shoot in RAW at NASA Armstrong because it is what we archive and we can work better with the file to do the adjustments we need in the RAW form. We use Photoshop, just because it is what we selected years ago and we all four have the license for that program and it makes things universal for us when working together.

Photograph of the gold shield of a NASA space suit inside a Space Shuttle following a landing at Edwards AFB in 2001.

F-18 High Alpha Research Vehicle (HARV) doing ground thrust vectoring testing with NASA test pilot Bill Dana at the controls in 1991

NASA F-15D flown by NASA test pilots, Troy Asher and Jim Less, flies a proficiency sortie over the Mojave Desert in 2015.

Denis Rouleau James Ross

F-16 ACAT flown by Calspan test pilot Kevin Prosser and Air Force test pilot Col. J. J. Mitchell flies a test sortie over the Boron mine in 2010.

NASA research pilots Tim Williams and Bill Brockett fly the Boeing 747-SP SOFIA over the Sierra mountain range during a test mission in 2010.

The three active thrust vectoring aircraft, F-18 HARV flown by NASA test pilot Ed Schneider, X-31 flown by German Air Force test pilot, Quirin Kim and F-16 MATV flown by US Air Force test pilot Mike Gerzanics, fly in formation in 1994.

James Ross

X-31 flown by DASA test pilot Karl Lang, performs a high alpha maneuver over the high desert in 1995.

SR-71 Blackbird flown by NASA test pilot Rogers Smith and NASA flight test engineer Bob Meyer flies over Lake Michigan during the 1997 Oshkosh Air show.

James Ross

Space Shuttle Endeavour flies over Disneyland on route to LAX on its final ferry flight in 2012.

MEET OUR MEMBER

Robin Wright

My obsession with flight began as a child growing up in St. Petersburg, FL when I would look upwards in the evening to see Sputnik 1, and later Echo 1, pass overhead. It grew as I watched jets from MacDill AFB in Tampa fly overhead, occasionally leaving the windows shaking as the shockwave hit. Next came the space program where I would climb onto our roof to view the white vapor trail from the Mercury mission launches above Cape Canaveral 150 miles away. While in college, I drove myself to the Cape to view several of the Apollo launches, including Apollo 13.

While flight was a passion, I turned to science as a profession.

I received my PhD in inorganic photochemistry from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. After graduating, I was offered a job at Oak Ridge National Labs to study the photochemistry of plutonium complexes, but I decided to go a safer route and took a summer job at the Aerospace Corporation in El Segundo making chemical tags to study the mechanism of oil migration from bearings in satellites before departing for a 15-month postdoctoral at the University of Regensburg in Regensburg, Germany. Upon returning to the US, I accepted a position at 3M in St. Paul, MN in the Corporate Research Lab where I eventually became a Corporate Scientist and was inducted into 3Mís technical Hall of Fame, The Carlton Society, in 2014. After 38+ years at 3M, I retired in April 2017.

As a photographer, I consider myself an advanced amateur. I purchased my first ìrealî camera, a Minolta XK, while in California. Living in Santa Monica, I would frequently bike down Sepulveda Blvd. and photograph inbound 747s as they passed overhead into LAX. While living in Germany, I toured twelve European countries and have several thousand slides from those travels. I also collected several pounds of coins worth several hundred dollars from the different countries that are worthless today because of the Euro.

I finally went digital with an Olympus E10 and later upgraded to a Nikon D2X which I still use today. My favorite lenses for aviation photos are the Nikon DX 18-200mm and the AF-S 70-300mm. Most of my photos are shot in RAW and while I have used Lightroom, I prefer Photoshop, although my level of expertise in both is very limited. Hopefully in retirement, I can significantly improve in that area!

I first learned about ISAP after meeting Larry Grace at the preshow photoshoot in Duluth, MN in 2017. I was taking a shot of a standing plane using a polarizer to remove glare off the window and Larry walked up and suggested for the show that I should remove the polarizer and put on the lens hood then gave me his card. I didn’t know much about Larry until the actual show when I saw him on the other

side of the fence getting much closer to the action than I ever could. I followed up with him after the show, sending him the RAW file of a B-52 that I had taken. He cropped it and adjusted the sky tone to enhance it then sent it back to me with some info on ISAP. After looking through some of the issues of the ISAP magazine, I was hooked.

My goal as an ISAP member is to meet a number of ISAP members, improve my photography skills, increase my opportunities to shoot under different lighting conditions, and master Photoshop. I look forward to the journey.

Denis Rouleau Robin Wright

Denis Rouleau Robin Wright

MEET OUR MEMBER I use mostly Nikon gear but I also own Sigma lenses. The camera bodies I use for aviation photography are the Nikon D500 and D850. Lenses are the Nikon 200-500mm and Sigma 100-400mm. I’ve also used the Tamron and Sigma 150-600mm lenses but found they both go soft of the distant end. The Nikon 200-500mm is a recent acquisition but I haven’t used it at an air show yet.

I use RAW and Lightroom exclusively. I shoot in RAW format so I can edit images without harming the original image. I try to minimize the amount of post-processing I make on any image so I try to get the best possible image in the camera. The post-processing I do to images is typically lens correction, lightening shadows, and cropping. In Lightroom I can batch process image edits, then select the images for export to JPEG format for printing and website posting.

Mark Makowski

Hello, I’m retired from the US Air Force, currently located in Yorktown, Virginia, and I’m an advanced amateur photographer. I work at Langley AFB so in addition to air shows, I have easy access to US and NATO aircraft that visit here. I started photography in the late 70’s using an Olympus SLR with a 55mm lens. I took mostly scenic shots of places I visited. In the mid-80’s, as part of my formal training as an imagery intelligence officer, the course work included black and white photogrammetry. Those were the only sensors in the inventory at that time; course work included detailed photogrammetry along with airborne optics and their limitations. Since I’ve loved aircraft as long as I can remember, becoming an aviation photographer was an easy transition. When I’m not able to photograph aircraft, I use my gear to photograph birds in flight (BIF), usually birds of prey. I also like landscape photography, specifically fall foliage.

I just recently learned of ISAP and after looking at the website, I could tell the members take their aviation photography seriously. I have several pages of aviation images on my website. I actively participate in the Nikon D850 Facebook page. I’m also a gold member of Nikonians and I post some images to the National Geographic “My Shot” section.

I absolutely help other photographers learn about photography. Once a person decides to go beyond the cell phone camera and buys a DSLR, it opens a new world with endless opportunities. My obsession with photography has helped others take their hobby to new levels, purchasing equipment ans starting small businesses. Advice I give to new photographers - regardless if they enjoy aviation photography or not - is to develop their own style.

Denis Makowski Mark Rouleau

Denis Makowski Mark Rouleau

Mark Makowski

MEET OUR MEMBER At some point in my life I managed to get a piece of paper stating that I was now a qualified trainer and I must admit that showing a newcomer the ropes is one of my guilty pleasures. Standing on the flight line and seeing the look on someone’s face after capturing decent prop-blur whilst keeping the airframe sharp in a pan is for the lack of a better word, fun. Of course there’s missing the shot of a fast jet as a result of not setting the correct shutter speeds after capturing the belter of a Tiger Moth in the last display, the agony of the shared experience is just as rewarding.

If I can give one tip it would be to have an air show program at hand and be prepared to adjust for the aircraft on display.

Maybe one more.

Dylan van Graan

My name is Dylan van Graan and I’m an amateur photographer based in sunny South Africa. I dabble in a few areas of photography, mainly macro, landscape and action/sport. In the latter category my main interest is centered around aviation photography.

Look around you and be aware of your surroundings, often aircraft come screaming into the display area over the back of the crowd line.

Mustang Sally (Menno Parsons - owner/pilot) loves doing this and by the time he pulls into the barrel roll it’s too late.

Having no formal training in photography apart from some short courses once I took up the hobby seriously I am mainly self taught and in the case of aviation photography completely so.

OK, last one!

Aircraft have always been one of my favorite modes of transportation and I fondly remember the whine of a Goblin engine during a Vampire display as a kid and spending my teenage years watching prospective air force pilots perform aerobatic exams in AT-6 Texans (Harvard) from the roof of our house after school. South Africa used this type as a trainer well into the 80s and it was later replaced in the training role by the Pilatus PC7, just making the point to say that I’m not that old!

I’m a Canon shooter and have been for some time, currently using an “aged” 70D and Canon EF 100-400mm (push/pull) next to the flight-line.

It gets the job done and I use Fujifilm for my other photographic pursuits such as landscape, milky-way and food photography. I have tested the X-T2 and the Fuji 100-400mm on occasion and found the setup usable if not ideal.

Considering my experience with Fujifilm I tend to find myself on the other side of the photographic fence when it comes to the tools of the trade. I shoot RAW which is generally standard for many photographers but once uploaded to my laptop my weapons of choice for getting the images that I want/like becomes less mainstream. For RAW conversion I use Capture One and to get rid of the occasional tower that makes a perfectly sharp aircraft on take off look like a “sosatie” (South African delicacy roasted over hot coals) I reach for Affinity Photo. I sometimes can’t resist sending the occasional image over to Silver Efex Pro to convert to black and white.

I’ve been a member of the ISAP on and off over the past few years and the very generous folks responsible for ISnAP have even on occasion allowed me to submit articles for inclusion in this very publication as well as helped me successfully apply for press accreditation to some major events here in South Africa. Quite frankly I think it’s cool to be associated with such a group of like-minded people in this organization and I look forward to one day complete the pilgrimage to the yearly symposium, if only I can get my employer to schedule a meeting in the US at the same time!

Have more cards than you need, don’t chimp. I’ve had a Rooi Valk attack helicopter drop flares right in front of me while staring at the back of an LCD trying to free up some space.

See you on the flight-line and good hunting.

Denis van Dylan Rouleau Graan

Dylan van Graan

$3.50 OFF DISCOUNT TO ALL ISAP MEMBERS

LCD Screen Protector

High-quality screen protectors

Custom-fit Japanese technology

I know, I know. Some things just shouldn’t be talked about in polite society. They’re too horrific to contemplate. But that’s why we exist.

At Expert Shield, we looked closely at the screen protector market.

Then we recoiled in horror.

But here’s why you should be telling your Aunty Mabel about us.

We offer a lifetime guarantee. Whose life? The life of your phone, camera or tablet. If you scratch your screen protector, send it back.

If you scuff it, send it back. If it’s rude to its elders, cut off its pocket money and send it back. That’s a no small print, no-scratch, no-bubble, no-quibble guarantee.

You paid a penny or two (probably three) for your Canon 5D Mark III, Nikon D800, Sony A7R II or Olympus OM-D. So how would you feel if you scratched the screen just a few weeks ?

The options seemed to be cheap screen protectors that doubled as clingfilm or expensive screen protectors affordable only by those listed on Forbes. There had to be another way.

We use Japanese Optical Grade CrystalFilm™ technology that comes in three scratch-repelling layers and offers a custom fit that’s as precise as cosmic molecular geometry. Which we made up, admittedly.

Visit ExpertShield.com and select your items.

Click “View Cart” before checkout and click “Use Coupon Code” For discount TYPE in Coupon Code: isap3811LG

www.ExpertShield.com

ww

w. m

in

ds

hi

r. c o m

at ur e

th n

ea

wi

f tg

ge

ga

en

TH CA E R R CH w YI OIC w NG E w. th SO OF in LU WO kt T I RK an ON IN kp S G F O PR ho R OF to CA E .c M SSI ER O om A NA G E LS AR

LIOE Design is a product company that manufactures their own product designs. Located in Seattle, WA all their products are aviation inspired from their Aero Ti Chopsticks Every product has a story. A reason why a product looks the way it does from function and practicality to aesthetics. All our products are designed with the belief that everyday goods can be extraordinary. We strive to ensure the user is getting the most unique experience and to create a everyday item in a completely re-imagined way. We design to spark imagination and creativity even in the most creative people.

Creating products that inspire design.

1) Air Squadron playing cards This deck of cards has artwork of modern jets and aircraft.

The inspiration was to create a deck of cards unlike other cards, the Kings and Queens are B-2 Bomber and SR-71. The Jokers are the A-10 and F-22. Every card is unique creating the perfect deck for an aviation enthusiast or card collector! 2) Stealth Pen The Stealth Pen has a unique, aluminum uni-body design with four total components making it lightweight as well as easy to assemble and disassemble. The slotted design offers a futuristic touch and cuts down on the weight of the pen while allowing the user a glance at the inside ink cartridge.

3) Titan Business card holder The Titan is aero-inspired minimalist light-weight card holder. The pattern on the front of the card holder is reminisce of a futuristic space door and inspired by the nose of the B29 Super Fortress. Titan has a dark gunmetal gray color and is made from aircraft grade 6061-T6 Aluminum.

LIOEDESIGN.COM Visit their website to learn more about their products

Jim Wilson Photography

International Distributor for Kenyon Stabilizing Products

214-796-9743

JW@JIMWILSONPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

ISAP Merchandise

If you wish to purchase any ISAP merchandise please email info@aviationphoto.org Send your name and current address and you will be invoiced via PayPal. Shipping cost will be added to your invoice.

Members with an international address will have a higher shipping rate.

ISAP Challenge coin - $10 + shipping ISAP safety vest (Small to X-Large) - $38 + shipping (An additional $10.00 will be charged for a 2X-4X size vest) ISAP membership patch - $5 + shipping Limited patch version with Velcro backing - $10 + shipping

Special Offer for ISAP Members

Special OFFER Codes ISAPSHIP – Free shipping in the USA ISAP20 – 20% off any order These coupons can be used one at a time.

Both expire at the end of 2018.

The Professionals Source Professionals in the world of imaging rely on the professionals of B&H for their equipment needs. We have experts ready to give courteous service with a phone call, a click of the mouse or a personal visit.

Our SuperStore http://www.bhphotovideo.com/find/HelpCenter/NYSuperStore08. jsp?About_Us-The_Professionals_Source pays tribute to the wealth of possibilities available for photography, videography and other media industries. We make the wonders of technology available through our complete lines of photo, video, audio, lighting, pro accessories, computers, data storage, optics, entertainment, projection and surveillance devices, to which we add a wonderful, personal experience for professionals, hobbyists and consumers alike.

History We opened our original storefront in 1973. Our reputation for extensive inventory and intelligent conversation about photography began with our first customer. We grew from a small photography shop in Manhattan’s Financial District to a major supplier of photo, video and audio equipment on 17th Street, with customers returning again and again for our low pricing and high reliability. The new millennium’s explosion of affordable technology for pros and consumers alike brought new lines of computers, home entertainment, and consumer devices, as we moved to our SuperStore: www.bhphotovideo.com/find/HelpCenter/NYSuperStore08. jsp?About_Us-History on 34th Street and opened our cyber-doors at www.bhphotovideo.com. We continue to expand to meet your needs with showrooms, classes, educational and social media, and more.

I

onal Soc iet nati r e y nt

at

h

©

y

A

vi

io n

Pho

ap togr

www.aviationphoto.org

WWW.NIKON.COM

WWW.BHPHOTOVIDEO.COM

WWW.THINKTANKPHOTO.COM

WWW.SIGMA.COM

WWW.REDRIVERPAPER.COM

WWW.KELBYONE.COM

WWW.FULLCOLOR.COM