April 2011 •From the Chair •Gadget Bag •How I Did That ! •I Phone App •Mystery Plane ID •Marketplace •Getting Published Top Gun Days
ISnAP
Meet the Member Jay Beckman
Comments from the Chair:
It’s hard to believe, but we’re on the home stretch to ISAP-X! Two months, or eight weeks, or fifty-six days – no matter how you look at it, it’s just around the corner! If you haven’t started the gears moving in the direction of getting a hotel room or taking care of registration, now is absolutely the time to do it!
Here’s where things sit: (1) Dates are June 2, 3, 4 (Thursday, Friday, Saturday, respectively). We recommend you arrive on June 1 and plan on departing on June 5. (2) We’ve guaranteed 75 rooms and as I write well over half are already reserved. If you procrastinate, take my word for it that there’s a chance you’ll be forced to stay at another hotel - and that makes for serious logistical headaches! Call today and make reservations! The hotel is the Sheraton Mission Valley San Diego, 1433 Camino Del Rio South, San Diego, CA 92108. The reservations phone number is 800 325-3535 (make sure to ask for the special ISAP discount; our rate is $99 per night plus the usual taxes, etc. (3) Here’s our official guest speaker list - and it is great! • Banquet speaker will be the famous WWII ace/author/test pilot Bud Anderson • Jamie Hunter will be flying over from England • Paul Bowen and Doug Rozendaal will be presenting on “how to have a safe and successful air-to-air shoot” • Jessica Ambats will be covering her experiences as an aviation photographer and working as editor of Plane & Pilot magazine • Mike Fizer will be talking about his work as chief photographer for AOPA Pilot magazine • Tyson Rininger will be talking about airshow photography • Joe McNally, representing Nikon, will be talking about artificial lighting • Eddie Tapp, representing Canon, will be talking about workflow and related issues • Steven Weinberg will be talking about legal issues • Liz Kaszynski will be talking about her pho-
tography and flying experiences photographing the new F-35 for Lockheed Martin • Jay Miller will be talking about the hereafter (i.e. what happens to all those photos we’ve taken after we’re gone) • Lifetime Achievement Award recipient this year will be Phil Makanna (4) There will be two evening sessions. One is a Thursday evening guest panel free-for-all assembled by Paul Bowen. Onboard are Katsuhiko Tokunaga, Jessica Ambats, Chad Slattery, Russell Munson, and Paul himself. The other is a Friday evening session hosted by Joe McNally. Joe will cover the ins and outs of lighting a static airplane at night. Both sessions should provide terrific Q&A opportunities for us all. (5) Paul Bowen has asked me to relay to everyone that he would be happy once again to start our symposium with a “Meet the Members” session. Accordingly, he needs five of your best images (approximately 6x9 @ 150ppi) plus one recognizable close-up portrait of your face. He also wants to know the city where you are based and your status, i.e., Professional, Serious Amateur, Enthusiast, Freelance, Hobbyist, or Whatever. Deadline is May 1. Send images to bowen@airtoair.net (6) And for those chomping at the bit to exercise their cameras and take a few airplane photos, we have one hell of a field trip lined up! We’ll start the morning at the San Diego Aerospace Museum where we will not only have access to their extraordinary collection of historically significant aircraft, but also a full-up breakfast with all the trimmings. After that, we head over to an as-yetto-be-selected eatery for a late lunch. And after that, we’ll take a nice drive to Gillespie Field and Bill Allen’s absolutely beautiful and strategically placed hangar for an afternoon of photographing warbirds and vintage aircraft as they arrive for a weekend airshow. We’ll also have a catered dinner at Bill’s, though the menu has yet to be selected! From there, it’s over to the San Diego Aerospace Museum’s storage and restoration facility where we will have some more photo ops and then watch as Joe McNally and possibly others give us a few lessons on how to light a full-scale airplane using both small and large flash units. Should have you back at the hotel by 9:00 p.m. So that’s where it all sits! Arguably, this will be the best ISAP ever. We’re going to be in a beautiful hotel in a beautiful city in the heart of where US Naval aviation was born almost exactly one-hundred years ago! You can’t ask for better than that!
Jay
Gadget Bag Genus Variable Neutral Density Filter by Jay Miller
It’s not often that aviation photographers need a neutral density filter, but when they do, it’s a serious requirement. As an example, I enjoy photographing functioning prop-driven aircraft at night - particularly those with their flying lights on and their engines running. A full-disk propeller can be a beautiful thing when it’s captured with the proper lighting - which in turn brings up the subject of neutral density filters. Unlike most filters, neutral density filters are just that - neutral. They serve one primary purpose, and that is to reduce the amount of light getting to film or sensors without impacting - at any level - the color of the subject being photographed. If you want zero depth of field (i.e., a nice bokeh) and it’s a bright, sunny day, there’s only one way to fly - and that’s by using an n/d filter. Ira Tiffen, the founder of Tiffen filters, says the following about n/d filters: “When it is desirable to maintain a particular lens opening for sharpness or depth-of-field purposes, or simply to obtain proper exposure when confronted with too much light intensity, use a neutral density (n/d) filter. This will absorb light evenly throughout the visible spectrum, effectively altering exposure without requiring a change in lens opening and without introducing a color shift. “Neutral density filters are denoted by (optical) density value. Density is defined as the log, to base 10, of the opacitance. Opacitance (degree of absorption) of a filter is the reciprocal of (and inversely proportional to) its transmittance. As an example, a filter with a compensation of
one stop has a transmittance of 50%, or 0.5 times the original light intensity. The reciprocal of the transmittance, 0.5, is 2. The log, base 10, of 2 is approximately 0.3, which is the nominal density value. The benefit of using density values is that they can be added when combined. Thus two n/d .3 filters have a density value of 0.6. However, their combined transmittance would be found by multiplying 0.5 x 0.5 = 0.25, or 25% of the original light intensity. “Neutral density filters are also available in combination with other filters. Since it is preferable to minimize the number of filters used, common combinations such as a Wratten 85 (daylight conversion filter for tungsten film) with a n/d filter are available as one filter, as in the 85N6. In this case, the two stop ND .6 value is in addition to the exposure compensation needed for the base 85 filter.” Yes, admittedly a lot of that is beyond my somewhat limited mathematical knowledge, but regardless, it’s decipherable if you have the time and interest to work through it. Bottom line is, n/d filters reduce light without changing its qualities. Neutral density filters have four main purposes: (1) to enable slow shutter speeds to be used in bright lighting situations, thus allowing motion of such subjects as waterfalls, clouds, or moving vehicles to be recorded; (2) to decrease depth of field by permitting the use of wide apertures; (3) to decrease the effective ISO (i.e., if your camera has a minimum ISO of, say, 100, a n/d filter will allow you to shoot at the equivalent of ISO 25 or lower); and to allow you to shoot in snow and ice and other extremely bright scenes without over-exposing. Neutral density filter factors are as follows: ND.3 (exposure adjustment [e/a] = 1 stop an reduces ISO by 1/2); ND. (e/a = 2 stops and reduces ISO by 1/4); ND.9 (e/a = 3 stops and reduces ISO by 1/8); ND1.2 (e/a = 4 stops and reduces ISO by 1/16); ND1.5 (e/a = 5 stops and reduces ISO by 1/32); ND 1.8 (e/a = 6 stops and transmits 1% of light); and ND 3.0 (e/a = 10 stops and transmits 0.1% of light). Having said all of the above, I have, for several years,
been on a quest to find a good n/d filter that could meet most of my in-the-field requirements. A few weeks back I finally remembered to ask Bill Porter, owner of near-by Arlington Camera (817 261-8131), if he had any suggestions. By chance he had just received a filter manufactured by Genus. Referred to somewhat cumbersomely as the Genus 77mm ND (Neutral Density) Fader Filter, it is a variable n/d-capable unit consisting of two elements - one fixed and one rotatable, that increase or decrease the neutral density effect depending upon the rotating front element’s position. To the best of my knowledge it is available only in 77mm diameter - but for what it’s worth, an enormous number of the most important working lenses for most photographers have 77mm front elements, so it’s almost a moot point that that is the Genus standard. It is a heavy, very well made unit with very high-grade optics. It is equipped with graduated markings that provide light re-
duction factors of from 2 to 9 stops. The latter is an almost black degree of density, so this single filter should suffice to accommodate almost every photographer’s n/d requirements. For the rotating section of the filter Genus has seen fit to provide a small screw-in handle to facilitate the rotation process. Nicely, once one gets used to the filter and it’s settings, he or she can gauge neutral density by the position of this small handle. It works great and can be easily removed for storage. Over-all, I am very pleased with this “gadget”. It works as advertised and is most certainly reasonably priced when one calculates what it would cost to buy individual filters in order to have the broad spectrum of n/d filtration represented by this single unit. Priced at approximately $150 (Arlington Camera carries it for somewhat less!), it’s worth every nickel.
Jay
ISnAP Issues
Don’t forget! You now have three ways to receive our newsletter. You can log in to our website at www.aviationphotographers.org. We have both the current and past issues available at : www.issuu.com Current issue: www.issuu.com/isaporg/docs/2010_12 Past issues: http://www.issuu.com/search?q=ISnAP If you like we can still send you the issue by email. Please note that the size of ISnAP may be a large file download. If you have stories, tips, photos, items for sales, news release, etc... we would love to share your information with our membership. Each issue we feature a member profile and we would like to showcase you, so email us your bio and photos for a upcoming issue or eblast. (This is a great way to let other members get to know you). There’s a lot of information and more in this current issue, so download your copy anytime, and enjoy. Look forward to seeing you in San Diego! Frank, Jay and Larry
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Excellent Digital Photography Photoshop Tutorials - Smashing Magazine -
http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2008/12/07/50-excellent-digital-photography-photoshop-tutorials/ (Photoshop Tutorials) http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2008/10/20/the-ultimate-collection-of-useful-photoshop-actions/ ( Photoshop Actions)
How I Did That!
The story behind the photo By Chad Slattery
This portrait of David Masten, CEO of Masten Space Systems, appears in the May 2011 issue of Air & Space/Smithsonian magazine, in a story describing the rocket propulsion community centered on California’s Mojave Desert. Masten was photographed with Xaero, his newest rocket. The key light was a medium Chimera softbox, positioned camera right to light both Masten and Xaero. A second Chimera off his right shoulder acted as a fill. Both Chimeras were attached to Dynalite heads, powered by a single M1000 pack. I lit the rollup door with a Norman 400B, hung on the back of Xaero, and gelled with a full CTB (deep blue) gel. I angled the head slightly camera left to give a glow behind Masten’s head. Xaero’s interior glow comes from a Nikon SB-800 placed inside the rocket, covered with a diffuser and gelled with a full CTO (deep orange). The simulated exhaust plume was made with a Canon 580EX, also gelled with a CTO. It’s mated to a Frio adapter and attached behind the nozzle with a Nasty Clamp (I’m not making these names up). All lights were triggered with PocketWizard MultiMax units. I’ve since bought a trio of old Nikon SB-26’s with integrated flash sensors, eliminating the need for attaching radio remotes to speed lights in closed spaces like this. Camera/lens was a Canon 1Ds Mark III and 24~105, set at 1/160 and f/8. For a finishing touch, I used CS5 to add bright highlights in Masten’s eyes. Hollywood’s glamour photographers developed this retouching trick in the 1940’s to add a bit of sparkle by emulating catch lights. Chad Slattery is a freelance photojournalist based in Los Angeles, specializing in aviation and aerospace. A Contributing Editor at Air & Space/Smithsonian magazine, he is also co-founder of ISAP along with Jay Miller.
Meet the Member
Jay Beckman Pushing The Reset Button It was 1980 and the sign on the bulletin board at Central Michigan University said “Organizational Meeting for Moore Hall Television, Tonight at 7pm in the Studio.” I had found Broadcasting and an industry that would pretty much consume me for the next 25 years. Fast forward to 2009 past moving from Michigan to Arizona in 1997. Past countless hours spent in late-night edit sessions and bone-chilling mobile broadcast units parked next to some of the finest dumpsters in America. Past thousands of sporting events at the local, regional and national level. Past 12 years of NFL, five Super Bowls, several World Series, Stanley Cup Finals, NASCAR tours and NCAA Tournaments. Past millions of miles of commercial air travel and hundreds hotels, rental car counters and even eight Emmy Awards. After so many years of being away from home 35-45 weekends a year, I had found myself at the proverbial fork in the road and it was time to take it! It was time to make a change. Crosswind Images was born. I don’t honestly know when I was bitten by the aviation bug. Packed away in a box somewhere is a scrapbook project I did as a very young child entitled “A Visit To The Airport” so I have to assume this passion has been lingering inside me for quite some time. For a short while in the mid 1980s, I worked at WDTN-TV in Dayton, Ohio and much of my free time was spent at the Museum of the United States Air Force so that probably contributed as well. As
for photography, well, that’s been around a while as well going back to my first SLR which was a Canon AE-1 mated to some incredibly average Tamron “Adapt-All” lenses. The less said about those, the better… Oh, and along the way, I also managed to get my Private Pilot certificate as well. As was mentioned in a previous ISnAP article by member James O’Rear, Arizona is a wonderful place for photography of all kinds (we happen to have a little bit of scenery here…) but aviation photography certainly enjoys a very “target rich environment.” Just about every taste can be accommodated from heavy iron at the Class Bravo Sky Harbor International, our Class Charlie Tucson airport (also home to the AZ Air National Guard and their F-16 operations), Luke Air Force Base, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and the former Williams Air Force Base now known as Phoenix-Gateway Airport. We also have a myriad of Class Delta and pilot-controlled airports that dot Arizona and south-eastern California. Arizona aviation photographers have worked very hard to build and maintain relationships with many facilities. One of my favorite aviation activities to photograph is the monthly breakfast fly-in sponsored by the Lions Club at Coolidge, Arizona. The fine folks at Coolidge allow pho-
tographers (and the public) wonderful access and we often shoot from right along the main runway giving perspectives that are usually hard to come by. With time off for the worst of our summer heat in May through September, breakfast is served on the first Saturday of every month and all manner of aircraft drop in for a bite. The sight of a dozen or so photographers along the runway is possibly jarring at first, but the pilots seem to have gotten used to having us there and many will dip a wing on departure or come around for a second photo pass before heading home. It’s a great way to spend a morning. I’ve always believed that aviation displays the greatest blend of Science and Art that mankind has achieved. We all have our favorite aircraft that we consider “sexy.” Admit it, you know it’s true! This is an aspect of my aviation photography that I try to explore whenever the opportunity presents itself. The lines, shapes, colors and textures of aviation are the hook that keeps me on the line. Some prefer to back off and get a nice ¾ shot or a side elevation but I like to get in close and find the little details that maybe some overlook. I’m also a big fan of black & white images which I think can sometimes convey a better sense of the “machines” although it can make for powerful aviation portraiture as well. In 2010, ISAP members Richard Vandermeulen and Moose Peterson (along with Doug Rozendaal) launched their Air To Air Photography Workshop and I was fortunate to be a workshop “plank owner” when they came to Falcon Field in Mesa, Arizona in November of last year for their first outing.
I think the in-flight images I created are among some of my very best work but beyond the personal gratification, it gave me a new appreciation for how hard this type of photography can really be. I’ve always harbored a deep admiration for those at the top of the air to air food chain but now my hat is totally off to those in the industry who perform on demand through all four seasons and under what may sometimes be less than ideal conditions. We definitely had the cards stacked in our favor. Richard, Moose and Doug did the hard work for sure, but the participants still had to make the magic happen and with a little help from Mother Nature as Lighting Director, I think we did ourselves proud. And so here I am today having traded the moving images of television for the still images of photography yet many of the adjustments we made to video signals are the same adjustments I’m making in Lightroom and Photoshop. And wouldn’t you know it, one of my Canon cameras can shoot 1080p video! Everything old is new again. How’s that for irony? I invite you to visit Crosswind Images on the web at www.crosswindimages.com where I offer fine art aviation photography as well as general photography services. I welcome any and all feedback from fellow ISAP members and I hope to see many of you in San Diego in June for our next Symposium. Stay Safe out there…!
Jay Beckman
Aviation iPhone App Released
Aviation photographer John Slemp is pleased to announce the release of his free Aerographs iPhone app, on the iTunes store. The app was developed to share John’s aviation artwork with potential clients, fans, and photography aficionados. The goal is to interact with those who are inspired by the marvels of human flight, and to broaden the exposure for aviation photography, which includes the people and machines that make flight possible. Blog and news updates, speaking engagements (with built-in links to Google maps), and of course new images will all be updated automatically, anytime the phone is synchronized using iTunes. This also includes updates to the app itself, which are already under development. Versions for the iPad and the Droid devices should be forthcoming within a month. We invite all aviation fans and photography buffs to download the free Aerographs Aviation Photography app. http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/aerographs-aviationphotography/id413765365?mt=8%23
John Slemp is a professional photographer based in Atlanta, Georgia. With a career spanning nearly two decades, John’s commercial work focuses on editorial, corporate, advertising, and now aviation photography. He has a particular passion for aircraft and his work was selected for inclusion in the Best of ASMP in 2008, one of only twenty professional portfolios chosen, out of over 400 submitted for consideration. He is a current member of both EAA and AOPA, and the International Society for Aviation Photography.
EAA Photo Gallery
A Big thanks of appreciation to Jim Koepnick and the EAA staff in displaying ISAP members images within the EAA Photo Galleries. If you haven’t seen the galleries, click in and take a look. A Photographer’s Perspective of Air Venture h t t p : / / w w w. e a a . o r g / a p p s / g a l l e r i e s / g a l l e r y. aspx?ID=430 (Larry Grace) h t t p : / / w w w. e a a . o r g / a p p s / g a l l e r i e s / g a l l e r y. aspx?ID=404 (Dan Beauvais and Brian King) h t t p : / / w w w. e a a . o r g / a p p s / g a l l e r i e s / g a l l e r y. aspx?ID=390 ( Jay Beckman)
Marketplace
Got anything you want to sell or trade? Here’s your chance! Just drop the editor a email at viggenja37@sbcglobal.net.
Photoshop Tip Time
Loading A Layer Mask As A Selection In order to load a layer mask as a selection, Commandclick (PC: Ctrl-click) on the layer mask thumbnail in the Layers panel. Provided by Corey Barker Provided by NAPP (National Association of Photoshop Professionals) ® 2009 Kelby Media Group.
ISnAP Sponsors (in alphabetical order):
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company http://www.lockheedmartin.com Air & Space Smithsonian http://www.airspacemag.com
Nikon USA http://www.nikonusa.com Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association http://www.aopa.org
Canon USA http://www.usa.canon.com
Delkin Devices http://www.delkin.com
Northrop Grumman http://www.northropgrumman.com
Think Tank http://www.thinktankphoto.com
Getting Published:
Long Road to Satisfying Conclusion By Dave “Bio” Baranek
Several years ago, I came up with the idea of writing a book about some of my experiences as a Navy Topgun instructor and radar intercept officer in the F-14 Tomcat. I’ve been an aviation enthusiast since childhood and enjoyed photography, so I would be able to use my own photographs to illustrate some of the action and serve as eye candy. My wife encouraged me, and I started writing. I immediately started thinking of the glory that lay ahead, after my book made a splash in the market. After all, wouldn’t everyone want to read about the mighty Tomcat, and my part in helping to make the movie “Top Gun”? Writing the manuscript was enjoyable, as I spent hours recalling adventures of my youth and putting them into words. I referred to my logbooks and other notes, but the details of the most memorable flights and events are still clear in my memory -- as is probably true for many ISAP members. Once I finished, I started to search for an agent. I wrote directly to several publishers, but their responses were backed up by my own research: few publishers will deal directly with unpublished authors. Or I should say aspiring authors. So I began to systematically contact agents listed in the Guide to Literary Agents, which has a great deal of helpful information in addition to agent listings. After a few dozen rejections, I considered self-publishing, and talked to authors who were happy with their self-publishing experiences. But it was not the route for me and I continued to pursue a literary agent and traditional publisher. This was a trying stage, but my perseverance paid off and I finally contacted an agent who saw potential in my project. He gave me some good advice and a few months later I had a publishing contract. What a feeling of accomplishment!
Now I have a published book, Topgun Days, and I enjoy doing book-signings and speaking engagements. I meet a great variety of people who share a passion for aviation, and it is rewarding to entertain or inspire them. The publisher originally planned to use twenty of my photographs, but decided to go with more than fifty, and the print quality is excellent. While the content of the book deals mainly with flying adventures and personal growth, the photography aspect is one of the key features that makes it an attractive purchase. I’ve also used my aviation photographs in magazine articles and my website (www.TopgunBio.com), which are opportunities to highlight the shots that weren’t selected for the book. While the book is a rewarding experience, I have kept my day job as a defense contractor. Now my biggest decision is when to start on the next book!
Airplane ID Winners!
The winner for last issue was Andy Lay who identified it as the one and only Douglas EB-26B. One B-26B was used for testing drag and braking chutes and designated EB-26B (originally A-26B-45-DL, 44-34137). This aircraft was extensively modified for this test program and had a very unusual configuration. For a typical test, the EB-26B would accelerate up to landing speeds and deploy the test chute to determine its effectiveness. Since the aircraft didn’t need to actually fly, major modifications were done to make the aircraft as light as possible and therefore decrease the amount of time and runway needed to get up to the necessary test speed. The most obvious modification was the removal of the wings outboard of the engine nacelles. For this reason the aircraft was nicknamed “Wingless Wonder.” Further weight savings were gained by removing all armament and even the landing gear doors. After testing was completed, the aircraft was scrapped.
April 2011
ISnAP
ISAP Chairman of the Board –
Jay Miller
aerofax@sbcglobal.net
ISAP Board Member -
Paul Bowen
bowen@airtoair.net
ISAP Board Vice Chair – ISAP Board Member - ISAP Board Member - ISAP Board Member - ISAP Board Member - ISAP Board Member - ISAP Board Member -
Larry Grace David Carlson
Russell Munson Albert Ross
Jessica Ambats Caroline Sheen
Katsuhiko Tokunaga
ISAP Membership Coordinator - Larry Grace
lgrace@mm.com
dcarlson@cusa.cannon.com higheye@aol.com
alross@sbcglobal.net
jessicaambats@gmail.com csheen@si.edu
tokunaga@dact.co.jp lgrace@mm.com
ISAP Treasurer -
Bonnie (Bartel) Kratz
ISAP Field Trip Coordinator -
Richard VanderMuelen richardvm@aol.com
ISAP Web Site Manager -
ISAP Speaker Coordinator - ISnAP Editor -
Michele Peterson Andy Wolfe
Frank Landrus
photobonnie@execpc.com
websupport@aviationphotographers.org
viggenja37@sbcglobal.net
The ISnAP is a periodic publication of the International Society for Aviation Photography and is used to communicate news, functions, convention information, and other events or items of interest on the local, regional, and national scenes. The views and opinions expressed in this newsletter are those of the authors and should not be construed as the views or opinions of International Society for Aviation Photography. Deadline for submissions to The ISnAP is the 25th of the month prior to month of issue. Please submit as a WORD text file as an attachment via email to your editor.
*****Membership Renewal Time! Email Larry Grace Now at: lgrace@mm.com ***** It's "Airplane ID" time! Here's your next challenge:
Jay Miller Photo Collection