good post, jim! as a future mk3 owner, i've been studying the posts about the focusing "problem" and it seems like most with issues are trying to run it on multiple focus points. i'm no expert, but my impression is that most sports and action shooters - which should include flying planes and birds - are using center focus only. i know i do, unless i'm working in very close. how about you?
esa17 - Just tell us you need progressive to the hanger of the "world famous photographer Jim Wilson" We know where he is. btw- nice amphib shoots, bet you wish the light was better. That 3rd shot would have been super hot.
Nice work boys. Jason, great shots as usual and cool new logo!
Ian, we love modest contributions here, keep up the good work and let us see the results.
After a week of thunderstorms, thwarted photo shoots, rescheduled assignments and battles with technology, my old Buddy Gunny called me to see if I'd be interested in blowing off the day and flying T-6's. I love ya Gunny, it was just what I needed!! We had a great day leaving a huge carbon footprint and it was made even more enjoyable by the fact that my good Buddy Bryan Martin was our controller for the morning.
Here's Gunny heading home a little while ago. This shot was ably assisted by Bryan at my side. (If he had been in the tower, Gunny would have had all his lights on!)
Gunny's got the touch for sure! I wish I had known him in his F-15 days. Then again, I wish we had been buds when you were running Miramar and controlling traffic on carriers. Oh well, just glad to be friends now!!
You know, it's just instinctual for me after all these years. I just know my shutterspeed/f-stop settings for a condition and effect and set them without even thinking about it. It's kind of like the habits you form flying different aircraft. I rarely look at airspeeds in the T-6, or any of my planes because my fanny knows when they're ready to fly and ready to quit. When people ask me "what speed do you do such and such at?", I have to stop and think, because it has become automatic.
I developed the techniques when transparency film was the media and you only had 1/2 stop latitude. Digital gives the photographer of today about six times that spread before the capture isn't salvageable. White aircraft are the biggest problem, of course, because the highlights blow out detail so fast.
In the case of the shots of Gunny from yesterday, the sun had just moved to a bit off top dead center, in favor of my shot. The shadow weren't as deep as they would have been an hour before. In bright sun, which we had, reds and Gunny's South African AF day-glo orange are very difficult to keep in check.
Fireworks over Addison, TX is an excuse (darn good one to) for some of the Cavanaugh Flight Museum planes to do a couple laps while keeping the masses entertained while they wait for darkness.
http://alhibma.smugmug.com/photos/170415711-L.jpg
A Hawker Sea Fury, Wildcat and an Avenger waiting for clearance.
I have been watching this post since the beginning and I am just amazed at all the great photos and insight given by both Jim and everyone else. Here is a humble submission to keep this alive.
I am not a airplane photographer by any strech of the imagination but did go to a ballon festival that the blue angles preformed at, Here are a few shots from the show.
