I have to confess to being in a bit of a struggle. Everything we have done in our ministries over the years just kind of seems a bit hollow now in this them against us environment. I'm trying to focus on why we do it, "Who" we do it for, but I can't shake the overwhelming feeling that the smart thing to do is circle the wagons and take no prisoners. Sad commentary on where we are today, too inwardly focused and looking for the next hand out, just the opposite of what this country was built on.
There have been a number of times over the years where everything was falling into place during an air to air shoot, the air was velvet, my pilots were dead on, I was in sync with my equipment. I've successfully dropped down to 1/15th of a second shutter speed while clipping along at 185 knots in the tail of the B25, and that was when a fast buffer would let you get off five or six frames before it bogged down.
I'd love to get Douglas up in a B25 at sunset and let him do his thing, it would be something to watch! I guess I've taken a couple dozen people up for their first air to air experience in a B25 and every time it was a joy to watch them, knowing that they would never be the same again.
There have been a number of times over the years where everything was falling into place during an air to air shoot, the air was velvet, my pilots were dead on, I was in sync with my equipment. I've successfully dropped down to 1/15th of a second shutter speed while clipping along at 185 knots in the tail of the B25, and that was when a fast buffer would let you get off five or six frames before it bogged down.
I'd love to get Douglas up in a B25 at sunset and let him do his thing, it would be something to watch! I guess I've taken a couple dozen people up for their first air to air experience in a B25 and every time it was a joy to watch them, knowing that they would never be the same again....Show more →
You know it, I'm smiling big time all those memories and always thankful for getting the opportunity.
Jan-Arie wrote:
Went on a trip this weekend with Marcel a friend of mine, we went to Denmark for the Danish Airforce open day.
850 KM (531 miles) one way crazy right.
I was curious to see if I was still able to hold the gear after being sick for so long.
It was heavy to say the least and i fell a sleep in my chair even used high shutterspeed and auto iso but still the keeper rate was way low but by the looks of it I have a couple of keepers.
For the ones interested I will resume work on a full bases from Juli 1st so we will see were that goes.
Hang in there, Jan-Arie; it'll come back, you just have to have patience.
Some years ago after a long bout of radiation I went over to Barksdale for an air show and it was all I could do to lift my old 80-400. I didn't bother to try taking my 500. I must have looked like death warmed over at the time because a really nice corporal offered to carry my bag over to fence for me. But the next year I was back with the big lenses. Just takes time.
There have been a number of times over the years where everything was falling into place during an air to air shoot, the air was velvet, my pilots were dead on, I was in sync with my equipment. I've successfully dropped down to 1/15th of a second shutter speed while clipping along at 185 knots in the tail of the B25, and that was when a fast buffer would let you get off five or six frames before it bogged down.
I'd love to get Douglas up in a B25 at sunset and let him do his thing, it would be something to watch! I guess I've taken a couple dozen people up for their first air to air experience in a B25 and every time it was a joy to watch them, knowing that they would never be the same again....Show more →
Well you're pretty dam good at what you do, that's for sure.
1/15 I couldn't do 1/200 now a days...Gettin shaky in my old age.
Ya, there is definitely some magic around here Jim...See what you started...Now if that could be spread all of the USA and world...
How bout a new toy for your hanger Jim...Have a Mustang Air to Air field day for all of us at your hanger with a big ole barbacue...
Jan-Arie would even fly across the pond for that.
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Thanks Bill! I guess if I'm not good at this point, it ain't happening. Scares me a little to think of the day I start to notice some of those gifts sliding south. I'm thankful, at 73, that I have any of them left.................
Really, when you look back over the past couple of years, we have had a lot stolen from us. Some more than others, and it doesn't make any sense to spend much time complaining about it, but those of us who are still on deck have basically lost a couple of years of our lives and this one is not a particular joy to navigate. Makes one realize just how much we took for granted.
Douglas L wrote:
I always admire the disk motion Jim, Glen Watson and others post here. Jim and Ray gave the best advice a couple posts back, but doing it in really life is a different story. I basically gave up trying unless the prop. planes are just taxing. My panning skill sucks. Last month I bought a variable ND filter per Jim's recommendation to reduce the amount of light so I can use slower shutter speed. I got a couple decent shots with prop. motion but only one or two of them showed the full disk. It's a work-in-progress but today's camera's high frame rate per second does increase the odds of getting at least one or two sharp pictures at slow shutter speed.
J-A, some terrific F-16 shots! Interesting that in one of them the smoke wasn't coming out from the tail. Glad you are back in action!...Show more →
Looks like the lesson is to get more a head on shot and try to avoid too much side to side motion so the 1/80th works as shown by JW
I think I will go with a new mindset that I Can Do It and see where that gets me . Will set up in viewfinder a better aiming target to track to try to stay locked on. Douglas, I know you can do it buddy!
Karl
Well much depends on the angle of the light. The shot I posted was part of several 360 degree orbits and there are portions of it where almost no prop is visible, then you can see it start to show as we rotate into the sun.
We are spoiled in so many ways these days, “back in the day” there weren’t any preview screens to provide instant feedback. Oh, and a 36 exposure canister of film would last about two seconds at our current frame rates……..🤣
I believe that the air was so smooth that evening that I went out on a limb and never shot above 1/80th, risky and I wouldn’t recommend it, but it just felt right. I was using the 100-500 RF on that shoot because we had a subject that hadn’t flown a great deal of formation, and my RF 70-200 hadn’t arrived yet.
If you are ever given the opportunity to fly with Jim or Glenn Watson on an air to air mission, commit to it! I don't care what it cost. They not only get you in the aircraft, the planning and organization is amazing. Then, if you ask, they will tell you shutter speeds needed based on sun and aircraft flight direction/attitude, etc.. They make it so much fun. You will love it and it will be something you will treasure for the rest of your life! Just Do It!
Heck, Glenn even got me into a subject aircraft flown by Rob Holland:
Holland is known as one of the most decorated aerobatic pilots in U.S. history, having won multiple titles such as five-time consecutive World 4-minute Freestyle Aerobatic Champion, Ten-time consecutive U.S. National Aerobatic Champion, Eleven-time U.S. 4-minute Freestyle Aerobatic Champion, the 2015 World Air Games Freestyle Gold Medal, the 2012 Art Scholl Award for Showmanship Recipient, the 2008 World Advanced Aerobatic Champion and 28 Medals in International Competition with 12 of those being Gold. Holland is the only pilot in history to win: five consecutive World 4-minute Freestyle titles, Ten consecutive U.S. National titles, and eleven total U.S. 4-minute Freestyle titles.
The guy in front with the big grin is me...what a ride!
. Will set up in viewfinder a better aiming target to track to try to stay locked on. Douglas, I know you can do it buddy!
