Air Show Pics .. Thunderbirds

[Shaner (Ut)]

Went to the air show last weekend and got some shots of the Thunderbirds :D and other planes.

Heres a couple of teasers, I have about 40 more posted on my site if you would like to take a look.

Shot with the 10D and 100-400mm

http://cakeru.image.pbase.com/image/30082661.jpg
http://cakeru.image.pbase.com/image/30082665.jpg
http://cakeru.image.pbase.com/image/30082663.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/shaner/air_show_

Thanks for looking and Happy Clicking,
Shaner :D

[drisley]

:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

[Conor]

very sweet, i cant wait for them to come back so i can try takeing some photots with my 70-200 2.8

[sGu]

these r awesome photos u took there, i only been to one air show, unfortunately i didn't have a camera back then.

did u shoot in jpeg or raw?

[dn7elson]

Very nice indeed.

[khkohl]

Great Job!

[adamsti]

The Thunderbird shots look fantastic. I'm going to see them next weekend, hopefully I will have a nice sky like that.

I also checked out your other stuff. Just a minor nit, the shutter speeds are way too high for the prop planes. On WWII fighters max speed is usually 1/250, to get good prop blur. 1/320 also works ok, especially on the smaller aerobatic planes since their props turn faster than the fighters.

By the way, your avian stuff is fantastic!! :D

[Shaner (Ut)]

Thanks for the comments everyone ... Glad ya enjoyed the shots

sGu they where shot using jpeg.

Happy Clicking,
Shaner

[SoCal69]

Absolutely amazing shots!

[Canuck]

Wooo-hoo! Thunderchickens! :) :)

I too have a few airshow forthcoming... Farnborough, Fairford and possibly Waddington! I'm not 100% sure I can make it to Waddington.

[ScottJE22]

Awesome pics both here and in your gallery! Thanks for sharing!

[JoeTampa]

Where were you when you shot them? Doesn't look like you were on the ground...

[drisley]

Where were you when you shot them? Doesn't look like you were on the ground...

That's exactly what I was wondering :shock:

[Liang]

Very good shot

[Shaner (Ut)]

Thanks again for the comments everyone :D

I was on the ground as close to the runway as I could get. In some of the shots the height the planes where flying, sometimes just barely above the ground, and their angle just makes it look like I was up flying with them, I wish I was.... what a blast that would of been.

Happy Clicking,
Shaner

[Bruce Hamilton]

...like I was up flying with them, I wish I was.... what a blast that would of been.

You'd have a better chance of going up with the Navy's Blue Angels... Don't believe the Thunderbirds take civilians on joyrides like the Angels have.

[johneo]

We had the Air Show here in Rhode Island over the weekend ... another GREAT show!

I asked on a previous post would the 100-400 be ok for close flying ... well, with a few exceptions it IS the best lens to have! Incredible, fast AF and I'm still in awe of some of the 500+ shots I took during Saturday and Sunday (not just the Thunderbirds but most of the show Saturday and a good part Sunday)

I haven't even been able to spend much time going through the shots but did a quick check and I know I have a lot of keepers.

Here are a couple of the 1st ones I found (I made a point of starting with the Thunderbirds as they are the highlight of the show)


http://www.riview.com/as04/f194377f.jpg

http://www.riview.com/as04/f194373f.jpg

And one more thing ... it's great taking shots with a nice blue background but when there are a bunch of big puffy white clouds around ... WOW!!! :shock: That is awesome!

[danphoto1]

All you guys took great shots. I did't make the air show this year but have shot them a few times it is a great event to photograph keep up the good work

Dan

[Ballen Photo]

Excellent work Shane. I like em all, but especially the one showing the flame at the rear of the jet. :D :shock: :D
.......Bruce

[stevelew]

Great shots. Did you hand hold or use a monopod/tripod?

Thanks for sharing!!

[johneo]

Did you hand hold or use a monopod/tripod?

Hi ... if you're asking me, mine were hand held ... ya just gotta love IS :D and I used the 2nd setting on the 100-400L which, if I remember that setting helps stabalize the lens while panning.

http://www.riview.com/as04/f194020f.jpg

[stevelew]

The exposure is right on for most of the shots. Did you manage to fill the frame on the flybys or are they cropped? Yes the IS is very nice. I have the 70-200 IS which also is an incredible lens. A lot of your shots were taken at 1/1000 or better so I wonder if IS is needed at that shutter speed. Maybe when panning you do need the IS function. Anyway great stuff. The Seafair is coming in August and the Blue Angels will be there. Maybe I'll try some shots. Your shots are so stimulating!!!!

Steve

[adamsti]

For jets IS may not be needed at high shutter speeds, but it will help at 1/250 and the 100-400 maxed at 400 for the propeller driven planes. Shoot at 1/1000 and the planes look like they are going to fall out of the sky. You will toss a lot of shoots at the slower speeds, but the recycle bin is a whole lot cheaper than fim developing. :D

[Shaner (Ut)]

Thanks for all the comments everyone :D

I took a tripod and mono with me but didn't use either, there was to many ppl, 250,000, and I needed to be able to move around without someone knocking into them, so almost all shots where handheld.

For the most part they are full frame shots, just cropped to a 8x10 ratio. 400mm was more than enough zoom for most of the shots.

The 100-400 takes such great shots at f8 and f7.1 that I didn't want to stop it down for slower shutter speeds. A blurred propeller on the prop planes does look nice but I chose to go with the cleaner shots and I'm happy with the way they turned out. Maybe next time I will give it a try, thanks for the suggestion.


Thanks again and Happy Clicking,
Shaner

[whowie]

Shaner, I think your Thunderbirds are fantastic but, I particularly like IMG_3935f on your WEB site. Great shooting!

[Johnnynf]

All the shots are great!! Nice Job!! My favorite is IMG_3745f. That is one nice looking pilot. Either the name on the canopy needs to be changed, or "SSgt Matt McClain" looks very feminine. :wink:

[Bruce Hamilton]

Either the name on the canopy needs to be changed, or "SSgt Matt McClain" looks very feminine.

Looks like they got her rank wrong as well... Thought only commissioned officers could go through flight training. Last time I checked, a staff sergeant wasn't an officer.

[BoySpot]

That side of the cockpit is often where the crew chief gets to put their name. The pilot gets their name on the other side. Besides, depending on what service you are talking about, they usually fly whatever jet is available and working. Junior pilots have to wait before they get their name on a jet.

[minatophase3]

Incredible pictures!

[UK_Terry]

Wooo-hoo! Thunderchickens! :) :)

I too have a few airshow forthcoming... Farnborough, Fairford and possibly Waddington! I'm not 100% sure I can make it to Waddington.

Fantastic shots shaner & great name "Thunderbirds"

canuck..did you not go to kemble last weekend?
i did....have a look at a few shots here http://www.robinsfc.co.uk/Photos/kemble200604/index.htm

not as spectacular as shaners thunderbirds though and definatly not as good weather.

10D & canon 75 - 300

[Canuck]

Wooo-hoo! Thunderchickens! :) :)

I too have a few airshow forthcoming... Farnborough, Fairford and possibly Waddington! I'm not 100% sure I can make it to Waddington.

Fantastic shots shaner & great name "Thunderbirds"

canuck..did you not go to kemble last weekend?
i did....have a look at a few shots here http://www.robinsfc.co.uk/Photos/kemble200604/index.htm

not as spectacular as shaners thunderbirds though and definatly not as good weather.

10D & canon 75 - 300

Terry,
I wasn't able to make it, had to work this weekend. That really got my goat. I am still not sure about this weekend (Waddington). I will make it to Fairford and Farnborough. It may take some doing but who cares. I have some pics I have taken of commercial airliners and will provide the pics on here eventually. Have you heard of www.airliners.net or as I call them analretentives.net cuz they have taken some really crap shots and I am so far 0 for 10. I have seen way worse than what I am sending them.

[Canuck]

All the shots are great!! Nice Job!! My favorite is IMG_3745f. That is one nice looking pilot. Either the name on the canopy needs to be changed, or "SSgt Matt McClain" looks very feminine. :wink:

Ok, SSgt McClain is the crew chief, the preson in charge of the airplane and the pilot is an officer, like Lt, Capt, Maj, LtC. There are no enlisted flying people that are pilots.